European Customer Manager - Military veterans preferred

About us

National Grid Ventures is home to a diverse portfolio of energy businesses that deliver competitive products and services for a broad range of customers. 

 

Separate from National Grid’s core regulated businesses, we’re active in competitive markets across the US and UK. Whether it’s the long-distance transport of renewable energy, the storage of liquefied natural gas, or supporting the roll out of smart meters, we’re working hard to make energy reliable, clean and affordable for consumers. 

 

We’re also building the energy systems of tomorrow – from bringing innovative technology to market that changes the way homes and businesses use energy, to competing for new, large-scale, climate-friendly energy projects.

About The Role

BritNed own and operate the only HVDC electricity interconnector between the UK and the Netherlands. It is an Incorporated Joint Venture set up by National Grid and TenneT (the Dutch TSO). The Customer Manager will play a pivotal role within the BritNed organisation, having responsibility for developing customer strategies and positive relationships that are designed to maximise BritNed’s revenues.

 

The Customer Manager will be responsible for managing our relationships with customers, growing (where required) our customer base and ensuring we understand and seek to exceed our customers’ expectations. The Customer Manager will also develop a marketing strategy that targets potential customers who operate within the European Energy markets.  This will also include developing a marketing campaign designed to maximise the competition for purchasing the capacity on the BritNed interconnector. Finally, the Customer Manager will work with the BritNed commercial team, feeding in customer market intelligence, to develop the BritNed portfolio of auction products and services. 

Location

Base Location: Solihull, other locations will be considered. 

 

BritNeds offices are based in the Netherlands and the UK, and as such the successful candidate will be expected to travel between these locations as well as to Customer offices across Europe.

What You Will Get

Band D - A competitive salary determined dependent on experience. 

 

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

Key Accountabilities

• Responsible for building excellent relationships with our customers, understanding their business and identifying how BritNed can maximise value through the development of products and services for customers.
• Responsible for growing our customer base and supporting the onboarding new customers to trade on BritNed.
• Lead on the development and management of the BritNed external web-site and production of effective marketing materials and plans.
• Contribute to the development of ideas to maximise the revenues of BritNed.
• Develop customer strategies designed to maximise and grow our revenues.
• Develop and deploy a campaign to attract and sign up new customers and proactively build strong relationships with them to enhance competition within the capacity auctions.
• Build strategic relationships with the Dutch and GB SO and other key stakeholders.
• Build and successfully deliver a communication strategy to ensure BritNed maintains high market exposure and achieves high customer satisfaction scores.
• Maintain and improve on the processes to respond to customer needs in a prompt and efficient manner.
• Determine contractual framework / contract structure requirements (in a post Forward Capacity Allocation Code world) for future transition of customers onto the Single Auction Platform (SAP) and Regional Nomination Platform (RNP)
• Review and develop an efficient on boarding process for new customers  
• Proactively build and maintain strong relationships with all project stakeholders at all levels (including within NG, Joint venture partners and others);
• Manage all customer messaging in relation to the BritNed business. This includes messaging in relation to products, services, changes to European Codes which impact on customers trading on the interconnector, as well as messaging in relation to Brexit.
• Develop a detailed understanding of future energy market events that may impact on how BritNed generates future revenues and support the development of plans to mitigate

Knowledge, Experience and Technical Know How

• Knowledge of GB and European electricity markets and commercial regime for cross-border trading, specifically the commercial arrangements that define how interconnectors generate revenue
• Experience of leading change and business improvement within a complex organisation / programme or project
• Understanding of regulatory frameworks and ability to develop commercial frameworks around these is an advantage
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, capable of gaining a high degree of credibility and influencing at the highest level with external organisations and stakeholders, and gaining support and commitment from a wider operational group.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience of managing a team and delivering through others
• Ability to develop win-win solutions to complex commercial problems
• Significant experience of stakeholder management within a complex environment to achieve demonstrable commercial advantage
• Excellent communication and influencing skills

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level (in a relevant discipline) with a considerable breadth and depth of proven experience in commercial, strategic or business development related areas

Job Dimensions

• 1 direct report (Commercial Customer Analyst) 1 indirect report (Graduate) team members based in the Netherlands.

• Up to €200k direct budget.

• The Customer Manager will be trained and expected to maintain a level of competence to be part of the Commercial On-Call team. The on-call rota requires between 1:4 and 1:6 standby and availability via the phone to manage and co-ordinate the commercial implications of interconnector unavailability and trips, ensuring that the commercial and financial impact to the business is minimised.

Who We Are

At National Grid, we don’t just ask our people to deliver to the highest standards. We also support them to be the best they can be. We welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds. National Grid’s ambition is to drive, develop and operate our business in a way that results in a more inclusive culture. We are committed to building a workforce which represents the communities we serve and a working environment in which each individual feels respected, fairly treated, valued and able to reach their full potential.

Advert End Date

27th January 2019