Director, Smart Grid Energy Solutions

DEPARTMENT:    Smart Grid Solutions

LOCATION:           Flexible

NRTC is Member Driven and Technology Focused – providing solutions that help our 1,500 electric and telephone members bring all the advantages of today’s evolving technology to rural America. NRTC’s solutions are developed specifically to meet the needs of rural utilities and their customers, and include integrated smart grid solutions, metering networks, next-generation energy, demand management, broadband, managed services, mobile and video. We are a dynamic, growing cooperative with more than 750 employees operating out of six office locations. We are looking to add experienced staff to our Smart Grid team to help our utility cooperative members accelerate their development and deployment of advanced, renewable, and distributed energy resources.

Job Summary

The Director, Smart Grid Energy Solutions will have portfolio oversight of NRTC’s Advanced Energy offering – including renewable energy, energy storage and EV charging solutions - and will identify future needs and how to best position NRTC and its member to fulfill the current and future needs. Candidates must demonstrate proven ability to successfully work with internal and external partners to win contracts and fulfill delivery of new advanced energy systems, and to eliminate product and technical barriers to closing a contract and beginning implementation. 

Responsibilities

• Be a resource to NRTC’s members and an internal and external subject matter expert on advanced energy trends and market dynamics, including the transition to renewable energy, energy storage, distributed energy and EV charging infrastructure, especially as they pertain to cooperatives and utilities.
• Maintain and grow relationship with existing vendor partners, including co-developing strategy, facilitating new opportunities, and identifying vendor/partner resources required for successful deployment and implementation with NRTC’s members.
• Stay current on vendor roadmaps and provide input to partners on solution feature requirements needing development.
• Structure and negotiate agreements with partners by working closely with diverse internal teams to formulate business plans. Evaluate opportunities, conduct due diligence, negotiate agreement terms, and present recommendations to executive leadership.
• Work with executive leadership to define strategic requirements for partnership opportunities, determine capability or operational fit with existing strategy, develop and manage partnership pipeline.
• In coordination with vendor partners and internal business units, develop processes to successfully originate new opportunities, eliminate technical barriers to sales, prepare/coordinate proposals, and implement Advanced Energy Solutions.
• Life of project responsibility for a wide range of transaction types from collaborations, to joint ventures, to multi-party partnerships. Advocate for critical partnerships across the organization consistent with NRTC’s business development strategy.
• Establish relationships with potential new partners. Act as the central point of contact and maintain comprehensive knowledge.
• Assist team members in the prospecting and deployment of Smart Grid solutions for AMI, resiliency, demand management and strategic road mapping.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 3+ years grid-scale solar, storage or advanced energy project experience
• Candidates should have energy industry experience, project development or management experience a plus, a baseline knowledge of the solar, storage or EVSE industries. The ideal candidate will understand the ever-changing solar and energy storage policies and regulatory environment with a strong customer-oriented focus.
• Bachelor’s Degree in engineering or related field required.
• Experience leading complex operational and strategic initiatives across various geographies.
• Ability to create electric utility financial models designed to represent the performance of a financial asset, project, or other investment.
• Ability to resolve conflicts and maintain positive relationships with internal and external clients.
• Candidates should be self-driven, able to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously, and comfortable interfacing with internal and external stakeholders.
• Electric utility experience desired, cooperative experience a plus

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Effective project management, relationship-building, and negotiation skill. Excellent written and oral communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to resolve conflicts and maintain positive relationships with internal and external clients.

• Ability to travel domestically up to 30%

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