Senior Connections Manager London

Our client is an innovative and rapidly expanding business based in the UK, aiming to invest in and implement over £1 billion worth of heat network projects in the upcoming years. They provide funding, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of low carbon district energy networks and building energy systems for communities, towns, and cities. Their collaborations include local authorities, developers, house builders, and property owners.

They aim to take the lead in decarbonising at the city level. They acknowledge that the decarbonisation of heating and the built environment represents one of the final areas with clear solutions, and this is where their focus lies, along with the allocation of their investments and resources.

They are a forward-thinking company driven by innovative design and proactive intelligence, seeking individuals who can analyse problems and look beyond challenges. Their goal is to lead in both commercial and technical innovation, and they invite team members to join them on this journey.

Some of their current projects include:

• The design, installation, operation and funding of district heating system to serve 3500 homes as part of a major regeneration project.
• The design and installation of a heat network in a rural community to replace oil boilers in 300 homes with centralised low carbon heat generation.
• The design and installation of a ground source heat pump system to provide heating and cooling to a new development of 300 homes, a gym and office building.
• The design, installation and operation of a new city centre wide low carbon district heating system.
• Developing detailed long-term decarbonisation plans for existing large scale district heating networks to allow them to transition from gas fired CHP led generation to low carbon generation.

Our client is absolutely committed to an honest and collaborative approach to all their work, to being innovative in everything they do, always looking for better ways to do things and on avoiding the business curses of unnecessary complexity and silos. They are a young, friendly business in the very rapidly growing low carbon energy sector, which provides significant opportunities for career flexibility and development. They focus on delivering bespoke solutions with positive outcomes for the communities they serve.

The goal of the Connections Team is to secure connections (customers) to our heat networks, to grow our heat networks and decarbonise our towns and cities. There are five core skillsets and activities involved in the Growth Team, with team members specialising in one or more of these skills:

• Origination: For each project it is a core goal to drive a pipeline of connections (customers) into our projects. Some of our team spend their time at events, door knocking and engaging via LinkedIn, email and phone, identifying and developing relationships with potential customers for heat networks. Skills involved here include sales, emotional intelligence, perseverance and a willingness to speak to anyone. Origination also encompasses identifying new places to invest in heat networks. Origination will be a core activity and skillset required for this role.
• Developing customer offers and connection solutions: This skillset involves being highly engaged with potential heat network connections (customers) at a mid- and senior level, responsible for working with our Project Development Team and Assets Team to produce commercially and technically attractive offers. The goal is to really understand the customer and what they want/need and deliver an offer to match. Some experience here is desirable for the role.
• Project and process leadership: Every project we work on has a Project Development Manager, responsible for ensuring that the techno-commercial elements of the project are de-risked and delivered. Our Growth Team works closely with the Project Development Manager, responsible for ensuring that the customer and stakeholder elements of the project are de-risked and delivered in parallel. This involves ensuring that the connections and external affairs processes are executed well and that our relationship with the council remains strong. This includes contributing to network governance processes and reporting. Some experience here is desirable for the role, but not essential.
• External affairs: This skillset revolves around how we communicate our activities with public and political stakeholders at a local and national level. It encompasses activities ranging from media relations and government engagement, through to direct community engagement. The client has a dedicated External Affairs Team, however, our Connections Managers who focus on origination are expected to work closely with External Affairs, to deliver stakeholder engagement. Experience in External Affairs is not required; however good stakeholder engagement and communication skills are a must.
• Bidding: Our clients development opportunities often come through bidding, which requires setting out in writing and attending meetings to showcase why they are the best in the market at developing and delivering heat network projects. This is not a required skill for this role, but experience or willingness to support bidding is welcome.

As a Senior Connections Manager your job will be to secure customers for our heat networks. You will do this by:

• Managing and providing strategic leadership for growth over a portfolio of heat network projects, responsible for ensuring that connections (customers) join the network from origination through to ultimately sign contracts to connect to the heat network and buy heat.
• Managing at least one direct report, responsible for ensuring that they are fulfilling their duties (this could well be origination) and supported in their development.
• Cultivating senior relationships within public sector organisations, housing developers and other businesses which have properties which may connect to our heat network.
• Ensuring a positive client experience by balancing business discussions with rapport-building in a social setting.
• Identifying how to get each customer property to join the heat network, using your commercial and strategic awareness. This will involve understanding in depth what the selling points and blockers are for each customer.
• Working with our commercial and technical advisors to develop a compelling connection offer for each customer and getting each customer to a point where we have a high degree of confidence that the customer will join the heat network.
• Working closely with our Asset Manager for the relevant network who will be responsible for the detailed contractual negotiations with each customer and hold the ongoing customer relationship.
• Holding relationships with the councils that we work with, including contributing to our Steering Groups and other network governance meetings, ultimately ensuring that we keep councils happy and engaged in the networks development.
• Responsible for ensuring that wider Growth Team priorities are being delivered for your portfolio of networks. This involves ensuring that External Affairs and Origination functions are being delivered successfully, to ensure that planning permission is secured for our networks, and a pipeline of connections is being delivered.
• Cultivating a strong presence with the local community, including attending industry and local events, as well as networking functions.
• As required, support in origination and external affairs activities, and other duties from time to time.

We are looking for a bright, communicative, problem solver. You will be someone who has an excellent commercial awareness, and is confident and competent to undertake high level negotiations with commercial and public sector customers. You will be excellent at managing your work to deliver team and individual goals, working as part of a project team to deliver financial investment decisions on programme across our networks.

Required:

• Proven aptitude for working as part of a fast-paced team towards shared goals and deadlines.
• Experience of cultivating relationships in a sales environment.
• Experience of presenting and negotiating commercial proposals and associated headline contract terms.
• Proven track record of developing solutions for clients, working closely with other technical and commercial teams to deliver these proposals.
• Excellent stakeholder relationship management and the ability to get a good read on people.
• A genuine commitment to making a positive impact within the local community and driving sustainable solutions.
• A mindset geared towards identifying and solving problems.
• Confidence to deal with very senior stakeholders (CEO/CFO) – must be happy presenting at senior level.
• A willingness to travel.
• Excellent communication skills, including written and verbal.
• Strong MS Word and PowerPoint skills with proven ability to prepare high quality written proposals, based on company templates.

Desirable:

• Proven track record of securing and managing contracts with business and public sector customers.
• Experience negotiating heat supply agreements or other energy supply of services agreement with commercial heat customers.
• Examples of securing connection and supply agreements for heat networks in the UK or abroad.

We welcome applications from candidates with varied backgrounds and experiences. If you don’t meet every requirement listed but believe you have the skills, drive, and potential to succeed in this role, we’d still love to hear from you.

Remuneration and Info:

• Remuneration: £60k+ depending on experience.
• Fixed 1 year contract (maternity cover) with possibility of permanent role for right individual.
• This is a fast-growing business who add to the team regularly.
• Discretionary bonus based on individual and business performance.
• An inclusive culture that promotes diversity.
• Holidays 25 days a year plus statutory holidays - with an option to purchase, or sell, up to an additional 5 days per annual leave year.
• Pension plan provision.
• Private health care scheme available.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Electric Car lease scheme.
• Health and well-being support.
• Continuing learning and development opportunities.
• Company PC/laptop, etc.

Please send CV to v.elliott@envirotechtalent.com to apply.