BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCT MANAGER – ENERGY SOLUTIONS

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Business Development & Product Manager – Energy Solutions to take ownership of an assigned energy solutions product portfolio and drive its commercial growth.

The successful candidate will work closely with sales, service and support teams to acquire new customers while identifying opportunities to introduce energy solutions to existing clients.

This is a commercially focused role requiring a strong combination of renewable energy industry knowledge, business development, product management, solution selling and vendor management.

The role will also be responsible for equipping sales channels with the tools, knowledge and value propositions required to effectively sell energy solutions, while developing existing and new product offerings based on market trends, customer requirements and industry insight.

Experience & Education Requirements

• Matric.
• Business diploma or degree.
• 2–3 years' experience within the renewable energy sector.
• Proven track record in sales and business development, ideally within the renewable energy market.
• Experience developing and executing business plans to grow revenue within an assigned product portfolio or channel.
• Demonstrated experience achieving and exceeding sales targets within a B2B environment.
• Experience in solution selling and developing customer value propositions.
• Experience managing vendor/supplier relationships and channel partnerships.

Key Competencies

• Strong sales hunter mentality.
• Excellent relationship-building and networking skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Leadership and supervisory capability.
• Commercial decision-making and initiative.
• Strong research and analytical ability.
• Planning and organisational skills.
• Strong written and reporting capabilities.
• Ability to work effectively with multiple internal and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Strategic Planning

• Develop a strong understanding of the marketplace and competitive landscape.
• Implement product strategies based on market segmentation.
• Develop multi-year product roadmaps and prioritise product requirements.
• Contribute to and execute annual product strategies and roadmaps.
• Support sales teams in developing compelling market value propositions.
• Assist in developing pricing models based on customer value and ROI analysis.
• Develop and execute annual budget achievement plans.
• Achieve and exceed agreed sales targets across the assigned portfolio.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives and relevant business projects.

Product Marketing

• Work with Marketing to conduct market research into customer requirements, existing products and new product opportunities.
• Conduct competitor and market analysis.
• Co-develop product collateral for internal and customer-facing use.
• Maintain expert knowledge of relevant industry developments and trends.
• Monitor competitor products and market developments.
• Support the product development process.
• Maintain communication with customers and partners to identify product-development opportunities.
• Provide detailed market, industry and competitive analysis and positioning.
• Develop pricing and packaging strategies.
• Support trade shows, roadshows, product launches and other relevant events.
• Contribute to newsletters, industry forums and product-related events.

Product Management & Support

• Manage the full product lifecycle from concept and planning through development, qualification, launch, delivery and withdrawal.
• Drive product development in line with broader business strategy.
• Develop packaged solutions for different vertical markets.
• Manage product launches according to established procedures.
• Maintain product information, pricing updates and adjustments on relevant ERP systems.
• Work with administration and logistics teams to maintain accurate stock information.
• Assist with product forecasting where required.
• Compile and present competitor analysis.
• Act as a key point of contact for product-related enquiries.
• Ensure relevant product collateral and training materials are maintained within the CRM.
• Develop streamlined processes for the portfolio.
• Work closely with vendors and suppliers to accelerate sales and business development through the channel.

Vendor & Supplier Management

• Develop and maintain strong national and international vendor relationships.
• Ensure pricing parity across products and services.
• Maintain accurate and current price lists and ensure partner agreements are adhered to.
• Align vendor strategies with overall business objectives.
• Work with Learning & Development teams and vendors to facilitate appropriate product training.

Reporting & Commercial Performance

• Contribute to market-share analysis using relevant industry research.
• Monitor sales performance by product segment and group.
• Track sales performance against budget on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
• Monitor average selling prices across channels and end users where required.
• Contribute to regular business-unit performance reporting.

Sales Enablement & Relationship Management

• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, Learning & Development and Customer Service teams to develop the tools and content required to successfully sell, implement and support products.
• Work closely with internal and channel sales teams to develop sales tools and training.
• Plan and deliver internal sales training and product events.
• Lead product launches for internal and external stakeholders.
• Coach sales consultants on go-to-market planning and execution.
• Support the development of sales materials, demonstrations, reference customers and relevant sales programmes.
• Provide sales teams and channel partners with the product expertise required to effectively position and sell solutions.
• Ensure relevant promotional materials, product documentation and training resources are available.
• Work closely with sales and solutions consultants to understand client needs, business objectives and how these relate to the proposed products and solutions.