[Hiring] Vice President, Electric Cooperative Markets @Sparkfund

Role Description

Sparkfund is looking for a Vice President, Electric Cooperative Markets to own our strategy, positioning, and executive-level relationships across the electric cooperative market and build a meaningful pipeline of Distributed Capacity Procurement opportunities.

This is a strategic individual-contributor role with significant autonomy and enterprise-level influence. While the role does not have direct people-management responsibility, it will represent Sparkfund externally at the executive level and materially influence how we prioritize opportunities, partnerships, and resources across the electric cooperative market.

You will leverage and expand an established network of electric cooperative executives, general managers, board members, and industry leaders to create senior-level access and identify opportunities where Sparkfund can deliver meaningful value. You will work closely with senior commercial leaders to shape account strategy and advance opportunities through proposal development and negotiation, transitioning final deal ownership as opportunities reach the contracting stage.

Success in this role means building a clear and defensible electric cooperative market strategy, materially expanding Sparkfund’s executive-level relationships across the cooperative ecosystem, and creating measurable pipeline influence that converts into signed DCP programs.

What You’ll Do

• Own Electric Cooperative Market Strategy & Positioning
  • Own Sparkfund’s overall strategy, positioning, and engagement approach for the electric cooperative market.
  • Shape how Sparkfund’s Distributed Capacity Procurement offering is pursued across both distribution and generation and transmission electric cooperatives.
  • Identify and prioritize the highest-value electric cooperative market opportunities and partnerships in coordination with the VP of Growth and executive leadership.
  • Translate market developments, customer needs, and industry dynamics into changes in Sparkfund’s cooperative market strategy and approach.
• Build Executive Relationships & Market Access
  • Develop and expand executive-level relationships across the electric cooperative market, leveraging and growing an existing network of cooperative executives, general managers, and board members.
  • Represent Sparkfund externally with cooperative leadership, industry associations, and at conferences and other industry events.
  • Build and maintain relationships across organizations such as NRECA and state and regional electric cooperative associations.
  • Serve as a senior point of access into electric cooperatives, opening doors that materially expand Sparkfund’s addressable cooperative pipeline.
• Create and Advance Pipeline
  • Be accountable for creating qualified electric cooperative opportunities and demonstrating measurable pipeline influence against company growth targets.
  • Partner closely with senior commercial leaders to scope opportunities and shape account strategy.
  • Stay actively engaged as opportunities advance through proposal development and negotiation, bringing market knowledge, relationships, and strategic judgment to the process.
  • Transition day-to-day deal ownership as opportunities reach final proposal and contracting stages.
  • Drive the cross-functional strategy and coordination across Growth, Programs, technical teams, and other functions needed to convert cooperative opportunities into signed DCP programs.
• Bring Market Insight Into the Business
  • Maintain a current and authoritative understanding of what drives electric cooperatives to pursue new grid capacity solutions.
  • Translate cooperative market insights into Sparkfund’s broader strategy, positioning, and approach.
  • Advise executive leadership on market trends, competitive dynamics, partnership opportunities, and resource allocation decisions affecting Sparkfund’s cooperative growth strategy.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in business development, market development, strategic partnerships, or a related field within the utility, energy, or infrastructure sector.
• Experience owning and evolving a market, customer segment, or channel strategy end-to-end.
• An existing, active network of electric cooperative executives, general managers, board members, and/or other senior stakeholders built through prior professional experience in or adjacent to the electric cooperative market.
• Demonstrated ability to independently establish and evolve market strategy and represent an organization externally at the executive level.
• Working understanding of electric cooperative governance, member-owned structures, and the factors that influence cooperative purchasing and investment decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and coordinate work across teams without formal management authority.
• Ability to travel frequently, approximately 40% or more, to meet with electric cooperative stakeholders and attend industry events.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience selling, structuring, or developing utility-scale battery storage, generation, distributed capacity, or other grid infrastructure solutions.
• Familiarity with both generation and transmission and distribution electric cooperative dynamics, including load growth, wholesale power arrangements, and capacity planning.
• Existing relationships with NRECA and/or state and regional electric cooperative association leadership.
• Experience driving cross-functional strategy and execution across commercial, program, technical, and operational teams.

Benefits

• Employer-subsidized medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• 401(k) plan with a 2% employer match.
• Flexible vacation policy.
• Paid federal holidays.
• Flexible Fridays, with half-day Fridays every week.
• 12 weeks of gender-neutral paid caregiver leave.
• One-time work-from-home stipend for eligible remote roles.
• $100 monthly phone and internet allowance.