How to apply for Residential Business Development Director

About Voltus

Voltus is a leading distributed energy resource (DER) platform that connects thousands of devices to create virtual power plants, helping grid operators balance demand and reduce carbon emissions. Working here means you'll be at the forefront of the clean energy transition, directly combating climate change by optimizing grid flexibility through innovative technology.

About the role

As the Residential Business Development Director, you'll own the full sales cycle to onboard residential DER partners—like solar, battery, and EV charger manufacturers—across North America. Your work directly expands Voltus's virtual power plant network, enabling millions of homes to participate in energy markets and earn revenue while supporting grid reliability.

A typical day

Start your day reviewing emails from potential partners or internal teams, then hop on calls with residential OEMs to pitch Voltus's VPP value proposition. Afternoons might involve analyzing partner data to build financial models, negotiating contract terms with legal, or collaborating with marketing on co-branded materials. You'll also track your pipeline in CRM and report progress to leadership.

Who Voltus is looking for

• 5-10 years of business development or partnerships experience in energy, specifically with residential DER OEMs (e.g., Enphase, Tesla, SunPower) or at a DERMS/VPP/demand response company.
• Proven track record of managing long, complex sales cycles (6-12+ months) involving multiple stakeholders (e.g., engineering, legal, executive) and negotiating contracts with OEMs or utilities.
• Strong analytical skills with hands-on experience in data analysis (e.g., Excel, SQL) and financial modeling to build business cases for partners (e.g., ROI calculations for VPP participation).
• Self-starter comfortable with remote work, able to independently drive outreach, manage relationships across North America, and collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, product, and operations teams.

Tips for this application

• Tailor your resume to highlight specific DER OEM partnerships you've built or managed, including contract values and program launch outcomes.
• In your cover letter, explicitly mention your experience with virtual power plants or demand response programs, and how you've navigated long sales cycles.
• Quantify your achievements: e.g., 'Secured 5 OEM partnerships resulting in 10,000 new DER enrollments' or 'Managed a $2M pipeline from initial outreach to signed contract.'
• Research Voltus's current residential partners (e.g., SunPower, Generac) and mention how you'd expand similar relationships in your application.
• Use your LinkedIn to showcase thought leadership in DER/VPP topics—share articles or posts about grid flexibility to demonstrate industry passion.

What to cover in your cover letter

["Emphasize your deep understanding of residential DER ecosystems (solar, storage, EV) and how you've successfully partnered with OEMs or platform providers in the past.", 'Highlight your ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles and your experience with contract negotiation and financial modeling.', "Show alignment with Voltus's mission to combat climate change through grid optimization—connect your personal values to their work.", 'Demonstrate your cross-functional collaboration skills, especially working with product and engineering teams to tailor solutions for partners.']

Research before applying

• Review Voltus's current residential partner list (e.g., SunPower, Generac, Sense) and understand their VPP offerings.
• Read recent news about Voltus, such as their partnerships with utilities or expansion into new markets (e.g., PJM, CAISO).
• Study the competitive landscape: compare Voltus's platform to competitors like Enbala, OhmConnect, or EnergyHub.
• Understand the regulatory environment for VPPs in key North American markets (e.g., FERC Order 2222, state-level policies).

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk me through a time you managed a long, complex partnership deal from start to finish—what were the key milestones and how did you overcome obstacles?
• How would you approach building a business case for a residential solar OEM to join Voltus's VPP? What metrics would you use?
• Describe your experience with financial modeling for energy partnerships—can you give an example of an ROI model you built?
• How do you prioritize which DER partners to target across North America, given limited resources?
• Tell me about a time you worked cross-functionally (e.g., with legal, product, marketing) to launch a partnership program.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Don't submit a generic application—avoid vague phrases like 'I love energy.' Instead, reference specific Voltus projects or partners.
• Don't underestimate the importance of financial modeling; if you lack this skill, take a course or highlight related analytical work.
• Don't ignore the remote nature of the role—show examples of how you've succeeded in remote, self-directed environments.