Business Development Manager at AltGen in Nairobi, Kenya

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    Business Development Manager

    AltGenNairobi, Kenya

    Posted

    1 week ago

    Apply by

    25 Aug

    Full Time
    On Site
    Senior
    Consulting & Professional Services
    Sales

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    Job Description

    This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Business Development Manager with a demonstrable track record of securing solar PV business to play a key role in expanding the company's presence across Kenya and the wider East African region. The role is focused on originating, developing, and converting new business opportunities across the commercial and industrial, institutional, and utility-scale solar PV markets. Candidates must be able to provide clear evidence of their success in developing project pipelines, converting opportunities into signed contracts, and supporting commercial negotiations within the solar PV sector.

    Key Responsibilities

    • Identify, develop, and secure new solar PV business opportunities across Kenya and the wider East African region, with a primary focus on utility-scale projects of 5 MW and above, while also pursuing C&I projects of approximately 1 MW per project.
    • Build and manage a qualified project pipeline, progressing opportunities from initial identification through to commercial negotiation and signed contract.
    • Lead project origination activities, including prospecting, client engagement, opportunity qualification, proposal development, and commercial positioning.
    • Develop long-term relationships with commercial clients, investors, developers, consultants, financiers, utilities, and strategic partners.
    • Support the development of market-entry strategies, pricing approaches, partnership structures, and tender responses aligned with the company's technical, financial, and operational capabilities.
    • Lead market analysis to identify project opportunities, emerging trends, regulatory developments, and changes affecting the East African solar PV market.
    • Support the negotiation and structuring of commercial agreements, strategic partnerships, and power purchase agreements.
    • Work closely with technical, legal, and financial teams to assess project feasibility, commercial viability, contractual requirements, and project risks.
    • Represent the business at industry conferences, networking events, client meetings, and stakeholder engagements.

    Required Qualifications

    • Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Renewable Energy, Economics, or a related field.
    • 5 - 8 years of proven and demonstrable business development or sales experience within the solar PV sector, ideally gained within an EPC, developer, or closely related project environment.
    • A clear track record of originating opportunities, building a project pipeline, and converting qualified solar PV opportunities into signed contracts or awarded projects.
    • Strong knowledge of the East African energy market, with direct experience in Kenya and exposure to neighbouring East African markets strongly preferred.
    • Practical understanding of power purchase agreement negotiations, including key commercial terms, pricing structures, risk allocation, contract duration, payment arrangements, and stakeholder requirements, and experience supporting or participating directly in the negotiation of PPAs, commercial agreements, or similar energy offtake arrangements.
    • Demonstrated ability to build and manage strategic relationships with clients, investors, developers, financiers, consultants, and other project stakeholders.
    • Excellent negotiation, communication, and presentation skills.
    • Strong commercial judgement and analytical capability.
    • Ability to work independently and effectively within multicultural and international teams.
    • Willingness to travel within East Africa as required.

    Job Details

    Job Function

    Sales

    Minimum Experience

    5 years

    Education Level

    Bachelor’s Degree

    Area of Study

    Business

    Field of Study

    Business

    Languages

    English

    Additional Information

    How to Apply: Visit the application link provided on this page to submit your application.

    Master the Solar PV Sales Cycle

    This role hinges on your ability to move opportunities from first contact to signed contract in the complex solar PV space. Hiring managers will probe how you've navigated technical, financial, and stakeholder hurdles in past deals.

    1. Quantify your wins: On your CV, show specific numbers: MW secured, contract values, pipeline size, and conversion rates. For example, "Grew pipeline from 20 MW to 80 MW in 18 months, closing 3 PPAs."

    2. Show PPA fluency: Be ready to discuss key PPA terms like tariff structures, escalation clauses, and risk allocation. Prepare a brief case study of a PPA you negotiated, highlighting your role.

    3. Map your network: List the developers, financiers, and utilities you know in East Africa. Hiring managers want to see you can open doors immediately.

    4. Understand the market: Brush up on Kenya's energy regulatory landscape, recent solar tenders, and grid constraints. Mention specific projects or policies in your interview.

    5. Prepare a 90-day plan: Outline how you'd start: which clients to target, how to build a pipeline, and what market intel you'd gather. This shows strategic thinking.

    6. Highlight technical credibility: You don't need to be an engineer, but show you can speak the language of solar PV—know the difference between utility-scale and C&I, and understand basic project economics.

    7. Practice negotiation scenarios: Expect role-plays or questions about handling tough negotiations. Use the STAR method to describe how you've navigated pricing disputes or contract deadlocks.

    8. Show resilience and independence: This role involves travel and working across cultures. Give examples of how you've managed multiple stakeholders and kept deals moving in challenging environments.

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    Tags

    solar PV
    business development
    project pipeline
    PPA
    East Africa