Our client is a privately held global provider of technology, equipment, solutions and services for electric power systems. The company designs and manufactures switching and protection products for electric power transmission and distribution applications. In addition, they offer a wide range of engineering, laboratory, consulting, and testing services for electric utilities and other commercial, industrial, and institutional power customers. Headquartered in the United States, our client has engineering offices and manufacturing facilities across the country, as well as in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and China. The company possesses world-class technical experts who maintain vital, long-term relationships and a high level of credibility with the utility and power user customers they serve.
Challenges:
Our client has a strong reputation and extensive network of customer relationships and has consistently provided new, cutting-edge product innovations. Our client’s product offering has included a wealth of Smart Grid products and services for many years, but the company is looking to create a more consistent message and coherent strategy around its Smart Grid solutions. As such, our client is looking for a Smart Grid Strategies Director who can formulate and implement an effective Smart Grid strategy that will direct the utility industry’s attention to our client’s expanded product offerings and services capabilities. The successful executive in this role will leverage the company’s product and technology offerings across multiple business lines to articulate a clear, unified vision and strategy for Smart Grid technologies both within the organization and to the outside world.
Opportunity:
Our client continues to utilize the collective experience of a task force of in-house technical and power industry experts to address important issues relating to the company’s vision, direction, and capabilities in the Smart Grid arena. At this point however, the executive team requires a leader and strategic thinker who can tie a cohesive plan together. The company’s CEO, executive team, and Smart Grid task force have endorsed the creation of a new position that will serve as a critical part of the company’s future. The Smart Grid Strategies Director will report directly to the CEO and will serve in one of the most highly visible roles within the organization. This individual will have an opportunity to leverage the company’s established reputation and a ready-made platform of Smart Grid products and technologies to position our client as a major player in the Smart Grid arena. The Smart Grid Strategies Director will be a key driver of the future growth of our client’s business and its perception as a leader in Smart Grid solutions. Subsequently, there will be a myriad of possible career growth opportunities within this dynamic, growing company. The Director will work across multiple disciplines and business lines, and as such will gain exposure to all of the various businesses within the organization. The successful candidate will have the full support of the CEO and the rest of the executive leadership team, and will be looked upon as a key leader in repositioning the company within the Smart Grid sector.
Job Scope:
- Responsible for developing and implementing the company’s strategy for Smart Grid solutions.
- Serve as the face of the organization and subject matter expert within the industry for all Smart Grid matters.
- Act as the company’s champion for Smart Grid efforts both internally and outside the organization.
- Responsible for establishing and maintaining partnerships and alliances with other companies and agencies in order to increase visibility and pursue business opportunities in the Smart Grid arena.
- Work at a strategic and tactical level to drive growth in Smart Grid.
- Interact routinely with top executives at utility customers, partners, and government agencies.
Experience / Education Required:
- Knowledgeable in the Smart Grid field and experienced in the electric utility industry.
- Good understanding of core components and their role in the Smart Grid, including but not limited to: AMI, DA, reliability, demand, communications infrastructure, storage, power quality, renewables, etc.
- Well-developed industry relationships with key executives and other decision-makers within the Smart Grid community of the electric utility sector.
- Recognized for his or her thought leadership in Smart Grid, having presented papers, led consulting projects, and/or assisted in regulatory and policy initiatives.
- Well-developed relationships with key suppliers to Smart Grid.
- Must possess technical ability to evaluate emerging technologies applicable to Smart Grid.
- Experienced with the development of a sound strategy and vision.
- Adept at putting together business cases related to product and service offerings.
- Preferred hands-on experience in deployment of any of the Smart Grid technologies.
- Must be an articulate communicator and able to explain the company’s Smart Grid vision and strategy both within and outside the company.
- Possess the savvy to work across organizational lines within the company and influence key internal executives and line managers.
- Must be able to execute and drive implementation of the agreed-upon strategies.
- International experience is preferred.
- Experience in dealing with key, notable regulatory organizations is preferred.
- Experienced with long-cycle complex systems sales of high technology products.
- Proven ability to work within a matrix environment, including nationally and globally dispersed teams.
- Fifteen or more (15+) years of experience.
- Technical undergraduate degree preferred. MBA is a plus but not required.
