President & Chief Executive Officer

Sartor & Associates has been retained by the Board of Directors of Elexicon Group Inc., located in Whitby, ON, to recruit a dynamic, strategic, and visionary leader as President & Chief Executive Officer to steer their organization to the next phase of its development through continued growth and evolution in a changing environment. 

BACKGROUND

In 2018, following an extensive evaluation and community engagement process, Whitby Hydro Energy Corporation and Veridian Corporation moved forward with a proposal to merge. The merger created Elexicon Corporation, a holding company 100 per cent owned by 5 municipal shareholders: the Town of Whitby, the City of Pickering, the Town of Ajax, the Municipality of Clarington and the City of Belleville. Elexicon Corporation consists of two wholly owned subsidiary operating companies: Elexicon Energy Inc. and Elexicon Group Inc. 

Elexicon Energy Inc. is a regulated electricity distribution company that delivers electricity to approximately 169,000 homes and businesses located in ten municipalities in east-central Ontario. 

Elexicon Group Inc. is a non-regulated energy services business offering energy management and procurement consulting services, combined heat and power solutions, and specialty metering. The company is focused on both organic growth and expanding the business through merger and acquisition opportunities. 

Mission - Imagine energy as opportunity. 

Vision - Be the partner that makes energy management better for business and consumers and saves a bit more of the world. 

THE POSITION

Reporting to the Board, the President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Elexicon Group Inc. will have the responsibility for increasing revenues, profitability, and shareholder value over time. The CEO will thrive in a business development environment, both in evaluating the current business and working with the Board to create a strategy for identifying, evaluating, and implementing new business opportunities and relationships. 

The CEO will have responsibility for developing and executing on the strategy, building out the team, resources and funding to deliver exponential growth and higher margins in the business, leveraging the existing foundational components. 

The CEO will be responsible for managing both current and future lines of business. Current lines of business include:

• Electric Vehicle Charging
• Rooftop Solar PV
• Combined-heat-and-power Construction and Maintenance
• Specialty Metering
• Energy Consulting Services
• Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of Substation, Power Generation, and Energy Storage Projects 

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The new CEO will be challenged to demonstrate sound leadership and strategic expertise to articulate and advance the company’s vision, mission and objectives. This position is responsible for the effective long-term delivery of financial, operational, safety, customer, community and government key results.  

The CEO must be a strategic and innovative leader who will quickly earn credibility in the eyes of the Board, staff, and key stakeholders. The new CEO will be a driven, passionate, visionary leader that has a decisive management style and excels at relationship-building. The new CEO will bring a successful track record of new business development, cultural change management at a senior leadership level. Future success will be dependent on financial and business acumen, strong interpersonal skills, and an entrepreneurial spirit.  

DUTIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

• For consideration and approval by the BOD, oversee the planning, development and implementation of the annual operating plan to establish overall direction and priorities for both short and long range goal setting and growth
• Set a clear direction for the business. Where this direction is articulated in a clear purpose, vision, mission, values, and strategy.   Set strategic goals, and guiding principles that will be key to decision making at Elexicon Group Inc.
• Fully accountable for the P&L of the business
• Oversee the planning, development and implementation of the annual marketing plan to establish overall marketing priorities for long range planning for the Corporation
• Analyze Elexicon Group’s competitors and identify opportunities for growth in the market plan. Identify, cultivate, and establish partnership agreements with key strategic partners based on this analysis.
• Evaluate acquisition opportunities as appropriate to grow business and increase profitability
• Direct and manage the Elexicon Group Inc. lines of business, including developing goals and objectives while ensuring efficient utilization of the human and financial resources to achieve established performance objectives.
• Develop and clearly articulate compelling business cases for new products, business/sales models, and manage their implementation within established time frames
• Manage complex contract negotiations and work with legal counsel as required
• Oversee and deliver, with the assistance of the finance staff, the corporate budget presentation to the Board of Directors
• Ensure the financial stability of the Corporation through the preparation of forecasts, including monthly and quarterly reports regarding clients, business financial performance, and department budgets to ensure focus on profitability and managing deviations away from same,
• Coordinate employee recruitment, selection and training, performance assessment, work assignments, salary, and recognition/disciplinary actions
• Coach, empower and measure functional teams to achieve peak performance and meet corporate objectives
• Building on a well-established client list, effectively prospect, build client relationships, generate leads, and engage clients in meaningful dialogue about incremental opportunities
• Closely monitor intelligence about clients, client industries and/or markets, and upcoming contracts and RFPs
• Monitor and assess competitor activities in the market in order to appraise and speculate with regard to their positions on competitive proposals 

