Director of Business Development

Director, Business Development Boulder, Colorado, or Houston, Texas United States 

We are looking for a Director of Business Development for Ascend’s short-term asset optimization team (SmartBidder), ideally based in our Boulder, CO office. If you are passionate about utility scale energy storage operations and have a proven track record of selling software and services to utilities and IPPs you may be an excellent fit.  

Ascend Analytics is an innovative “climate tech” software and consulting company focused on energy analytics that are transforming the electric grid. Ascend's solutions provide the analytics to support critical power supply decisions from operating strategies, for short and long-term investment and resource planning decisions. For more information, visit www.ascendanalytics.com. 

Job Description 

You will be part of a team supporting the lead generation, pre-sales process, and sales process including identifying and conducting outreach with prospects, nurturing a sales pipeline, structuring proposals, and articulating the value-added unique capabilities of Ascend software relative to the competition during introductory and software demo sales calls.  The position focuses on creating new business opportunities for our SmartBidder software to manage the optimal bidding and ISO scheduling services for storage and renewable assets.  This position will report directly to the Managing Director of Business Develpment for SmartBidder.  

Job Responsibilities 

• Drive top of funnel sales activities including lead generation, customer outreach and nurturing, initial pre-sales product introductory calls, and setting up software demonstrations 

• Coordinate with other product teams to leverage existing customer base as well as identify and prospect energy storage asset owner/operators and utilities to grow a pipeline of opportunities, with a particular focus on ERCOT and CAISO  

• Effectively communicate relative advantages of Ascend’s forecasting, bid optimization, trading strategies, and scheduling services for storage and renewable energy assets during client calls, and in-person at conferences and client visits.  

• Support sales management through forecasting, account resource allocation, account strategy, and planning  

• Develop solution proposals encompassing all aspects of SmartBidder including bid optimization software and scheduling services 

• Support identification of and negotiate new sales channel partnership agreements 

• Review and negotiate agreements and pricing proposals  

• Primary marketing coordination responsibilities include:   

• Lead development of customer/prospecting prior to and after events such as conferences, seminars, and webinars  

• Develop and maintain product marketing materials including brochures and customer pitch decks 

• Develop materials for the mass marketing channels and specific events  

• Enter timely and relevant data on opportunities and accounts in Salesforce  

• Support email marketing campaigns and follow-ups 

Required Skills & Knowledge 

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or business 

• Minimum ten years of experience in the clean energy / climate tech market industry 

• Minimum of 4 years of business development, sales, or marketing experience 

• Familiarity with wholesale electricity market dynamics and energy trading  

• Excellent oral and written communication skills to interpret complex analytic solutions into value propositions 

• Professional attitude and presentation 

• Passion for clean energy, renewables, and the clean energy transition  

Preferred Skills & Knowledge 

• Proven business development and marketing experience with regulated electric utilities in the Western United States.  

• A background in renewable project development, engineering, software, power markets, or generation scheduling.    

• Ability to identify, prospect, and contact high-level decision makers in large energy companies and to cultivate those relationships 

• Understanding of power price dynamics and settlements for markets run by Independent System Operators (ISOs). Experience with ERCOT and CAISO strongly preferred.  

• Master’s degree in business, economics, or equivalent experience 

Base Salary: $140,000-$160,000 

Total Compensation (base salary plus variable): $200,000 - $275,000                 

Negotiable based on qualifications and experience. Ascend highly values our employees and often pays above industry average. We offer flexible work hours with a relaxed environment and opportunities for domestic and international travel. 

Excellent benefits are available, including medical, dental, vision, and short- and long-term disability insurance, parental leave, dependent care spending care account, and a 401k plan. 

We are looking for talented individuals with a serious commitment to software development and power system optimization. Women and other minorities in the energy sector highly encouraged to apply!