Wärtsilä Energy Business in brief

Wärtsilä Energy Business is leading the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. As Energy System Integrator, we understand, design, build and serve optimal power systems for future generations. Our offering includes ultra-flexible internal combustion engine-based power plants, hybridised power plants, energy storage & integration solutions, and gas-to-power systems.

Wärtsilä Energy Business seeks a General Manager, Market & Project Development for Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia ("Europe Region").

The preferred locations are Finland, Netherlands, France, and Germany. You will report to the Director, Growth & Development, Europe & Africa and are open to travel within the Europe Region for approximately 25 to 50% of your time.

Responsibilities

Market & Project Development are key functions in unlocking sales opportunities and implementing the Energy Business Strategy in the Europe Region, which requires you to develop market and influencing plans that result in developing credible tenders or projects and creating a link to sales in Europe Region. You will selectively develop projects by participating in project development, investment or debt where it contributes to sales.

You will be leading the market and project development team in the Europe Region to:

1. Generate future growth by opening up new markets for our energy storage solutions, engine technology and services. You will identify key decision-makers of stakeholders and potential customers. Understand their customer frictions and develop a clear value proposition to change their technology consideration sets, long-term resource/power development plans and strategies to enable high penetration of renewables and increase flexibility in their power systems.
2. Identify and develop clear opportunities that can lead to developing and winning projects
3. Support the origination, development and investment of a portfolio of high-potential projects that fit our technology and risk criteria

Your role will include the following:

• Execute the market and project development strategy and actions with the team for selected countries in the Europe Region by setting and achieving measurable and transparent performance indicators.
• Manage the Europe Region Market and Project Development team and coach the team for high performance
• Drive proactive project origination in key focus countries in Europe Region.
• Drive the Europe Region growth by opening up new markets and use cases for our solutions and services.
• Manage the making of market-specific and accurate power system analyses, meaningful power generation investment scenarios, and market and project-level value propositions and business proposals to target customers.
• Identify, prioritise and interact with key external stakeholders and decision-makers from utilities, policymakers, consultants, project developers, and financiers in selected target countries. Develop a strong on-the-ground network for your focal areas and target countries.
• Work with the sales teams to identify and secure key in-country project partners that support the market and project development efforts and can lead to successful projects
• Selectively manage participation in project development and investment in high-potential projects
• Manage the project investment process, due diligence and investment/financial close of developments and investments
• Drive change in strategy and long-term resource planning of utilities in target markets (typically 3-5 year time horizon), leading to concrete decisions by stakeholders.
• Develop and execute market development, influencing plans and projects for niche applications such as Spinning Reserve optimisation, Battery Energy Storage Services, fast response technologies for grid Ancillary Services, and Transmission Optimisation through flexible power solutions.
• Develop internal relationships and work closely with the Area Energy Business Directors, Business Development Managers, and Marketing and Sales management functions within Engine Power Plants and Energy Storage Business units.
• Demonstrate high-performance culture leadership by constantly challenging the status quo and developing the ways of working and leadership within your team.  
• Further strengthen the Europe team and ensure solid talent development.   

As an ideal candidate, you would have

• You hold a Master's degree in Energy, Finance or Business, or similar, and have at least seven years of working experience in the power industry
• Proven track record of identifying, describing and pitching value that creates a clear link to sales
• Experience in originating, developing and reaching the successful financial close of infrastructure projects
• Experience in project development and investment
• Strong leadership skillset, the ability to make talent shine and build cohesive teams
• Strong commercial and practical mindset
• Comprehensive understanding of the energy sector, power generation markets and specifically deregulated electricity market design 
• Understanding of power system and electricity market modelling and value proposition development 
• Excellent communication, influencing and public speaking skills
• Entrepreneurial attitude, self-directed and goal-oriented with skills to develop meaningful solutions for the clients 
• Multicultural sensitivity, ability to build relations and work in multicultural teams 
• Strategic forward thinker, positive mindset and proactive way of working. 
• Existing connections and ability to connect with power generation project developers, independent power producers, development finance institutions, utilities, regulators and system operators in the Europe Region
• Persuasive and Value-Based Selling competence
• Excellent command of spoken and written English – additional European Region languages will be a plus

Why you and us?

We at Wärtsilä believe in empowerment, ownership and taking responsibility of our work. We support each other’s growth and co-creation is the true basis of our innovation. We have courage to see opportunities and take initiative. We are authentic and honest, and we strongly believe in a diverse and inclusive work community where everyone can be their true self. We don’t always get it right the first time, and if mistakes are made, we make sure to learn and grow from them. We want everyone to voice their opinions freely. That is why we have built an environment that empowers you and everyone around you, and where you can feel safe and cared for. Are you eager to be part of this ambition

Contact & next steps:

We hope to hear from you before the application deadline 16th of February 2023, through submitting your application with a CV and motivational letter through our Careers portal. We aim to keep you updated on the process all the way.  

For further information, please contact:

Louis Strydom,

Director, Growth & Development, Europe & Africa,

louis.strydom@wartsila.com 

Last application date: 16/02/2023 

All new Wärtsilä employees in Finland will attend occupational health check, including the drug test/screening. The legislation of the country followed when person is located outside of Finland.

At Wärtsilä we value, respect and embrace all our differences, and are committed to diversity, inclusion and equal employment opportunities; everyone can be their true self and succeed based on their job-relevant merits and abilities. 

This is Wärtsilä 

Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. Our team of 17,000 professionals, in more than 200 locations in 68 countries, shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. Read more on www.wartsila.com.