Background: What started a solar development and project finance team in the residential space, this client has since grown into a Top 5 solar energy company. The business has expanded to focus on utility-scale solar projects in addition to residential and even commercial. Since being acquired by a sizeable multi-industry technology company, this client augmented its business model to become a full service energy solutions provider. Now with equipment and technology capabilities to complement its project pipeline, the firm needed to rapidly expand and uplift its core marketing function.
Challenge: One of the most pressing needs was for a Vice President of Global Product Marketing who could effectively bring a complex mix of technologies and services to key growth markets around the world in the increasingly competitive solar photovoltaic industry. This person had to go beyond selling the best widgets, they had to design and deliver total energy solutions for a diverse range of customers. The most immediate realization was that this person would not come from solar, the industry was too immature and the project scope was too limited. Our client at first had little definition for the role, leaving us to identify the ideal candidate profile and to solidify the scope of the position. Also the business was changing so quickly that the company was in a state of culture shift, so finding people who could fit well into the current and future organization was a unique challenge in itself.
Action: Because the role was somewhat vague from the outset, our team’s scoping process with the Chief Marketing Officer and other decision-makers was extremely imperative. Emphasizing business objectives and success criteria for the role (more so than resume requirements for candidates), we quickly framed what an “A candidate” looks like and then crafted a recruiting strategy. Without ignoring the solar industry, we concentrated on companies that provide utility grid products, industrial automation, and semiconductors among others. Given that the position would be located in San Francisco, we also leveraged our office in the Bay Area to scour the market for any local, relevant talent.
Resolution: We delivered a diverse slate of candidates with write-ups that in detail, with specific examples, highlighted how each person had the tools to succeed in this role and fit in the organization. Our client was then able to hire a proven veteran from one of the premier global technology companies located on the West Coast. By providing the hiring team with market compensation data and feedback on competitive organizations, we were able to appropriately elevate the level of the role and also proactively overcome a serious obstacle in the finalist’s long-term incentive (LTI) package. The new Vice President of Global Product Marketing is thriving and has become a trusted member of the core team.
