Director of Business Development

GridStor develops, constructs, and operates battery energy storage projects that improve grid reliability and fuel economic growth across North America. Role Summary The Director of Business Development – BTM & On‑Site BESS will lead the full lifecycle of customer acquisition, offtake agreement execution, and go‑to‑market strategy for large‑load battery projects. This senior commercial leadership role will collaborate with Commercial, EPC, Transmission & Interconnection, Development, and Finance teams to secure commitments for hyperscale data centers, AI infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, commercial and industrial facilities, and municipal loads. 1. Offtake Development & Customer Acquisition Build and maintain a high‑quality pipeline of BTM and on‑site BESS offtake opportunities with large load customers across U.S. organized electricity markets (PJM, ERCOT, MISO, CAISO/WECC, NYISO, SPP) and, as applicable, Alberta AESO. Leverage existing relationships and develop new relationships across the target customer universe: hyperscale cloud providers, NeoCloud GPU infrastructure providers, colocation data center operators, enterprise data center owners, and large C&I facilities. Qualify opportunities rigorously against commercial, technical, and strategic criteria—prioritizing engagements with the highest probability of successful execution and the strongest long‑term strategic fit. Champion offtake structures that enable the company to develop, build, own, and operate BESS assets throughout their useful life, including long‑term energy service agreements, capacity agreements, power purchase structures, and demand charge reduction contracts. Identify and convert early‑stage customer interest into executed term sheets and, ultimately, definitive offtake agreements. 2. Go‑to‑Market Strategy & Execution Co‑develop and execute the company’s large‑load BTM BESS go‑to‑market strategy—target market segmentation, value proposition design, pricing methodology, and channel strategy. Design and communicate holistic, customer‑centric solutions that address the full spectrum of large load customer pain points: speed to power, interconnection acceleration, demand charge management, resilience and backup power, GPU transient smoothing, diesel genset replacement, and 24/7 carbon‑free energy alignment. Lead market development activities including outreach campaigns, RFP responses, unsolicited proposals, and one‑on‑one customer engagement. Develop and maintain competitive market intelligence on pricing, deal structures, peer developer activity, and emerging regulatory requirements that affect customer decision‑making. Ensure commercial positioning reflects the latest regulatory developments, including FERC co‑location orders, ERCOT SB 6, PJM netting rules, MISO ICAP accreditation changes, and applicable state‑level incentive programs. 3. Negotiation & Deal Execution Lead bilateral negotiations for long‑term offtake agreements, term sheets, letters of intent, and energy service agreements—working with legal and finance counterparts to drive efficient deal execution. Develop and refine commercial term structures, pricing models, and deal economics in collaboration with analytics, finance, EPC, and Transmission & Interconnection teams. Drive internal deal screening/qualification and approval processes, including deal approval and investment committee presentations, executive briefings, and cross‑functional deal review sessions. Manage complex multi‑stakeholder negotiations involving customer procurement, legal, finance, facilities, and sustainability teams—demonstrating patience, creativity, and commercial discipline throughout. Maintain detailed deal tracking, pipeline reporting, and CRM discipline to ensure visibility and accountability across the commercial organization. 4. Cross‑Functional Leadership & Internal Collaboration Serve as the primary voice‑of‑customer internally—translating customer requirements, preferences, and objections into actionable product, development, and operational insights for cross‑functional teams. Collaborate closely with the EPC, Transmission & Interconnection, and Finance teams to ensure proposed BESS solutions are technically sound, siting‑feasible, and deliverable within customer timelines. Partner with the finance team to structure offtake economics that meet customer requirements while satisfying company return thresholds. Coordinate with legal, permitting, and interconnection teams to ensure deal timelines account for all critical path dependencies. Promote a culture of strong team commitment, collegial engagement, and shared accountability aligned with the company’s operating philosophy and core values. 5. Market Leadership & Industry Presence Represent the company at key industry conferences, customer forums, trade associations, and policy roundtables. Build and maintain the company’s brand and reputation within the large‑load BTM BESS sector as a trusted, execution‑focused partner. Stay continuously informed on market trends, competitive developments, technology evolution, regulatory changes, and customer needs—synthesizing intelligence into strategic recommendations for the commercial and executive leadership teams. Contribute to thought leadership content, executive presentations, materials, and other company communications that reflect the company’s position at the forefront of the BTM BESS market. Experience Required Minimum 8–12 years of progressive experience in energy sector business development, with at least 4–6 years in a senior commercial role focused on energy storage, renewables, power procurement, or large‑load C&I energy solutions. Energy Storage