How to apply for Director of Channel Sales

About Mainspring Energy

Mainspring Energy builds fuel-flexible, low-emissions linear generators for local power. It began commercial shipments in 2020 and now has hundreds of megawatts in development and field operations with Fortune 500 companies, data centers, and utilities. Partners include AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, and Schneider Electric.

About the role

The Director of Channel Sales (listed internally as Senior Manager of Channel Sales) owns the full lifecycle of partner-driven revenue in the US market. You recruit EPCs, developers, and partners, then equip and drive them to close large deals. You report to the Senior Director of Channel Sales and focus on data center and distributed energy opportunities.

A typical day

A typical day might include calls with EPCs and developers to review pipeline, working with internal engineering and sales teams to equip partners on Mainspring's linear generators, and meeting with utilities or data center customers to move deals forward. You would track quota attainment and report progress to the Senior Director of Channel Sales. Exact daily routines are not listed in the job details, so ask about team structure and travel expectations in interviews.

Who Mainspring Energy is looking for

• Has a track record of recruiting and managing EPCs, developers, or channel partners in power generation, distributed energy, or data center infrastructure.
• Can navigate complex utility landscapes and understands the technical nuances of linear generators, fuel flexibility, and local power solutions.
• Is a hunter who owns pipeline and quota, not just account management, and can drive partners to close large, multi-stakeholder deals.
• Has experience selling to or through Fortune 500 companies, data centers, or utilities, and can speak to interconnection, permitting, and power purchase agreements.

Tips for this application

• Use the exact title from the job posting in your application. The posting says Director of Channel Sales but the internal title is Senior Manager of Channel Sales. Address it as Director of Channel Sales and note you understand the reporting line to the Senior Director of Channel Sales.
• Quantify your channel recruitment results. Give specific numbers for partners recruited, pipeline generated, and revenue closed through EPCs, developers, or utilities.
• Name the partner types you have worked with. Mention EPCs, developers, data centers, or utilities by name if you have direct experience with them.
• Connect your experience to Mainspring's linear generator product. If you have sold fuel-flexible or low-emissions power solutions, say so and explain how it maps to their technology.
• Reference Mainspring's core values (Pragmatic Optimism, Excellence without Ego, Proactive Collaboration) in your materials only if you have a concrete example that shows one of them in action.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your specific experience recruiting and driving EPCs, developers, or channel partners to close large deals in the US power market.', 'How you have navigated complex utility landscapes and worked with data centers or distributed energy projects.', 'A concrete example of owning a revenue quota and exceeding it through partner-driven sales.', "Why Mainspring's fuel-flexible linear generator and its Fortune 500 and utility partners fit your background and network."]

Research before applying

• Read Mainspring's product pages and press releases on the linear generator, its fuel flexibility, and its emissions profile.
• Research Mainspring's announced partners (AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, Schneider Electric) and any public projects with Fortune 500 companies, data centers, or utilities.
• Study the US distributed energy and data center power market, including key EPCs, developers, and utility interconnection processes in your target region.
• Look up the backgrounds of Mainspring's leadership, especially the Senior Director of Channel Sales, to understand how the channel team is structured.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would identify and recruit the right EPCs and developers for Mainspring's linear generators in a specific US region.
• A time you drove a partner to close a large, complex deal involving a utility, data center, or Fortune 500 company.
• How you handle a partner who is not meeting pipeline or closing expectations, and what you do to turn it around.
• Your understanding of the data center and distributed energy space, including interconnection, permitting, and power purchase agreements.
• How you would work with Mainspring's existing partners like AEP, NextEra Energy Resources, and Schneider Electric to expand channel revenue.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying with a generic resume that does not mention EPCs, developers, utilities, data centers, or channel sales in power generation.
• Focusing only on direct sales experience and ignoring channel recruitment and partner enablement, which are core to this role.
• Claiming knowledge of Mainspring's technology or market without specifics about linear generators, fuel flexibility, or the data center and distributed energy space.