Senior Commercial Manager, O&M, UK

At Canadian Solar, our vision is to make lives better by bringing electricity powered by the sun to millions of people worldwide. As a leading manufacturer of solar panels, inverters, and energy storage solutions, we've been an industry front-runner since our founding in 2001. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in all parts of our organization as we navigate the complexities of a booming industry.

Throughout Canadian Solar's subsidiaries, e-Storage, Recurrent Energy, MSS and CSI Solar Co., we invest in our employees' growth. Our training programs and promotional opportunities ensure we all can continue to learn. We understand the importance of work-life balance and provide various flexible work options to support our employees' well-being. Join our team to "Make the Difference" by creating a lasting positive impact on the world and the communities where we operate.

The Senior Commercial Manager is responsible for leading the commercial and operational performance of a portfolio of PV and BESS sites, ensuring high standards of client service, system reliability, contractual compliance, and commercial performance. The role provides leadership and direction to Commercial Associates and Juniors, while maintaining strong relationships with clients, contractors, asset owners, and internal stakeholders.

The role includes overseeing key client relationships, acting as a senior escalation point for complex commercial and operational matters, and ensuring that contractual obligations, commercial opportunities, and portfolio risks
are effectively managed. The Senior Commercial Manager is also responsible for monitoring key account and team performance metrics, providing regular reporting to the Commercial Associate Director, and contributing to wider commercial strategy and business planning.

Working closely with O&M technicians, supervisors, engineering, and support teams, the role provides leadership in resolving operational issues, mitigating commercial and contractual risks, and driving continuous improvement across the portfolio. The Senior Commercial Manager also plays a key role in developing team capability, promoting commercial awareness, and supporting the delivery of efficient operations, improved profitability, and long-term customer and asset performance.

Stakeholder & Client Management:

• Manage and develop strong relationships with clients, suppliers, internal REPS-UK support departments including Accounting, Finance, Legal, Warehousing & Senior Management, as well as the O&M Field Technicians & Engineers, Operations Control Centre, and asset owners.
• Act as a senior point of contact for allocated client portfolios, ensuring a consistently high standard of service and effective communication.
• Attend and lead client meetings, calls, and, from time to time, site visits
• Provide regular client updates, reports, and commercial performance information as required.
• Act as an escalation point for client issues and complex matters managed by other members of the Commercial team, ensuring appropriate ownership and resolution.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Line manage Commercial Associates and Juniors, providing regular 1:1s, performance reviews, coaching, feedback, and development opportunities
• Allocate and prioritise client portfolios across the Commercial team to ensure balanced workloads, effective resource utilisation, and a consistently high quality of client service
• Support the recruitment, onboarding, training, and development of new Commercial team members
• Act as a role model and mentor, developing team capability, commercial awareness, client management skills, and understanding of O&M processes and contractual requirement
• Lead internal Commercial team meetings, encouraging effective communication, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement

Commercial & Contract Management:

• Oversee the commercial administration and management of allocated client portfolios, ensuring contractual obligations and commercial requirements are understood and effectively managed
• Ensure that all costs outside of the contractual scope are identified, appropriately assessed, and approved by clients by means of a Service Quote
• Oversee the preparation and review of RFPs, Service Quotes, Purchase Requisitions, Purchase Orders, and other commercial documentation relating to O&M parts and service procurements
• Develop a strong understanding of O&M contracts and REPS-UK responsibilities, ensuring contractual requirements are consistently met and commercial risks are appropriately managed
• Identify opportunities to improve commercial performance, client value, processes, and ways of working across the Commercial team

Operational Performance & Portfolio Management:

• Monitor the performance of allocated client portfolios, ensuring issues are identified, prioritised, and progressed effectively with the relevant areas of the business
• Maintain oversight of portfolio issues and sponsor progress towards resolution, escalating risks and challenges where appropriate
• Work closely with O&M Technicians & Engineers to resolve occurrences of lost generation from solar farms and mitigate the risk of contractual penalties
• Ensure appropriate focus is given to operational and commercial risks that may impact client relationships, contractual performance, or financial outcomes

Performance Management & Strategic Planning:

• Monitor key account metrics, commercial performance, client satisfaction, and team performance, providing regular reporting and updates to the Commercial Associate Director
• Analyse portfolio and team performance to identify trends, risks, opportunities, and areas for improvement
• Contribute to strategic planning and the development of the wider Commercial function
• Support the Commercial Associate Director with the implementation of commercial strategies, processes, and initiatives
• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, commercial performance, and client service

Operational Administration & Systems:

• Maintain oversight of the effective use of company ERP systems and O&M's proprietary Global Platform system
• Ensure appropriate standards are maintained for workflow, record-keeping, documentation, and portfolio administration
• Ensure equipment-specific maintenance/calibration schedules and spare parts management processes are appropriately maintained and monitored
• Promote consistent and effective use of Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant business applications across the Commercial team

Compliance & Company Standards:

• Ensure that all business activities are performed with the highest ethical standards and in compliance with the company Code of Business Conduct
• Ensure the team adheres to all environmental, health and safety rules and company policies
• Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism, continuous improvement, and compliance across the Commercial team
• Complete other duties and projects as assigned

Requirements:

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a commercial, operational, account management, or O&M role, with experience managing client portfolios
• Previous experience of line management, team leadership, coaching, or mentoring
• Strong understanding of O&M contracts, including scope, exclusions, KPIs, performance guarantees, liabilities, and relief events
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to identify risks and opportunities and make commercially informed decisions
• Good technical understanding of utility-scale solar and/or BESS assets, with the ability to interpret performance data, KPIs, and technical reports and contribute confidently to operational discussions
• Strong understanding of operational and commercial performance within renewable energy assets
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with clients, asset owners, internal teams, senior management, vendors, and external stakeholders
• Experience managing complex client issues and acting as an escalation point
• Highly organised and proactive, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, allocate resources effectively, and work independently
• Strong attention to detail and high level of accuracy
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Previous experience within the solar renewable energy sector is essential; BESS experience is advantageous
• Proficient IT skills, including strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and relevant business systems