– Sales & Business Development | Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

VSL PowerHive; Chennai; On-site; INR 4,500,000 - 7,500,000; Full time

Job summary

VSL PowerHive invites a senior sales and business development leader to scale its BESS offerings in India and selected international markets. You will own the end-to-end sales cycle, from lead generation and opportunity qualification to proposal submission and contract closing, while building strategic customer relationships.

The role requires 15–20 years in B2B energy storage or related sectors, a strong track record in closing complex orders, and the ability to work across cross-functional

Qualifications

• 15–20 years of experience in B2B sales, business development or commercial leadership in power, renewable energy, batteries, energy storage or related infrastructure sectors.
• Demonstrable experience in winning large, complex orders and managing long sales cycles.
• Direct exposure to BESS, battery systems, power electronics or grid solutions is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the sales strategy for utility-scale BESS, renewable energy integration, standalone storage and C&I applications.
• Build and manage a qualified sales pipeline and convert opportunities into firm orders.
• Lead techno-commercial proposals, RFP/RFQ responses and tender strategy.
• Develop account plans for strategic customers and establish a strong engagement framework.
• Establish partnerships with EPCs, technology providers and developers; build relationships with procurement and leadership.
• Coordinate with engineering, finance, legal and manufacturing to deliver competitive, viable solutions.

Skills

B2B sales

Energy storage

Power & grid

Tendering

Strategic partnerships

Education

BE/B.Tech in Electrical/EC/Mech

MBA

Tools

CRM (Salesforce)

MS Excel

Job description

1. Role Purpose

To lead and scale Powerhive's BESS sales and business development function by developing strategic customer relationships, building a strong order pipeline, securing profitable business and establishing Powerhive as a credible energy-storage solutions provider in India and selected international markets.

The role will own business development, customer acquisition, sales strategy, commercial negotiations, tender participation and order closure across utility-scale and commercial and industrial (C&I) energy-storage segments.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Business Development & Market Expansion

• Develop and execute the sales strategy for utility-scale BESS, renewable energy integration, standalone storage and C&I energy-storage applications.
• Identify new markets, customer segments, business opportunities and strategic partnerships in India and international markets.
• Build relationships with IPPs, renewable energy developers, utilities, DISCOMs, EPC contractors, infrastructure companies and industrial customers.
• Track market developments, government policies, tenders, competitor positioning and emerging BESS applications.

B. Sales Pipeline & Order Acquisition

• Build, manage and convert a qualified sales pipeline into firm orders and sustainable business growth.
• Own the complete sales cycle, from lead generation and opportunity qualification to proposal submission, commercial negotiation and contract signing.
• Develop account plans for strategic customers and establish a strong customer engagement framework.
• Maintain accurate sales forecasts, opportunity reviews, order-book visibility and pipeline conversion plans.

C. Tendering & Commercial Management

• Lead techno-commercial proposals, RFP/RFQ responses, competitive bidding and tender strategy.
• Work with engineering, product, finance, legal, manufacturing and project execution teams to develop competitive and commercially viable solutions.
• Lead pricing, contract negotiations, payment terms, warranties, liquidated damages, performance guarantees and other commercial terms.
• Ensure disciplined margin management, credit-risk assessment and adherence to delegated commercial approval authorities.

D. Product & Solution Selling

• Develop a strong understanding of BESS technologies, including LFP battery systems, battery management systems (BMS), energy management systems (EMS), power conversion systems (PCS), thermal management, safety systems and grid integration.
• Translate customer requirements into commercially viable solutions in collaboration with technical and product teams.
• Position Powerhive's manufacturing and system-integration capabilities effectively against competing suppliers.
• Identify opportunities for localisation, product customisation, value engineering and differentiated customer offerings.

E. Strategic Partnerships & Customer Relationships

• Establish partnerships with EPC players, technology providers, system integrators and renewable energy developers.
• Build long-term relationships with key decision-makers across procurement, projects, engineering, finance and executive leadership.
• Represent Powerhive in industry forums, customer meetings, conferences and strategic business discussions.
• Develop a strong understanding of customer procurement cycles, financing models and project economics.

F. Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work closely with manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, project management and finance to ensure alignment between customer commitments and delivery capabilities.
• Provide market intelligence and customer feedback to guide product strategy and business planning.
• Build and lead a high-performing sales and business development team as the business scales.
• Establish effective CRM discipline, sales governance, review mechanisms and reporting processes.

3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Annual order inflow and achievement against the approved business plan.
• Qualified sales pipeline and pipeline coverage against order targets.
• Conversion rate of qualified opportunities and tenders.
• Gross margin and contribution from secured orders.
• New customer acquisition and growth in strategic accounts.
• Forecast accuracy and adherence to commercial approval processes.
• Customer retention, repeat business and customer satisfaction.
• Order quality, including payment terms, contractual risk and alignment with execution capacity.

4. Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, preferably Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical or Energy Engineering.
• MBA in Marketing, Sales, Strategy or a related discipline preferred.

5. Experience & Competencies

• 15–20 years of experience in B2B sales, business development or commercial leadership in power, renewable energy, batteries, energy storage or related infrastructure sectors.
• Demonstrable experience in winning large, complex techno-commercial orders and managing long sales cycles.
• Direct exposure to BESS, battery systems, power electronics, grid solutions or renewable energy integration is strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of utility procurement, competitive tenders, project economics, pricing and contract negotiations.
• Established network among utilities, IPPs, renewable developers, EPC contractors and large industrial customers.
• Proven ability to build a business pipeline, close profitable orders and develop customer relationships from the ground up.
• Strong commercial judgement, strategic thinking, negotiation skills and cross-functional leadership capability.

6. Target Candidate Organisations

Candidates may be considered from BESS manufacturers and integrators, battery and power-electronics companies, renewable energy businesses, grid solutions providers and EPC organisations.

Potential target organisations include Fluence, Sungrow, Waaree, GoodEnough Energy, AmpereHour Energy, Delta Electronics, Hitachi Energy, ReNew and other relevant energy-storage or power-sector companies.

7. Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a commercially driven business leader who combines strong customer relationships with technical understanding of BESS and a demonstrated ability to secure profitable orders. The candidate must be comfortable operating in a growth-stage business, building the sales function and converting market opportunities into a sustainable order book.