Head of Partnerships - EV Distribution Channels

Role OVO-View

Team: OVO Drive  

Salary banding: £90,000 - £100,000

Experience: Experienced

Working pattern: Full-Time

Reporting to: Director of EV 

Sponsorship: Unfortunately we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

This role in 3 words: People, sales, partnerships   

Top 3 qualities for this role: Great people skills, high energy, driven

In the words of the team, you should leave your current role for this one because….

We get to work with cutting edge tech, big global partners, we have fun while we are doing it and its helping tackle climate change, what could be better than that.

Where you’ll work:

At OVO, we understand that a one size fits all approach doesn’t work for everyone. That’s why we created the OVO Way of Flexibility.

All our roles are hub based (Bristol, Glasgow or London), providing a dedicated space for collaboration, connection and teamwork. You’ll also have the flexibility to work from home.

Everyone belongs at OVO

At OVO, we are on a mission to solve one of humanity's biggest challenges, the climate crisis. And we know it takes all of us to change the world. That's why we need diverse people from all abilities, gender identities, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientations, life experiences and backgrounds to join us.

Teamworking for the planet

Everything we do here spins around Plan Zero. So, naturally, the team you’ll be joining plays a gigantic role in making that happen. Here’s how:

We’ve made good progress on the UK’s path to net zero. But we can do better. Research shows that 100% renewable energy tariffs aren't actually making the grid greener. We have to go further. We need to save energy, use power at smarter times of the day and look at other ways to help our customers reduce their carbon footprint.

That’s where OVO Drive comes in, it's our dedicated electric vehicle business. We already provide hardware installations, home & public charging, but we want so much more, we want to build a single app experience that covers everything an EV driver could need this role will play a huge part in that.

We work like a start up- using our entrepreneurial, OVO Way spirit to drive us forward. And we’ll be flexible about how we do it - trying new things, growing the ones that work and learning new, green skills as we go. 

This role in a nutshell:

Part of the OVO Drive leadership team, this role will head up a newly formed partnership team with a laser focus on three core areas:

• Managing and delivering scale through our existing partnerships (Volvo, Volkswagen group, Select car leasing, Love electric).
• Winning new partnerships from EV distributors that help scale our EV propositions (think OEM’s, leasing co’s, sal sac providers, used car platforms etc)
• Winning new partnerships across the EV value chain that will support the growth of our existing propositions and drive new revenue streams in to OVO (think insurance, maintenance, breakdown cover etc)

You’ll set the strategy for the Partnerships team to ensure maximum value is extracted from existing partnerships and help scale our EV business by identifying new partnerships. With 5m EV drivers forecast to be on the road by 2028 OVO are aiming to over-index against our market share and a strong partnership portfolio will be critical to deliver against that ambition. 

You’ll lead a small team of regional trainers and a partnership manager. Nurturing and retaining existing partnerships is a major focus of the role, our regional trainers are dedicated to face to face OEM dealership training to help make our existing OEM partnerships a huge success. The partnership manager will be the in life manager of those relationships, CRM, key account manager type role. 

You will work closely with the other Drive leadership members ensuring the partnership strategy feeds into the overall EV strategy.

Your key outcomes will be:

• Set the EV partnership strategy for distribution channels to win new partnerships with distributors that drive scale into our existing EV propositions, including scanning the market, identifying potential partners, creating value cases, acquiring C suite sign off, building targeting strategies and responding to large tenders. 
• Set and manage key KPI targets to ensure OVO Drive remains on track versus our business plan. 
• Responsible for the multi £m partnership budget and cost centre.  
• Manage relationships with key business stakeholders and senior management; ensuring development of an end-end partnership roadmap that will be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis - monthly, quarterly, annually.
• Manage key external relationships at C suite level.
• Responsible for the contract negotiations of new partners, in conjunction with OVO legal counsel. 
• Responsible for the commercial structuring of all new partnership activity within the distribution channels.

