Account Director

at  Vattenfall

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Critical thinker and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrable track-record of complex major infrastructure deals
• Building long-term relationships with new and existing customers
• Understanding of commercial principles and structures (though, this may not be your background)
• Knowledge of consultative-selling, solution-based sales, account-based sales and established methodologies
• Possess a high level of diplomacy and ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships both with clients and within the organisation
• Adaptability and willingness to carry out a wide range of tasks at different times to support deals

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Proven track record in a similar role as a sales lead demonstrating delivery of major deals
• Successful experience of managing a pipeline of accounts and deals through CRM based solutions
• Have acted as a senior sales lead in a consultative sales setting with successful outcomes
• Experience producing high quality complex bids and proposals
• Experience in district heating, energy master-planning or a similar sector is an advantage
• Ability to learn and understand core contract structures and legal principles for heat networks as well as recognising Vattenfall legal redlines
• Ability to learn and understand core technical principles for heat networks
• Ability to learn and understand principles of how heat networks are delivered by Vattenfall and through our supply chains.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Vattenfall is a European energy company with approximately 20 000 employees. For more than 100 years we have electrified industries, supplied energy to people’s homes and modernized our way of living through innovation and cooperation. We now want to make fossil-free living possible within one generation. To be able to reach this ambitious goal we are looking for talented individuals who, in addition to their passion for their own role, also have strong team spirit and want to contribute to supporting a meaningful corporate mission

MAIN PURPOSE OF ROLE

As a London Account Director at Vattenfall Heat UK, you will apply a strategic approach to business development in order to secure and establish new district heating networks. You will play a critical role, working closely with client organisations representing Vattenfall as we grow the business in London. This will include:

• working in close alignment with marketing, commercial, engineering, delivery and operational colleagues to establish and deliver a growing pipeline of high-quality project and connection opportunities.
• developing long-term relationships with senior stakeholders and collaborating with potential clients to find the right answer for their problems, development of a clear-value proposition, submitting a compelling bid and assisting the team to reach contract signature.
• managing the direct sales processes for smaller connections to existing networks, with compelling propositions wrapped into a more standardised approach.
• Representing Vattenfall externally to the wider market.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES

You will be a member of the London Regional Team; and responsible for delivering the sales pipeline for high priority and quality deals that will enable the growth of the business and delivery of Vattenfall’s regional business plan.
Working closely with the functional teams, you will be responsible for organising the team of engineers, commercial managers, analysts around deals. You will work with these teams and responsible for the development of the solutions and offers to customers. You will ensure that we have an Account Plan, including a compelling win strategy, for every deal and that the business is organised effectively around them.
You will also build an external profile, engaging with potential clients and other stakeholders. You will be dynamic, proactive, creative and diligent – happy to unpick complex situations and use data and emotion to deliver a powerful and simple narrative to clients and customers.

YOUR ROLE WILL INCLUDE:

• Identifying and qualifying opportunities in the market
• Manage a portfolio of Leads, Prospects, Opportunities and Bids, prioritising to maximise success in line with a go to market strategy
• Maintaining accounts and a related pipeline of deals in Vattenfall ‘s CRM system
• Developing and capturing a deep understanding of your clients and their business in your Account Plans
• Responding to public and private sector tenders and leadership and management of the team that contributes to the bid
• Develop and maintain sales processes and tools, and input into the development of sales and marketing strategies, to win deals for new heat network connections
• Development of strategies to set up new heat network opportunity areas in London
• Devising and project managing the action plan that will drive the sale from lead to close, working with the multi-functional deal team including ability to prepare a clear resource plan and manage a team to follow the sales process for a deal
• Owning the client relationship, including the strategy to broaden and deepen our stakeholder relationships at multiple levels, and acting as the ‘client’s voice’ in the room
• Leading in the development of the value proposition drawing on the capabilities of Vattenfall Heat UK and the skillset of our team
• Using your knowledge of the client to challenge, price, solution and pitch throughout (though, you may not have a technical background yourself)
• Growing our existing networks by identifying local opportunities as well as up-selling other Vattenfall service offerings
• Establishing and nurturing key relationships with commercial and technical advisors and consultants to ensure clients are aware of Vattenfall’s offering on the market
• Act as internal interface to other business development functions in the UK and ensure connected approaches to strategic and target markets, such as large property developers and sources of heat
• Representing Vattenfall at conferences and industry events, delivering presentations and maintaining of strong network for wider market engagement.