Business Development Manager - United States

About the Role

Key Responsibilities

• Lead origination and negotiations resulting in executing commercial contracts with a number of new and existing customers.
• Develop and manage long-term strategic partnerships and framework agreements.
• Be a trusted advisor to the head of strategic accounts, in market segmentation, origination strategies, and collaboration with leadership to implement.
• Facilitate and support the collaborative development and alignment of the global business plan and strategy for identified market segments or channels.
• Develop a multi-year, multi-segment Market Strategy that includes an integrated segmentation strategy and product application/solution roadmap.
• Participate in the annual planning process, provide updates in regular review meetings, and document/manage approvals for the plan.
• Host recurring meetings with key stakeholders to align strategies.
• Lead product adoption ensuring the business success of the product and its applications.
• Manage market entry timing of phase-gated process via product line team format.
• Ensure segment models meet market needs for product applications, resources, skill, process, documentation etc.
• Execute plan to develop and deliver documentation.
• Lead the development of strong and intimate relationships across multiple levels and customer accounts by ensuring close collaboration between all key-account managers and subject matter experts engaging with the customer.
• Support supplier qualification and development/maintenance of overarching framework agreements.
• Provide cross-functional and executive reporting of key business metrics and corrective action plans to achieve key performance metrics.

Requirements

• An undergraduate degree is required; MBA or Masters is a plus.
• 5+ years of work experience in business development, engineering, sales, project management or other relevant technical experience.
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience in the energy, alternative energy and/or utility sectors.
• Prior experience in utility-scale solar energy industry is required.
• Demonstrated experience navigating complex situations in a fast changing internal and external environment.
• Experience in identifying, implementing, originating, negotiating, and executing commercial contracts.
• Experience leading cross-regional and/or cross-functional high performing teams, with demonstrated results.
• Demonstrated experience in core product management analytics: Market/Customer Segment Analysis, Competitive Analysis, Positioning Analysis, Economic Value Analysis, Business Case Analysis.
• Understanding of global power and utility markets structures and decision making, with analytical skills to assess regulatory impacts.
• Highly detail-oriented and productive.
• Demonstrated expertise in engaging targeted customers to acquire and validate key success factors and solution needs, identify market hypotheses/needs, establish long-term partnerships, and negotiate/close commercial agreements.
• Excellent written, oral, and executive level communication skills.
• Ability to define/align organizational priorities with multiple internal stakeholders and communicate status effectively.

Nice to Have

• Prior experience living and/or working in multiple geographies.

Qualifications

• Educational background includes at least an undergraduate degree; MBA or Masters is preferred.

Benefits & Perks

• Estimated salary range of $94,415-$134,550 annually.
• All positions require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting.
• First Solar is committed to compliance with applicable laws prohibiting employment discrimination and provides reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities.