President & Chief Executive Officer

Sartor and Associates has been engaged by the Board of Directors of Grand River Energy Solutions Corporation to recruit a dynamic, strategic, and visionary leader as President & Chief Executive Officer who will steer their organization into the next phase of its development through continued growth and evolution in a changing environment. 

BACKGROUND

Grand River Energy Solutions Corporation (GRE), based in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, is a joint venture company owned by Cambridge and North Dumfries Energy Solutions Inc., Kitchener Power Corp., and Waterloo North Hydro Holding Corporation. GRE is a non-regulated energy company focused on investing in, developing and servicing distributed energy resource assets (DERs) such as solar implementations, energy storage, co-generation and EV charging stations.

GRE Clients Include:

• Municipalities, Regional Governments, and Institutions
• Commercial/Industrial businesses that are stakeholders in the energy market (high energy consumers)
• Local Distribution Companies who want to develop distributed energy resources (DERs) to support their clients
• Developers looking to incorporate DERs into their developments (e.g., industrial parks, mixed multi-use developments) 

As a sustainable energy solutions company, GRE is passionate about helping organizations create their own power, use less energy, optimize energy usage, and benefit from government incentives to drastically reduce their operational costs and carbon footprint.

Reporting to the Board, the President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GRE will have the responsibility for increasing revenues, profitability, and shareholder value over time. This position requires a strategic and innovative leader who will work with the Board of Directors and stakeholders to evolve and grow GRE for long-term sustainability. The CEO will thrive in a business development environment. The CEO will work with the Board to both evaluate the current business and also create a strategy for identifying, evaluating, and implementing new profitable business opportunities and ventures. 

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

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The new CEO will demonstrate sound leadership and strategic expertise to articulate and advance the company’s vision, mission and objectives. The CEO must be a strategic and innovative leader who will quickly earn credibility in the eyes of the Board, municipal stakeholders, parent utilities, industry partners and customers.  The new CEO will be a driven, passionate, visionary leader that has a decisive management style and excels at relationship-building.  

DUTIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Participate with the Board in developing a future strategy and business plan which incorporates the goals and objectives that will move GRE forward and create opportunities for business development
• Recruit and develop a team to achieve business objectives with intent to grow the business
• Establish good working relationships and collaborative arrangements with parent local distribution companies, community and municipal government stakeholders in order to help achieve the goals of the corporation
• Monitor technology developments in renewable energy, energy storage, distributed generation, and adjacent technologies to determine business opportunities for GRE
• Effectively prospect, build client relationships, generate leads, and engage clients in meaningful dialogue about incremental opportunities
• Develop and implement marketing programs and budgets
• Develop and clearly articulate compelling business cases for new asset investments, products, and business/sales models
• Develop strategy for key project proposals to prospective clients
• Work with Board to secure financing partners for projects
• Manage complex contract negotiations and work with legal counsel as required
• Execute on construction and operation of approved projects
• Ensure the financial stability of the Corporation through the preparation of forecasts, including monthly and quarterly reports regarding clients, and business financial performance to ensure focus on profitability and effective management of deviations from plan
• Closely monitor intelligence about competition and communicate with the Board of Directors on internal/external issues that affect the Corporation
• Evaluate the success of current strategies and provide and implement recommendations for improvement 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 10 to 15 years of senior leadership or management level experience, in the Energy Sector
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Business Administration or a recognized equivalent
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic plans
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent understanding and familiarity with brand-building and brand management
• Highly effective project management, prioritization, multi-tasking and time management skills to meet deadlines
• Strong customer focus, including ability to understand needs and apply this knowledge to the user experience and communications
• Strong leadership skills, exceptional business acumen and the strategic agility required to plan, lead and drive change
• Strong analytical skills required to make concrete, well-informed and thought-out decisions that support the overall corporation
• Must have a breadth of working knowledge and demonstrated proficiency in marketing techniques and solutions 

KEY ATTRIBUTES & COMPETENCIES

Transformational and Strategic Leadership

Confidently builds and develops teams with internal and external resources, 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 stakeholders and partners with the strategy and vision.

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.

Industry Knowledge

Experience with and knowledge of emerging electrical energy and energy storage technologies and an in depth understanding of related Ontario government programs and market rules.

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.

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 “Grand River Energy CEO” in the subject line, in confidence to Larry Sartor at larry@sartorandassociates.com and Mark Fukuzawa at mark@sartorandassociates.com. 

It is Grand River Energy’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.