Senior Connections Manager

Hemiko; Greater London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading utility provider in the UK is seeking a Senior Connections Manager to oversee a portfolio of heat network projects. This role involves building strong client relationships, particularly with public sector representatives, to secure connections to heat networks. Candidates should have excellent commercial awareness, negotiation skills, and experience in stakeholder management. The position offers a base salary of £60,000, a discretionary bonus, and various employee benefits, including a pension plan and healthcare options.

Benefits

Discretionary bonus

25 days annual holidays

Pension plan

Private health care scheme

Qualifications

• Experience cultivating relationships in a sales environment.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Confidence to deal with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage and provide strategic leadership for heat network projects.
• Cultivate senior relationships within public sector and businesses.
• Ensure a positive client experience by balancing discussions with rapport.

Skills

Commercial awareness

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder relationship management

Communication skills

Tools

MS Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Hemiko are recruiting for a Senior Connections Manager to lead a portfolio of heat network projects in development and expansion.

The purpose of this role is to ensure that target customers join our heat networks. You will do this by engaging with our customer base to cultivate excellent relationships, develop a strong offer for each customer (supported by our technical and commercial teams) and work with each customer to ultimately get a decision to join the heat network.

Your clients will be senior level representatives from within the public sector, private businesses and developers in towns and cities where we are developing low‑carbon networks.

This is a fixed‑term contract however we are a fast‑growing company and we will explore opportunities for extension where there is a good fit.

About Hemiko

Hemiko is the leading UK heat networks utility provider.

We are a fast‑growing innovative business looking to invest in and deliver over £1bn of heat network projects. These are major infrastructure projects that will decarbonise heating for homes and businesses. Our vision is to deliver zonal‑scale heat networks across towns and cities to decarbonise the UK and deliver excellence for customers whilst we do it.

Hemiko has been successful in 9 town and city‑scale funding bids across the UK and has been successful in our bids to develop two zonal‑scale heat networks in London: the South Westminster Area Network (SWAN) and the Old Oak and Park Royal Energy Network (OPEN).

Hemiko is an industry leader in town and city‑scale decarbonisation. The decarbonisation of heating and the built environment is one of the most complex areas of decarbonisation. Hemiko’s goal is to be a decarbonisation partner to communities offering clear pathways to net‑zero heating.

Hemiko is an investor (deploying our own capital), developer and operator of heat networks offering us an end‑to‑end view of heat networks.

We are an innovative intelligence‑led company looking to attract people who think around a problem and past an issue. We want to be at the front end of commercial and technical innovation and are looking for team members to come on that journey.

Hemiko is absolutely committed to an honest and collaborative approach to all our work – always looking for better ways to do things. We put communities and people at the heart of what we do.

We are a friendly approachable business in the very rapidly growing low‑carbon energy sector which provides significant opportunities for career flexibility and development.

The Connections Team

The Connections Team is headed up by Rhea Marsden (Head of Connections) and is part of the Growth Department which is led by Charlotte Owen (Growth Director).

The goal of the Connections Team is to secure connections (customers) to our heat networks to grow our heat networks and decarbonise our towns and cities.

Core Skillsets and Activities

• Origination – Identifying and developing relationships with potential customers for heat networks. Although this role is not focused on origination, holding these skills is an essential part of the Senior Connections Manager role. Hemiko is also hiring specific roles focused on origination and stakeholder engagement.
• Developing customer offers and connection solutions – Highly engaged with potential heat network connections (customers) at a mid‑ and senior level. The goal is to deliver an offer that is ultimately accepted by customers. This will be the core focus of the Senior Connections Manager role.
• Project and process leadership – Working closely with the Project Development Manager to ensure the techno‑commercial elements of the project are de‑risked and delivered. This will also be a core focus of the Senior Connections Manager.
• External affairs – Communicating activities with public and political stakeholders at a local and national level. Skills around external affairs are held across the team.
• Bid support – Support bidding activities is welcome but not required.

The Role

• Managing and providing strategic leadership for growth over a portfolio of heat network projects, ensuring connections (customers) join the network from origination through to signing contracts.
• Managing at least one direct report responsible for ensuring they are fulfilling their duties and supported in their development.
• Cultivating senior relationships within public sector organisations, developers and other businesses that may connect to our heat network.
• Ensuring a positive client experience by balancing business discussions with rapport‑building.
• Identifying how to get each customer property to join the heat network using commercial and strategic awareness.
• Working with our commercial and technical advisors to develop a compelling connection offer for each customer and getting to a high degree of confidence that the customer will join the heat network.
• Working closely with our Asset Manager for the relevant network who will be responsible for the detailed contractual negotiations with each customer and holding the ongoing customer relationship.
• Holding relationships with councils through steering groups and other governance meetings to keep councils happy and engaged in the network development.
• Ensuring wider Growth Team priorities are delivered for your portfolio of networks, including External Affairs and Origination functions.
• Cultivating a strong presence with the local community, attending industry and local events and networking functions.
• Providing support in origination and external affairs activities and other duties as needed.

Candidate

We are looking for a bright communicative problem solver who has excellent commercial awareness and is confident and competent to undertake high level negotiations with commercial and public sector customers. You will be excellent at managing your work to deliver team and individual goals working as part of a project team to deliver financial investment decisions across our networks.

Required

• Proven aptitude for working as part of a fast‑paced team toward shared goals and deadlines.
• Experience of cultivating relationships in a sales environment.
• Experience of presenting and negotiating commercial proposals and associated headline contract terms.
• Proven track record of developing solutions for clients working closely with other technical and commercial teams to deliver these proposals.
• Excellent stakeholder relationship management and the ability to get a good read on people.
• A genuine commitment to making a positive impact within the local community and driving sustainable solutions.
• A mindset geared toward identifying and solving problems.
• Confidence to deal with very senior stakeholders (CEO / CFO) and presenting at senior level.
• A willingness to travel.
• Excellent communication skills including written and verbal.
• Strong MS Word and PowerPoint skills with proven ability to prepare high quality written proposals based on company templates.

Desirable

• Proven track record of securing and managing contracts with business and public sector customers.
• Experience negotiating heat supply agreements or other energy supply of services agreement with commercial heat customers.
• Examples of securing connection and supply agreements for heat networks in the UK or abroad.

Remuneration and Info

• Role: Permanent
• Base salary: £60,000 depending on experience.
• Discretionary bonus based on individual and business performance.
• 25 days annual holidays + option to purchase or sell up to 5 additional days.
• Pension plan provision.
• Private health care scheme available.
• Cycle to work scheme, electric car lease scheme, health and well‑being support, continuing learning and development opportunities, company PC/laptop.

Informal Enquiries

For a discussion about this role please contact Rhea Marsden Head of Connections to arrange a suitable time for a discussion.

Equal Opportunities and EEO

Hemiko strives to be an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from anyone regardless of ethnic origin, gender expression, disability, age, trade union activity, marital status, religious belief, sexual orientation or socioeconomic background. We welcome applications from neurodiverse applicants.

We are Armed Forces friendly. We welcome applications from ex‑Armed Forces personnel, reservists, armed forces veterans, cadet instructors and military spouses / partners.