Senior Business Development Manager

The Senior Business Development Manager leads bilateral sales to large corporate clients in South Africa, with a core focus on client engagement and the negotiation and closing of Corporate PPAs (CPPAs) and Generation PPAs (GPPAs), within Mainstream’s existing business development process.

Key responsibilities:

Account and Relationship Management

Manage long‑term customer relationships, including contracted energy partnerships.

Oversee onboarding processes for clients.

Foster positive relationships across internal departments to ensure seamless customer service delivery.

Business Development and Sales

Lead the end-to-end negotiation and closing of bilateral CPPAs and GPPAs with large corporate offtakers, from commercial term sheet through to final contract execution.

Manage and progress opportunities through Mainstream’s existing business development process and CRM (Salesforce), ensuring accurate and up-to-date pipeline reporting as each deal advances.

Sell renewable energy solutions (wind, solar, hybrid systems, battery storage) to large enterprises.

Engage directly with senior executives (CEOs, CFOs, CTOs) to pitch tailored offerings.

Identify new business opportunities, strategic partnerships, and sales channels.

Analyse customer requirements and collaborate with the commercial team to design solutions that meet technical and financial needs.

Prepare proposals, quotes, contracts, and presentations that clearly articulate value propositions.

Provide clients with technical, regulatory, and financial information to support decision‑making.

Monitor competitor activity and market trends to ensure Mainstream remains ahead in product and service offerings.

Travel regularly to client sites for meetings, presentations, and relationship building.

Stakeholder Engagement

Build and maintain strong relationships with private offtakers.

Represent Mainstream in industry forums and stakeholder consultations.

Internal Team Support

Collaborate with the wider commercial team on private RFP responses and bidding processes.

Share market insights and customer feedback to inform product development and strategic planning.

Contribute to a culture of innovation, efficiency, and continuous improvement within the commercial team.

Marketing and Brand Awareness

Strengthen Mainstream’s brand presence in the renewable energy sector.

Represent the company at trade shows, conferences, and industry events to build visibility and credibility.

Requirements for the role:

Bachelor’s degree in business management, engineering, or law (LLB), with relevant commercial, sales or contract negotiation experience.

Minimum 7–8 years’ sales or business development experience within large industrial or corporate organisations, with a proven track record of negotiating and closing complex, high-value contracts.

Understanding of energy stakeholders (Eskom, IPPs, Offtakers) advantageous, but not essential for candidates with a strong large-corporate/industrial sales background

Proven experience negotiating and closing large, complex commercial contracts with corporate clients; experience with Corporate PPAs (CPPAs), Generation PPAs (GPPAs) or the energy sector is advantageous but not essential, as training will be provided.

Strong commercial and contractual negotiation skills, with the ability to structure deals around pricing, decision-maker dynamics, lead times, and BEE requirements

Comfortable managing a sales pipeline and reporting through a CRM system (e.g. Salesforce)

Open to travel and one-on-one client negotiations

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Energetic, Self-starter and problem solver ;

Motivated to succeed, comfortable being challenged and growing as an individual

Lateral thinker, continuously improving the business model

Collaborative team player

Existing client network within large industrial or corporate sectors

Strong MS Office skillset (Excel, PowerPoint and Word) essential

What we offer

We offer you the opportunity to work in an innovative and entrepreneurial organisation, to be part of a diverse workplace with regards to gender, age and cultural background in the most exciting industry in the world today.

Career development

Individual training budget

Career progression

Leadership development

Shared financial success

A competitive, industry benchmarked and cost-of-living linked salary, reviewed annually

Performance bonus

Salary contribution to your pension fund and private medical cover

Work/life balance

Hybrid, flexible working arrangement

Generous annual leave, plus a community or charity workday each year

Paid maternity, parental, adoptive and bereavement leave

Parental transitioning coaching

Structured onboarding programme with team building and culture events in line with Mainstream values

True diversity & inclusion

Equal opportunity targets

You can be you, whatever your gender, colour or sexual orientation

Care for health & wellbeing

Life cover

Free Employee Assistance Program for you and your family