Director of Commercial Development - EV North America

Location: Chicago, USA (strongly preferred); open to candidates from other US and Canadian geographies.

About Zenobē

Our mission is to make clean power accessible. We design, finance, build, and operate sophisticated battery systems to accelerate renewable power adoption, electrify fleets for cleaner air, and provide clean, portable power—including repurposed electric vehicle batteries. Our proprietary software and data analysis optimize operational performance, reducing emissions and costs for customers.

Since 2017, we’ve raised over £2.7 billion in debt and equity funding, deploying it into >1.2GW of grid-connected batteries (live or under contract) and supporting ~3,400 electric vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, and trucks. With operations in the USA, UK, Benelux, Australia, and New Zealand, and global headquarters in London, Zenobē is rapidly expanding its presence in North America with offices in Chicago and New York.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Director of Commercial Development with strong financial and/or infrastructure acumen to report to the EVP of Development and Partnerships. This role will drive new business for Zenobē’s turnkey electric vehicle solutions across B2B and B2G customers, including trucks, buses, and commercial fleets. You will work cross-functionally with Business Development, Corporate Finance, Legal, Technical Sales, and Delivery teams to originate and execute transactions, including bidding into large government infrastructure/P3-style tenders. The role is ideal for candidates with a background in P3/Infra or Project Finance looking to expand their commercial responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Support the origination and execution of Zenobē’s EV, battery, and charging finance products and services, including managing customer relationships.
• Bidding to Government and Public Sector Customers (PPP/P3):
  • Identify bidding opportunities (e.g., Requests for Proposal) and ensure Zenobē is registered and pre-qualified.
  • Proactively originate opportunities in cooperation with VPs and Business Development leads for unsolicited bids.
  • Develop complex financial models to assess PPP bid viability, forecasting revenues, costs, and profitability.
  • Identify, assess, and mitigate financial risks (e.g., construction delays, cost overruns, revenue fluctuations).
  • Negotiate favorable contract terms with legal and commercial teams, aligning with sub-contract risk positions.
  • Prepare and present papers to the Investment Committee.
• Bidding to Private, Commercial Customers (School Bus Operators and Fleet Owners):
  • Secure customer mandates for Zenobē’s finance/as-a-service propositions to meet targeted income and return levels.
  • Prepare client presentations, transaction proposals, term sheets, and Investment Committee papers.
  • Present to customers and senior internal stakeholders.
  • Lead commercial negotiations and execute new contracts/transactions.
• Other Responsibilities:
  • Develop and tailor Zenobē’s commercial, financing, and service propositions for North American markets.
  • Implement transaction processes, including risk control mechanisms.
  • Contribute to strategic direction and key sales focus areas/target customer base.
  • Mentor junior team members, enhancing their modeling, financial, and presentation skills.
  • Collaborate with Corporate Finance to ensure transactions are bankable and align with financing partners’ expectations.
• Actively contribute to Zenobē’s health, safety, wellbeing, and sustainability commitments by integrating these principles into daily responsibilities.

Requirements

• Competence in managing, developing, and building customer relationships; familiarity with government tender and procurement processes is advantageous.
• Origination skills to identify and develop new transaction opportunities.
• Strong Structured Finance background (e.g., Project Finance/P3-Infra experience), with preference for lender, financial advisor, or sponsor/borrower-side experience.
• Excellent credit risk skills and high-level knowledge of accounting and tax.
• Experience in vehicle and equipment leasing is highly beneficial.
• Strong presentation skills and ability to lead client proposals, pitches, tenders, and internal approval processes.
• Experience managing legal and commercial negotiations with meticulous attention to detail in execution.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced environment with multiple ongoing tasks.
• A background in Civil and/or Electrical Engineering is highly beneficial.
• Leadership and management skills.

Pay

Base salary range: USD $190,000 – $195,000 per annum. Individual total compensation varies based on qualifications, skill level, competencies, and work location. Additional discretionary bonuses may apply.

Benefits

• 20 days of holiday (increases after 5 years of service).
• 401k Scheme with up to 4% employer matching.
• Up to 33% performance-related bonus.
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and life insurance (including one 100% employer-paid plan for employees and 75% coverage for dependents/spouse).
• Training budget and opportunities for personal growth and responsibility.
• Refer-a-friend bonus scheme.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity benefits.
• Flex commuter program.
• Fertility leave.