Sales Manager (Italy) in climate-tech start-up

Intro

exnaton is a startup, spun out of ETH Zurich, which offers software for renewable energy to utility companies. Our software enables energy providers to set up energy communities and smart energy tariffs in their distribution areas. Users of our software can track their energy consumption and buy renewable energy from their neighbors, which makes investing in the energy transition simple and fun! 

Prosumers, dynamic electricity tariffs, and energy sharing are driving the energy transition and becoming integral components of the decentralized energy world. Our software is a cloud application that processes smart meter data and computes smart real-time prices for locally produced energy, which makes renewable energy financially more attractive. End-users receive an app that maps the sources of their energy, making their electricity consumption more understandable.

Our team is growing and we are looking for passionate and talented people to complement our team. We are a diverse mix of engineers and business developers, all driven by the shared goal of using technology to create a sustainable impact in our society. If you're enthusiastic about contributing to this exciting journey, we invite you to be a part of our innovative and motivated team.

The job can be performed remotely in EU countries, although for this particular role, we are looking for someone willing to travel to customers when needed (up to 20%).

Your role

As a Sales Manager at exnaton, you will join our 30 people team and shape the company and its vision from the ground up. You will play a pivotal role in bringing a product to market that enhances the attractiveness of renewable energies. Now that we've established an initial customer base, the focus is on scaling up, and expanding into new markets. This requires building the right go-to-market strategy and identifying opportunities beyond our current footprint. We are therefore looking for someone who will support us in the following areas:

• Lead generation, including conducting market research to identify new clients in Italy;

• Customer acquisition, including active outreach to potential new clients in target markets and introducing our product to them;

• Creation of sales materials, presentations and customized proposals based on customer discussions and regional needs;

• Close collaboration with colleagues in our Sales, Product and Marketing teams;

• Gathering feedback and identification of customer needs for the continuous improvement of our product;

• Support in business development with industry partners (e.g., SAP, bpc, Theben);

• Being adaptable to evolving sales strategies and incorporating feedback for continuous improvement.

Your qualifications

We define ourselves by a culture of collaboration and ownership. We’re looking for a driven, capable, and thoughtful person to add to our mission. We are looking for someone who:

• Has 5+ years of experience in B2B sales, business development or similar role;

• Has proven experience and very good understanding of the energy market in Italy, including key players, trends, and regulatory frameworks;

• Has a good understanding of diverse customer and stakeholder personas and can empathize with various perspectives;

• Demonstrates strong verbal and written communication skills that are essential for effective outreach and interaction with potential clients;

• Is fluent in English and Italian (this is a hard requirement as the role involves communication in both languages), additional languages are a big plus;

• Is quick to learn and derive energy from interacting with people, and has no hesitation in engaging with unfamiliar individuals;

• Is a team player and feels comfortable in a dynamic startup environment.

Benefits

At exnaton, you can experience a dynamic work environment with a flat hierarchy and direct communication, fostering quick operation and collaborative learning. You can also expect the following:

• Competitive salary and equity package;

• Flexible working hours and location, as we believe in ownership and trust. We are a remote-first company and we support those working from different locations (within the EU);

• Additional benefits such as a company MacBook, a learning budget, sports membership, or Headspace subscription;

• Virtual office for a truly interactive collaboration, even in a distributed team;

• Working with exciting technology for a really important purpose, together with a highly motivated team.