Senior Originator - Public Power

Remote; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Mainspring Energy is seeking a high-energy, commercially driven Public Power Senior Originator to drive our commercial strategy and transaction execution across Municipalities, Electric Cooperatives, and IOUs.

This outward-facing role requires a natural networker who can pitch Mainspring’s value proposition and open doors at the executive level, driving complex transactions from handshake to financial close.

Qualifications

• Experience: 12+ years in North American power or clean energy sectors.
• 6+ years of direct transaction experience in outward-facing origination or commercial roles.
• Public Power procurement processes, G&T structures, and utility financial models knowledge.
• Willingness to travel up to 50%, including client dinners and conferences.

Responsibilities

• Drive Commercial Growth: lead sourcing, structuring, negotiation, and closure of high-value commercial arrangements with Public Power counterparties.
• Leverage & Expand Your Network: be the primary face of Mainspring to utilities, mobilizing executive relationships to originate new opportunities.
• Be the Ultimate Brand Ambassador & Entertainer: represent Mainspring at conferences, associations, dinners, and customer sites.
• Capitalize on Demand Drivers: position the Linear Generator for urgent utility needs like data center interconnection delays and capacity requirements.
• Lead Complex Negotiations: structure MOUs, equipment purchase agreements, and customized commercial structures with internal teams.
• Navigate Utility Procurement: lead responses to RFPs, IRP engagements, and bilateral partnerships.
• Shape Product Strategy: feed market intelligence back to product, engineering, and leadership to influence roadmaps.

Skills

Executive presence

Deal closing

Power market knowledge

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree

MBA preferred

Job description

About Mainspring

Mainspring Energy manufactures and delivers fuel-flexible, low-emissions local power solutions that rapidly add new capacity and deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric power. The company began commercial shipments of its Mainspring Linear Generators in 2020 and today has hundreds of megawatts in advanced development and field operations for leading Fortune 500 companies, data centers, and utilities. Mainspring also partners with global energy leaders including AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, Schneider Electric, and more.

The core values that ground our work, guide our decisions, and connect us together:

• Pragmatic Optimism

• Excellence without Ego

• Proactive Collaboration

Job Overview

Mainspring is seeking a high-energy, commercially driven Public Power Senior Originator to drive our commercial strategy and transaction execution across Municipalities, Electric Cooperatives, and IOUs.

This is an outward-facing origination role for a natural networker and dealmaker. You will be responsible for bringing an established "rolodex" of utility and public power relationships, pitching Mainspring’s value proposition, opening doors at the executive level, and driving high-value, complex transactions from initial handshake to financial close.

If you thrive on the road, love hosting counterparties, excel at translating market tailwinds into executed contracts, and bring deep transaction experience in the power sector, this role is built for you.

What You Will Do

• Drive Commercial Growth: Lead the sourcing, structuring, negotiation, and closure of high-value commercial arrangements—including equipment sales, long-term service agreements (LTSAs), capacity contracts, and project partnerships with Public Power counterparties (Munis, Co-Ops, IOUs)

• Leverage & Expand Your Network: Serve as the primary face of Mainspring in the Public Power sector. Mobilize your existing relationships with utility executives, procurement leads, board members, and energy traders to rapidly originate new pipeline opportunities

• Be the Ultimate Brand Ambassador & Entertainer: Represent Mainspring at industry conferences, regional association meetings (APPA, NRECA, EEI, regional ISO meetings), dinner tables, and customer sites. Comfortable commanding a room, hosting key decision-makers, and building authentic, long-term trust

• Capitalize on Demand Drivers: Position Mainspring's Linear Generator as the primary solution for urgent utility needs, including data center interconnection delays, load growth, generation retirement replacement, and firm capacity requirements

• Lead Complex Negotiations: Structure and negotiate term sheets, MOUs, equipment purchase agreements, and customized commercial structures alongside internal legal, regulatory, product, and finance teams

• Navigate Utility Procurement: Lead responses to competitive solicitations (RFPs), integrated resource planning (IRP) engagements, and bilateral partnership pursuits

• Shape Product Strategy: Feed real-time market intelligence, customer pain points, and utility requirements back to Mainspring’s product, engineering, and executive leadership teams to influence product roadmaps

What We Are Looking For

Minimum Qualifications:

• Experience: 12+ years of total experience in the North American power or clean energy sectors, with at least 6+ years of direct transaction experience in an outward-facing origination or commercial role with direct access to counterparties

• Track Record: Proven history of originating, negotiating, and closing complex, high-value energy transactions (equipment sales, PPAs, BTAs, capacity contracts, or large infrastructure agreements) with Munis, Cooperatives, and/or IOUs

• Public Power Expertise: Deep working knowledge of Public Power procurement processes, G&T (Generation & Transmission) co-op structures, board governance, RTO/ISO market rules, and utility financial models

• Travel Flexibility: Willingness and ability to travel up to 50%, including client dinners, conference circuits, site visits, and last-minute travel to close deals

Behavioral & Relationship Attributes:

• Outgoing & Executive Presence: Highly charismatic, extroverted, and confident navigating everything from boardrooms to informal dinners. Exceptional ability to build instant rapport with senior utility leaders

• Deal Closer & Networker: Self-starter who brings an active, portable network ("rolodex") of utility, co-op, and municipal decision-makers and counterparties

• Commercial Instincts & Acumen: Deep understanding of power economics, capacity markets, spark spreads, tax credits (IRA/OBBBA), project finance (NPV, IRR), and grid interconnection mechanics

• Cross-Functional Leader: Ability to orchestrate internal technical, regulatory, and finance experts to solve complex customer challenges cleanly and quickly

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Engineering, Economics, or related field (MBA or advanced degree preferred)

• Deep existing network across specific regional wholesale markets (e.g., PJM, ISO-NE, NYISO, MISO, ERCOT, SPP, SERC, or WECC)