• Lead and manage tendering activity required to win scale partnerships, including full tender / RFP process, with support from other functions across OVO. 
• Build and lead a high performing partnership and training team focussed on winning scale partnerships and retention of existing OEM partnerships.
• Own team recruitment, training and development. 
• Be the OVO Drive figurehead for EV distribution channel partnerships and represent OVO at external industry events to help build our profile and reputation as a leader in this space. 

• Work closely with Commercial delivery to onboard new partners.
• Own the in life management of all EV distribution channel partnerships, existing and new. 
• Work extremely closely with Kaluza on OEM partnerships - direct integrations and consumer propositions that create value for OVO. 
• Evaluate and own risks, challenges and opportunities, making recommendations on future strategy.
• Engage with the policy and public affairs team, staying abreast of relevant policy consultations and decisions that help us adapt to the environment in which we operate

You’ll be a successful Head of Partnerships - EV distribution channels at OVO if you…

• Can operate in a startup, fast paced and tech based environment.
• Have experience of working with large, complex OEMs. Dealership experience or having worked with a dealer/retail network would be a distinct advantage. 
• Have previously built a successful partnerships retention team.
• Have demonstrated experience of winning high value contracts with complex commercial structuring. 
• Have experience of responding to and winning large tenders.
• Have managed field based teams, as your regional managers will be based around the country. 
• A good solid understanding of the energy sector would be great, but you’ve got to love electric vehicles and be a huge advocate of getting people out of fossil fuel cars and into EVs.
• Have previously worked within a high growth environment.
• Experience developing commercial partnerships, including building models for potential partnerships, negotiating contracts, and developing relationships over time (at all levels).

Let’s talk about what’s in it for you

We’ll pay you between £90,000 and £100,000, depending on your specific skills and experience. If your expectations are a little different, have a chat with us!

We keep our pay ranges broad on purpose to give us, and you, flexibility to match your experience to our zero carbon mission.

You’ll be eligible for an on-target bonus of 15%. We have one OVO bonus plan that focuses on the collective performance of our people to deliver our Plan Zero goal. 

We also offer plenty of green benefits and progressive policies to help you feel like you belong at OVO…and there’s flex pay.  It’s an extra 9% of your salary on top of your core pay to use as you like. You can take it as cash, add to your pension, or choose to spend it on a huge range of flex benefits.

Here’s a taster of what’s on offer: 

For starters, you’ll get 34 days of holiday (including bank holidays).

For your health
With benefits like a healthcare cash plan or private medical insurance depending on your career level, critical illness cover, life assurance, health assessments, and more

For your wellbeing
With gym membership, gadget, travel and cyber insurance, workplace ISA, will writing services, DNA testing, dental insurance, and more

For your lifestyle
With extra holiday buying, discount dining, culture cards, tech loans, and supporting your favourite charities with give-as-you-earn donations

For your home 
Get up to £300 off any OVO Energy plan (when you pay by Direct Debit), plus personal carbon offsetting and great discounts on smart thermostats and EV chargers

For your commute
Nab a great deal on ultra-low emission car leasing, plus our cycle to work scheme and public transport season ticket loans

Want to hear about our full range of flexible benefits and progressive people policies? Our People Team can tell you everything you need to know.

For your Belonging

To find better ways to support our people, we need to listen to each other’s experiences and find ways to build a truly inclusive and diverse workplace. As part of this, we have 8 Belonging Networks at OVO. Led by our people, for our people - so when you join OVO, you can play a part - big or small - with any of the Networks. It's up to you.

Oh, and one last thing...

We’d be thrilled if you tick off all our boxes yet we also believe it’s just as important we tick off all of yours. And if you think you have most of what we’re looking for but not every single thing, go ahead and hit apply. We’d still love to hear from you! If you have any additional requirements, there’s a space to let us know on the application form; we want to make the process as easy and comfortable for you as possible..