Will you become our new Director of Partnerships – DC Metropolitan area?

Job Title: Director of Partnerships
Location: DC Metropolitan Area
Number of hours: 40 hours

We are looking for an experienced Director of Partnerships with a focus on managing and expanding our network of solar installers. Welcome to the world of iChoosr! We are a young, growing, international, privately owned company. Since our start in 2008 we have grown into an organization with over 130 colleagues who work across the US, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Poland, and Japan.

Our mission is to accelerate the energy transition. We do this by organizing group buying projects for sustainable products such as rooftop solar & storage installations, heat pumps, and renewable energy contracts.

We are human-centered, meaning that in everything we do, we look at the world through the eyes, hearts, and minds of humans. This allows us to create the ideal customer journey for both consumers and our partners on our digital platform.

Since our start, we have helped more than 170.000 people install solar on their roofs and generate their own renewable electricity. Last year we realized over 30.000 installations and this year we expect to further increase this number.

Six years ago, we started our operations in the US in Texas with energy group switching programs. Last year we also started with solar & storage installation group buying programs. We are currently operating solar & storage programs in Texas, the DC Metropolitan area, Chicagoland, and in the Denver Colorado region, all under the Solar Switch brand (see the link for the campaign website in Chicagoland: https://solarswitch.com/en/chicagoland/home). In 2024 we will further expand our solar & storage activities into 4 – 6 more regions.

The US market for rooftop solar & storage installations offers a huge opportunity for iChoosr. Currently, in the US only around 5% of all residential homes has a rooftop solar installation while in our much more developed European markets, this varies from around 10% (UK market) to over 30% (Dutch and Belgian markets).

What will your role be?

Our group-buying programs are designed to benefit all stakeholders. The programs work by gathering a large group of consumers to create efficiencies for the solar and storage installers which they can pass on to consumers in the form of competitive pricing. The iChoosr team works closely with installers throughout the program to ensure clear communication to consumers, smooth processes, and high-quality service, which are key to delivering the best-in-class customer experience we expect. As Director of Partnerships, you will be responsible for engaging with and vetting new solar installers as we launch in new regions. In a world where installer capacity is getting scarcer, you will need to convince installers to participate in our program more than ever. You will also be managing the (relationship with) installers for delivering optimal installation results. You will have a dual role with installers. Besides monitoring their progress and ensuring they meet contractual requirements; you will build an open relationship in which you provide feedback and discuss opportunities to optimize the customer journey. You will have a consultancy role sharing best practices and leveraging knowledge sourced from the national and international installer management team. The goal is to leverage efficiencies, improve customer satisfaction and achieve higher conversion rates (reduce cancellations). You will manage all stages of the process, from the acquisition and vetting of potential installers to ensuring the delivery of solar installations by the awarded installer(s). This includes the management of some third-party relationships such as trainers and technical inspectors.

This means that:

• You have strong sales, networking, and relationship management skills and can build robust working relationships with your installers and partners (on multiple levels);
• You manage the selected installers of the program to ensure they deliver on their (contractual) obligations through regular progress update meetings;
• You identify opportunities for improvement in processes and in the customer journey for several ongoing projects;
• You actively involve the most important stakeholders in the course of the projects;
• You can interpret contractual requirements and communicate them with installers to ensure adherence;
• You have strong negotiation skills; always go for the best possible deal outcome while respecting the interests of all stakeholders
• You advocate best practices and advise on possible improvements to installers; You both use and share best practices with the global iChoosr Installer Management team;
• You are familiar with the customer journey for residential solar installations, or able to quickly get up to speed with this;
• If you are familiar with the solar industry this is a plus.

Who will you work with?

As a key part of our installer management team, you will work closely with your colleague’s Directors of Community Engagement (one who is also based in the DC Metropolitan Area, one who is based in Austin Texas), with the Business Manager for US Solar, with the US Country Manager US and with the US Solar operations team (located in Europe). As a team, you deliver the solar programs and work to continuously improve them. The Director of Partnerships are primarily an outward-facing role and you will need to spend time visiting installers. You will be required to travel within the USA to spend time at installers’ locations. We just opened up an office in Washington DC. From experience we know it is valuable if colleagues meet face-to-face on a regular base to exchange information, stay in sync with each other, and jointly agree upon the best way forward. You will be part of the international installer managers community and build personal relationships with other Directors of Partnerships working on our solar projects in other countries (UK, Netherlands, Belgium, and Japan) in order to share learnings and best practices. This will give you the right knowledge to become a solar consultant who brings added value to our installer base on a day-to-day basis. Travel to Europe (Amsterdam) at least 2 times per year will be required.

Who are you?

• You have at least 7 years of work experience in commercial partnership and/or operational management role;
• You have a sharp, strategic eye and are always looking for opportunities to improve and optimize;
• Your communication skills ensure that you know how to get people on all levels involved in your ideas;
• You are able to influence stakeholders;
• You have a proven history of improving operational performance or implementation processes;
• You are intrigued by the technology and opportunity for growth in renewable energy. What does iChoosr offer you?
• A challenging position within a professional and growing international organization;
• A competitive salary (depending on experience) and benefits package; • Space for personal development and career opportunities;
• Opportunity to work at an inspiring place of your choice for 2 weeks per year;
• Enthusiastic, sincere colleagues who work together informally.

Are you excited?

If this position at iChoosr suits you, we would love to hear from you!

Send your motivation and resume to Denise Kellerman – denisekellermann@yer.com