Business Design Lead

We’re looking for a Commercial & Business Design Manager to join E.ON’s internal venture studio. If you’re excited by the challenge of building commercially scalable ventures that accelerate the clean energy transition, and thrive in turning ambiguity into opportunity, you’re in the right place. You’ll work closely with Entrepreneurs in Residence to shape, validate, and launch new ventures designed to create a zero carbon, zero bill, zero friction future. This is a hybrid role for someone who combines deep energy market expertise with commercial creativity, financial modelling capability, and the ability to communicate complex ideas simply and persuasively.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll be doing:

• You’ll help teams move from ideas to scalable business models - designing propositions, validating assumptions, and building the commercial foundations of future ventures.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Build commercial models from scratch - Develop advanced, dynamic financial models including complex revenue stacking scenarios and scalable commercial structures.
• Shape breakthrough propositions - Design and validate place-based energy propositions that challenge conventional approaches and create value for multiple stakeholders.
• Support venture growth - Work alongside venture leads to validate commercial hypotheses, define TAM/SAM/SOM market opportunities, and establish OKRs that demonstrate scalability.
• Design innovative deal structures – Create novel financing mechanisms and commercial structures that enable projects to launch and grow successfully.
• Connect technical and commercial systems – Translate technical constraints such as battery optimisation or local grid capacity into commercially viable business cases and operating models.
• Communicate complexity with clarity – Present complex energy market and financial models to investment boards, infrastructure funds, public sector organisations, and B2B clients in a way that is clear and compelling.
• Navigate ambiguity confidently – Solve regulatory, operational, or commercial challenges with creativity, adaptability, and a problem‑solving mindset.

Are we the perfect match? You have experience operating at the intersection of energy markets, commercial strategy, and venture development. You’re comfortable building in uncertainty and excited by the opportunity to shape entirely new business models within the energy transition. We’d love to see a mix of the following:

• Strong understanding of energy markets, pricing, trading, and commercial mechanisms.
• Hands‑on experience working with Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), including knowledge of wholesale energy, retail tariffs, and grid services.
• Experience developing financial models, business cases, and commercial propositions for complex or early‑stage ventures.
• Ability to work in agile, test‑and‑learn environments with iterative commercial validation approaches.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence diverse audiences.
• A systems‑thinking mindset that connects operational, technical, regulatory, and commercial considerations.

It would be great if you had:

• Experience with flexibility modelling, battery dispatch, capacity markets, or TOU arbitrage.
• Familiarity with innovative financing structures such as SPVs, CBS models, green bonds, or off‑balance‑sheet financing.
• Experience working within public sector, local authority, or regulated commercial environments.
• Exposure to decentralised energy systems, microgrids, local energy sharing, or multi‑asset energy integration.
• Previous experience in a start‑up, venture studio, innovation lab, or founding team environment.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Role may close earlier due to high applications.
• FTC - 12 months
• Cover Letter Required: Applications without a cover letter may not be considered.
• Location - Nottingham, Solihull or London (Farringdon) with hybrid working; Hybrid Expectations: Office presence is flexible based on business need.
• Excellent parental leave allowance.
• Award‑Winning Workplace - We’re proud to be named a Sunday Times Best Place to Work 2025 and the Best Place to Work for 16–34‑year‑olds.
• Outstanding Benefits - Enjoy 26 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, a generous pension, life cover, bonus opportunities and access to 20 flexible benefits with tax/NI savings.
• Flexible & Family‑Friendly - Our industry‑leading hybrid and family‑friendly policies earned us double recognition at the Personnel Today Awards 2024.
• Inclusive & Diverse - We’re the only energy company in the Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers.
• Support at Every Stage of Life - We’re Fertility Friendly and Menopause Friendly accredited, with inclusive support for everyone.
• Accessible & Supportive - As a Disability Confident Employer, we guarantee interviews for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role.
• Invested in Your Growth - From inclusive talent networks to top‑tier development programmes, we’ll support your growth every step of the way.

For all successful candidates, your employment will be subject to a basic DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check being carried out by ourselves via a 3rd party service provider.

Any questions on the role - please reach out to Eonnext.recruitment@eonnext.com.