QUALIFICATIONS

• An entrepreneurial thinker with over 10 years of professional experience with a minimum five years at a senior leadership level
• A track record of success in leading an entrepreneurial organization, with demonstrated experience in new business development, joint-ventures, new business acquisitions and delivering sustained value creation.
• Demonstrated success in building businesses from an early stage in a rapidly evolving industry
• Experienced in developing strategic plans, budgeting, sales, business development, and strategic partnerships and the processes to implement.
• Demonstrated financial acumen, able to understand, interpret financial statements, and fiscal regulations
• Experience working with Boards of Directors
• Executive level interpersonal, oral, and written communication, public speaking and presentation skills
• Strong operational and general management experience – preferably coming from energy services industries or an industry with similar customers
• Sound organizational and time management skills.
• Collaborative, able to forge strong, effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
• Credible and trustworthy; earns respect of his/her team
• Capable of leading, directing, and motivating staff and deep experience with managing performance, developing Pragmatic with trust in his/her instincts and able to take risks
• Ability to travel as needed
• Possession of a post-graduate level degree from a recognized university in a related professional discipline; OR a combination of education, training and experience deemed to be equivalent 

KEY ATTRIBUTES & COMPETENCIES

Transformational and Strategic Leadership

Confidently builds and develops teams, fosters a respectful and ethical work environment, mobilizes the workforce and champions and delegates courses of action towards the achievement of the strategy and vision of the enterprise through the creation and prioritization of corporate goals.

Visioning and Alignment

Shapes a compelling and inspired vision and strategy for the enterprise and generates commitment and alignment of all aspects of the business and its people with the strategy and vision.

Political Savvy

Knows, understands and operates sensitively and effectively within the political structures and climates, strategically influencing outcomes.

Business Sense

Understands and uses the workings, structure, climate and culture of the enterprise and the industry to achieve business and growth outcomes.

Financial Acumen

Uses understanding of financial information to make business decisions, maximize value, and maintain financial health of the enterprise.

Relationship and Network Building

Seeks and builds alliances, maintains effective relationships, communicates in a compelling and articulate manner instilling commitment, and fosters open respectful two-way communication channels, internally and externally, to further the strategy and vision of the enterprise.

Decision Making

Analyses and synthesizes information to understand issues, identify options, and make appropriate, realistic and timely decisions based on consideration of the available facts and alternatives and sound calculation of risks.

Negotiation

Actively listens for underlying nuances and messages and uses persuasion to build consensus, manage and/or resolve conflicts, and reach mutually agreeable outcomes.

Resilience

Remains energized, positive, and focused in the face of ambiguity, change or strenuous demands. 

APPLICATION INFORMATION

To explore this opportunity further, please email your resume (filename - “Last name, First name - CV”), with “Elexicon Group CEO” in the subject line, in confidence to Larry Sartor at larry@sartorandassociates.com and Mark Fukuzawa at mark@sartorandassociates.com. 

It is Elexicon Group’s policy to comply with all applicable laws and regulations which prohibit unlawful discrimination because of race, religion, creed, colour, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or marital status or any other protected class. 

We thank all those that apply for the position, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Thank you for your understanding.

September 16, 2020