VP - Sales & Operations - Solar Products

Job Title: Vice President, Sales and Operations

Company: Simpa Energy India Pvt. Ltd.

Location: Bangalore

Job Level: Senior level professional (10+ years senior management experience)

Field: Sales and Operations

Position Overview

- Simpa Networks seeks a senior sales and operations professional experienced in the building and managing of product and service delivery channels in the rural expansion of services such as DTH television or mobile phone network services.

- Simpa Networks is an award-winning, mission-driven, clean energy services company based in Bangalore, India building a world-class team committed to serving our rural customers with affordable access to clean energy. We are a pioneer in the Indian market for decentralized energy services.

- Our pay-as-you-go pricing approach for off-grid energy services is combination of consumer electronics retail distribution (solar home system placement and sales) and mobile telecom or DTH (subscription management and retention, recharge voucher distribution, and ensuring that each subscriber pays regularly on time).

- The Vice President, Sales and Operations, will join the executive leadership team of Simpa and will be responsible for the multi-state launch and profitable execution of Simpa’s distributed energy services business model for rural households and small businesses, particularly focused on the un-electrified markets in northern India.

About Simpa Networks

Simpa Networks has a bold mission: to make modern energy simple, affordable, and accessible to everyone. Simpa is selling solar energy systems on a pay-as-you-go basis to undeserved consumers in emerging markets. Customers make a small initial payment for a high-quality solar PV system and then pay for the energy service, topping up their systems in small user-defined increments (EasyRecharge) using a mobile phone. Each payment for energy also adds towards the final purchase price. Once fully paid, the system unlocks permanently and delivers free solar energy. The innovative pricing model is called Progressive Purchase, and Simpa is selling across two states in India. Simpa helps its customers transform a daily expenditure for energy into ownership of a valuable asset. The business model is disruptive and highly scalable, re-imagining the value chain for delivering energy access to the mass market.

Responsibilities

- The VP, Sales and Operations has P&L responsibility for sales of Simpa’s pay-as-you-go solar products and service model.

Specific Responsibilities will include by not limited to:

Sales Channel Building and Management:

- Work cross-functionally across Simpa to create a compelling business offering for channel partners.

- Analyse market and competitor data to create catchment area analysis, which will inform dealer selection.

- Build a channel to to distribute, install and service solar home systems in rural India by selecting, training and motivating dealers, installers and recharge agent networks.

- Constantly train and motivate all channel partners to reach sales and portfolio performance targets.

- Once channel development and channel retention model is established, rapidly replicate and expand the channel across multiple states in India.

- Manage sales and service networks, with focus on customer service and customer retention.

- Identify and network with financially strong & reliable channel partners, resulting in deeper market penetration & reach.

- Sales forecasting, sales targeting, and sales promotion planning.

Operations:

- Manage operations within the Opex budgeted by the company

- Liase with field service to ensure smooth operations.

- Drive distribution expansion process, including distribution efficiencies.

People:

- Recruit and manage a sales and operations team that is geographically distributed in rural areas.

- An active mentor - motivating and guiding team members to ensure sales and operational excellence.

- Skilled at training subordinates and building capability of the team in their competencies (functional & managerial)

The VP, Sales and Operations will lead the Sales and Operations functions at Simpa Networks, reporting to Simpa’s President.

Desired Strengths:

- Deep experience in creating a compelling business for rural channel partners.

- Hands-on experience in building and selling to rural consumers through multi-state dealer channels.

- Demonstrated success in using analytical tools to plan and execute channel development and sales plans.

- Proven ability to create and execute strategic sales and operations plans for rural markets.

- Experience in building a world-class customer service platform and team.

- A skilled planner, strategist and implementer with documented success in formulating innovative sales strategies aimed at strengthening business operations, increasing revenues, expanding the sales channels and increasing product popularity amongst the consumers.

- Successful track record of devising and implementing new reporting and functional systems/procedures in organisations, leading to enhanced operational efficiency.

- Demonstrated success in creating new channels to launch innovative products.

- Managed team of 100 or more across Sales and Operations functions.

- Extensive exposure to Northern India markets.

Qualifications:

- Ideal candidates must have at least 10+ years of DTH television, telecom or consumer electronics experience with a proven track record of building a rural dealer channel and selling to rural customers.

- Experience in selling financial products such as loans, leases or insurance products to rural customers will be highly advantageous.

- Ability to manage multiple projects within a dynamic environment with a high level of urgency without compromising productivity.

- Ability to build and maintain excellent working relationships across the technical and corporate teams, in order to facilitate feedback and enhance implementation.

- Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to use data to make decisions.

- Must possess a strong code of ethics and values.

- Demonstrated leadership, networking and negotiation skills.

- Ability to travel (up to 30%) and work flexible hours.

- Experience of working in rural or BOP markets required. Higher University degree in Business, Finance, Banking, Economics, Management.

- MBA in Marketing/Operations from reputed Indian and International institutions will be highly desirable.

- Fluency in both English and Hindi required. Kannada is also an asset.

Compensation:

Simpa Networks offers competitive salary and benefits packages commensurate with our funding stage.

Contact:

Please submit your C.V. and cover letter to Simpa Networks (greatjobs@simpanetworks.com) for consideration (reference “VP, Sales and Operations” in the Subject line of your email).

In your cover letter, please tell us what about Simpa interests you, and how you can contribute to our company’s mission.

*Only short-listed candidates will be contacted to set up an interview. We hope to hear from you!
www.simpanetworks.com