Head of Strategic Partnerships

PHENOGY AG is a leading innovator of battery energy storage technologies and solutions for the green electrification of the planet. Our team members work on future-proof and sustainable battery systems that are powerful, safe, and robust – with circularity as a central principle. Our technology partner network spans leading battery research institutes. PHENOGY is an environmentally and socially conscious enterprise. We are committed to fostering prosperity for the people and our planet, ensuring sustainable growth – starting in the area of our greatest expertise and impact: energy storage solutions.

We energize the future.

Why this role matters

To scale, we work with a strategic industrial partner covering procurement, manufacturing, assembly, logistics, installation, commissioning and service – including new production capacity in the US. The partner also opens access to its established industrial customer base, first in Germany and then worldwide. The rollout runs from Germany to Europe, the US, South America and Asia.

You turn this partnership into measurable business results: revenue, margins, cost, cash and on-time delivery. You start with our first strategic partner and later build further partners as key accounts. Think of it as a COO's execution discipline combined with a business owner's commercial drive.

How you will make an impact

Own the partnership as a business. Build and run the joint business plan and roadmap – priorities, milestones, investments and results. Be our main counterpart to the partner from shop floor to boardroom, and set up joint governance: operational reviews, planning meetings, performance reviews and an executive steering committee.

• Run one rolling forecast for everyone. Turn customer demand (opportunities, firm orders, project dates) into one agreed plan for battery suppliers, the partner's procurement and production, logistics and installation. Run a monthly planning cycle with weekly reviews, time fences and change rules, and track forecast accuracy, supplier reliability, inventory and on-time installation.
• Build a simple, scalable way of working. Define who does what, who decides and how issues escalate between PHENOGY, our suppliers and the partner. Make handovers clean, embed the plan in daily purchasing, production and field work, and make it repeatable in every region.
• Protect margins and cash. Set target costs for new and existing products, track the full cost of delivery (logistics, installation, warranty, service) and drive cost-down through design, sourcing and scale. Align purchasing, inventory and payment milestones to keep working capital lean, and turn the plan into a financial outlook with Finance.
• Get products to market faster. Lead one integrated programme of projects with clear owners, milestones and dependencies – from development and industrialisation to delivery and service readiness. Plan launches, transitions and phase-outs so supply is ready and old stock is avoided.
• Take the model global. Lead the rollout from Germany to Europe, the US, South America and Asia, including the new US production capacity. Define clear readiness criteria for entering each market and make every rollout faster than the last.
• Turn partner access into customers. Work with our sales and product teams and the partner's sales organisation to build a qualified pipeline, tailored offers, pilots and first references in the partner's customer segment. Clarify account ownership, feed reliable sales inputs into the forecast – and later develop new strategic partners as key accounts.
• Make sure delivery and service keep pace. Scale installation, commissioning, customer acceptance and service alongside sales. Agree service levels and training, connect remote monitoring, reflect warranty and supplier recourse in the economics, and feed field learnings back into products.

Your mandate: within agreed budgets you own the roadmap, the rolling forecast and the partnership processes, set priorities, lead negotiations and escalate unresolved conflicts to the COO and steering committee. Major investments and contracts go to executive approval; functional leaders stay responsible for their own areas and inputs.

Who you are

• Education: a degree in engineering, industrial engineering, operations management or similar; a business or finance qualification is a plus.
• Leadership with real accountability: substantial experience leading industrial operations, a business unit or strategic partnerships – with responsibility for both operational and commercial results.
• A track record of scaling: you have successfully grown an industrial business, product platform or complex partnership.
• Technical depth: you understand engineered products, manufacturing and industrialisation. Experience in batteries, energy storage, power electronics or energy systems is highly desirable.
• Planning across companies: proven experience setting up rolling forecasts and S&OP across several organisations – linking sales forecasts to supplier lead times, inventory, production, logistics, installation and financial plans.
• Commercial and financial sharpness: hands-on with target costing, supply-chain management, process improvement and working-capital optimisation, and confident with revenue, margins, cash flow and investment cases.
• Programmes, partners and negotiations: you have managed multiple interdependent projects across countries, developed joint business and key accounts, and led complex commercial negotiations.
• Languages and mobility: fluent English, strong German highly desirable, and happy to travel internationally.

A big plus: experience working within, or closely with, a large global industrial manufacturer – its organisation, manufacturing network, service and customers.

What we offer

• A rare chance to shape a strategic industrial partnership and help turn a scale-up into a global energy storage company
• Close work with our CEO and COO, and real influence on how we grow
• A high-calibre, eco-passionate team in a flexible, agile and caring environment
• Purpose: building safer, more independent energy supply with sodium-ion technology

How you will succeed

You succeed here by living our values: eco-passionate entrepreneurship, leading by example, courage, integrity and true collaboration. In your first 24 months, we expect:

• A working partnership model: clear roles, decision rights, governance and interfaces across PHENOGY, our suppliers and the partner.
• One live rolling forecast: customer demand connected to battery supply, production, logistics and installation, with measurable planning performance.
• A programme that delivers: a prioritised project portfolio with accountable owners, delivered against milestones.
• Better economics and cash: target costing in every launch, transparent delivery costs and lean inventory, in line with agreed margin and working-capital targets.
• Reliable delivery and real traction: smooth processes from order to customer acceptance, a qualified pipeline, first references and a repeatable joint sales approach.
• A scalable global footprint: regional milestones met, an executable US production plan and a repeatable model for adding new strategic partners.

We offer you:

• Join a high-caliber environment that enables you to develop your full potential, shape your job, and take ownership.
• Participate in the development of PHENOGY and inspire the world to transition to sustainable energy.
• Become part of our eco-passionate expert team - a first-class team all around. 
• Benefit from flexible work hours as well as remote and on-site working in a modern sustainable office
• Enjoy various events, an amazing coffee machine, and the occasional coffee from our CEO (acting Barista)

At PHENOGY, we highly value diversity, equality, and inclusion. It makes our company stronger. Our philosophy: one mindset, many minds.

 

For recruitment and staffing agencies: PHENOGY works exclusively with selected recruitment partners under formal agreements. We do not accept unsolicited candidate submissions from agencies and assume no liability for claims made by unauthorized recruiters regarding our recruitment processes.