Commercial Manager

Akaysha Energy, a portfolio company under Global Infrastructure Partners, a part of BlackRock - is at the forefront of developing, financing, and operating transformative energy storage and renewable projects.

We are a driving force behind the global renewable energy revolution.

We combine cutting-edge energy market modeling and data analytics with project development and financing expertise to rapidly decarbonize energy markets. In joining the team, you'll collaborate with passionate experts in the field and take on a role with real-world impacts; in a dynamic, intellectually stimulating and supportive environment - where your ideas matter.

Accelerate your career with us and enjoy above-market performance bonuses, flexible working arrangements and wellness allowances, alongside the benefits of professional training and development opportunities designed to broaden your experience, knowledge, and skills.

Make a difference, and harness your passion for the climate as you influence critical decisions and shape the future of sustainable energy.

Location:
Ideally, this role will be based in our office - Houston, Texas.

We're open to a hybrid working style; spend time in the office and at home.

Reporting to:

General Manager, Commercial.

The role:

This position will be responsible for supporting the implementation of US market strategy, developing and executing new business development opportunities in priority markets, alongside commercial negotiations for project agreements, and securing contracted revenue for US projects. Reporting to the General Manager Commercial, the Commercial Manager will support the execution of key commercial functions, including building a significant US project pipeline with sufficient contracted revenue. 

Covering a broad commercial remit across Market Strategy, Contracted Revenue, Commercial Negotiations and Business Development Opportunities; this position offers the opportunity to strengthen your commercial issue analysis & negotiation skills, and deepen your of knowledge of infrastructure project development and contracted revenue for infrastructure projects.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Support identification of emerging trends, risks, and opportunities in the US battery energy storage market
• Maintain a general understanding of energy markets and BESS offtake opportunities across priority US markets, including ERCOT, WECC, CAISO, MISO and PJM. This will include analysing market developments, tracking RFP opportunities, tracking relevant resiliency funding programs, regulatory changes, and commercial trends to inform offtake strategy and contract structuring. 
• Support the General Manager in managing the ‘best in market’ origination and deal execution of offtake agreements, including supporting discussions on offtake design workshops.  
• Support the development, evaluation and implementation new offtake products and offerings.This includes products to suit the specific needs of offtakers, including corporates and retailers.  
• Support presenting contracted revenue opportunities to the Executive/Leadership team. 
• Preparation of responses to offtake RFP opportunities, ensuring timely submission and alignment with Akaysha’s commercial strategy. 
• Facilitate the cultivation and maintenance of strong relationships with a broad network of potential offtakers, including data centers, retailers, traders, financial intermediaries, optimizers and corporates.
• Support the implementation of the US team’s procurement strategy, including managing supply chain risks and long lead item procurement. 
• Negotiation of commercial terms of project agreements, including early works agreement, long lead item procurement, battery supply agreements and balance of plant agreements.
• Gap risks analysis across project agreements.
• Collaborate with legal, technical, and finance teams to ensure project agreements reflect Akaysha’s commercial goals and conform with IC and Board approvals.
• Manage timelines and sequencing for early-stage commercial discussions through to finalization of long-form agreements, ensuring that all stages align with project development and FID timelines.
• Develop and maintain strong supplier relationships, facilitating communication efforts and ensuring that supplier engagements align with Akaysha’s commercial strategy and operational schedules.
• Facilitate coordination of the commercial and F&I teams through FID, including on lender Q&A and FID packs.
• Support the identification and analysis of new market opportunities in Priority Markets, including partnerships with developers, data centers and utilities.
• Support the presentation of opportunities to the Investment Committee (“IC”).
• Support the US commercial team in originating and structuring deal opportunities, including strategic structuring, managing devex ‘at risk’ spend, preparing MOUs and cross pillar coordination.
• Support regular US business development opportunity workshops, along with timely execution of strategies / workflows by the commercial team.  

What you'll bring:

• Demonstratable application of prioritizing team tasks and managing sustainable workloads, ensuring the most impactful workstreams receive the necessary attention and resources, including timely escalation to General Manager. 
• A collaborative approach to make informed decisions, driving team results and problem-solving across the business. This includes identifying issues and crystallizing options and pathways to resolution and navigating complexity. 
• Identifying managing upwards in a timely fashion and, where appropriate, securing advance guidance / sign-off on key commercial issues / strategy both formally and informally. 
• General knowledge of industry landscape. 
• Ability to support commercial negotiations with a range of counterparties. 
• Manager level communication while presenting commercial opportunities and updates to the General Manager or broader team, as well as being responsible for proactively upwards of workstreams and information flow to ensure issues are clearly identified and solutions are effectively managed. 

Knowledge of the energy industry, batteries and existing relationships in key markets within the US, is regarded as highly desirable.