CCO

Solar Monkey helps suppliers and solar panel installers become more efficient. Their software allows companies to communicate with prospective customers and calculate quotes without a home visit. The international and team-minded Chief Commercial Officer will lead Solar Monkey’s expansion into the European market and identify new opportunities.

About Solar Monkey

Solar Monkey was founded in 2015, with a mission to accelerate the solar energy market – and energy transition – using their software. Their clients are solar panel installers that range from small and mid-size, to large energy suppliers like Dutch company, Vattenfall.

These installers can increase efficiencies when they design and plan installation projects, calculate quotes, and communicate with consumers. Currently , Solar Monkey enables the installation of more than 250,000 solar panel systems each year throughout The Netherlands. They also offer client-specific consulting services that include streamlining CRM operations.

Post-installation, Solar Monkey continues to support clients with online monitoring and communications for potential maintenance and follow-up checks. This phase of the customer journey is often unaddressed by installers. It’s due to the operational complexity required in physical inspection of installed systems and large demand for new installations.

In 2022, the company successfully completed a Series A investment round. Solar energy adoption in The Netherlands is growing fast. This is great news, and supports Solar Monkey’s mission, which is on the path to being fulfilled. That’s why it’s an ideal time to expand horizons to other geographical areas and potentially, other business models.

Solar Monkey’s head office is in The Hague, and they’re also active in Spain, Germany, Belgium, and the UK. The market for solar panels differs slightly per country. For example, the ease of online communication and quotes is popular in The Netherlands, while Spanish consumers prefer that installers make a home visit. As Solar Monkey rolls out of its European presence into other countries, they continuously update their software to optimize the fit with local market needs.

Job description: Chief Commercial Officer

The Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) joins the two founders and CFO of Solar Monkey’s C-suite team. Their Heads of Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and Support, along with Partnership Managers, are the CCO’s direct reports. Enabling teams to work well together is vital for Solar Monkey’s commercial success. Their strategic goal is to triple expected 2023 revenue in 2027. The CCO will play a key role in making this happen.

This role will also lead Solar Monkey’s commercial strategy. It includes choosing which countries to roll out, fine-tuning the country playbook, defining the pricing strategy per country, and deciding how to distribute targets and resources among these countries – including building local commercial teams. It also involves re-evaluating the business model and testing, selecting, and commercializing new products or services based on changing market dynamics. The CCO makes decisions based on input they receive and analyze from the commercial team. They also implements a more structured approach to customer relations and partnerships, based on client segmentation.

“A combination of strategic skills and willingness to do hands-on work is crucial for this role. We are an impact driven scale up. Colleagues are intrinsically motivated by moving the energy transition forward. This drive is part of our company DNA. The CCO shares this motivation, and is a skilled people leader who can coach team members and work well with different stakeholders across the organization.” – Greetje de Haan, Head of Organization & People at Solar Monkey

The CCO collaborates with the founders to achieve the next step in Solar Monkey’s mission and commercial success. The right candidate has leadership expertise in fast-scaling tech businesses and managing growing teams. The commercial team is expected to grow substantially in the next few years, and the CCO will grow as a leader with the team. They are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, where continued growth is part of the strategy and where all processes may not yet be concrete.

Solar Monkey offers a flexible culture where working from home is accepted, as is the choice to work thirty-two or forty hours per week. However, the CCO is expected to be at The Hague’s head office every other week, and travel to other countries. Solar Monkey makes a point of traveling by train rather than airplane. The CCO will not be required to relocate, as long as they can reach The Hague within a four-hour train ride.

This role is a promising next step for an well-rounded commercial professional with a background in B2B SaaS, international experience, and a strong intrinsic motivation for making a positive impact on the climate.

Interested?

Solar Monkey is working with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
To express your interest, please contact Gijs Millaard at Gijs.millaard@topofminds.com .