Focus: Direct, hands‑on experience developing, structuring, or selling battery energy storage solutions—preferably including BTM or on‑site applications for large commercial or industrial customers. Experience with BESS project finance, ESA structures, or long‑term offtake structures is highly valued. Large Load Customer Relationships: Established and active relationships within hyperscale cloud providers, NeoCloud/GPU infrastructure providers, colocation operators, or large C&I energy buyers. Organized Electricity Market Knowledge: Working knowledge of at least two U.S. organized electricity markets—interconnection processes, tariff structures, demand charge mechanics (particularly 4CP in ERCOT), capacity markets, ancillary services, and regulatory developments affecting large‑load BTM BESS. Commercial Negotiation Track Record: Demonstrated history of negotiating and closing complex, long‑duration commercial contracts—ideally PPAs, ESAs, capacity contracts, or long‑term offtake arrangements of $50M+ total contract value. Go‑to‑Market Leadership: Experience developing or significantly contributing to a go‑to‑market strategy, including customer segmentation, value proposition development, and execution in a competitive and fast‑moving market. Familiarity with utility interconnection processes, non‑firm or interruptible interconnection pathways, and the project development lifecycle from site identification through commercial operations. Ability to translate complex structures into clear investment narratives. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline. Ability to prioritize tasks effectively and approach challenges with a creative, proactive mindset. Highly motivated to support and collaborate with team members, contributing to collective success. Hands‑on, detail‑oriented, but capable of scaling through teams. Credible partner to executives, investors, and lenders. Financial Acumen: Ability to understand, present, and negotiate the economic value proposition of BTM BESS investments—including NPV/IRR analysis, demand charge savings quantification, capacity market revenue modeling, and general project finance structures. Qualifications Education Bachelor’s degree required in Business, Economics, Engineering, Finance, or a related field. Master’s degree (MBA, M.S. Energy, M.S. Engineering, or J.D.) preferred but not required; demonstrated performance and experience are weighted equally to academic credentials. Skills & Competencies Exceptional relationship‑building and executive communication skills—comfortable leading C‑suite conversations with procurement, legal, finance, and facilities leadership at Fortune 500 companies. Commercial creativity and deal‑structuring sophistication—able to develop and present innovative offtake structures that meet customer needs while satisfying company return thresholds. Strong analytical capability—able to build and review financial models, assess project economics, and present complex financial trade‑offs clearly to both internal and external audiences. Highly organized self‑starter—capable of managing a complex pipeline of simultaneous opportunities across multiple markets and customer segments with minimal administrative support. Collaborative team leader—a genuine belief in the power of cross‑functional collaboration, with a track record of driving deal execution through teams without requiring direct authority. Resilient and resourceful—comfortable navigating long sales cycles, complex multi‑stakeholder environments, and the inevitable setbacks of development‑stage commercial work. Clear, compelling writer and presenter—able to produce executive briefings, customer presentations, term sheets, and internal deal memos to a high professional standard. Unwavering integrity—committed to operating with full transparency, intellectual honesty, and alignment with the company’s values in all customer and internal interactions. Preferred Technical Familiarity BESS technology fundamentals: lithium‑ion chemistry types (LFP preference), inverter configurations, EMS/BMS systems, C‑rate and duration specifications, and containerized system architecture. Grid interconnection: non‑firm contract demand service, interruptible service pathways, DER interconnection (IEEE 1547), and utility tariff structures relevant to large‑load BTM applications. Energy market structures: capacity markets (PJM, MISO ICAP), ancillary services (regulation, reserves), real‑time and day‑ahead energy price dynamics, and 4CP coincident peak management in ERCOT. Relevant regulatory frameworks: FERC Order 2222, FERC Dec 2025 Co‑Location Service framework, ERCOT SB 6, California SGIP, ITC/IRA investment tax credit structures, and OBBBA FEOC provisions. Location This role may be flexible/hybrid with a preference for key office locations in Portland, OR; Denver, CO; or Los Angeles, CA. Remote/Home office locations will be considered for the right candidate. Travel Expectation 30–50% travel expected, including customer visits, industry conferences, company all‑hands meetings, and commercial team all‑hands meetings. Compensation and Benefits Competitive base salaries commensurate with experience with an annual cash bonus based on company and individual performance. Generous paid leave. Employee participation in Long‑Term Incentive Plan. Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, covering domestic partners and eligible domestic partner children. HSA/FSA for participating employees. 401(k) plan with company match and immediate vesting. Continuing education and professional development. Cellphone reimbursement, hybrid work environment, healthy snacks, volunteer opportunities, company outings, and more. #J-18808-Ljbffr GridStor