Position: Commercial Manager / Senior Commercial Manager - Horizon New Energy

Horizon New Energy (“Horizon”) is a Canadian renewable energy company developing wind, solar and energy storage projects to deliver clean, cost-effective power across Canada. Horizon is a Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) platform company. CIP is a well-capitalized global private equity fund management company with ambitious growth targets and approximately EUR 30 billion in assets under management focused on investments in renewable energy. 

We are looking for a Commercial Manager / Senior Commercial Manager to help grow our renewable energy portfolio across Canada. Reporting to Horizon’s Managing Director, you will lead commercial and business development strategy, analysis and execution, evaluating and negotiating investment opportunities from early stage development through construction and operations. Working with the Managing Director and CIP’s investment team in New York, you will develop business cases and financial analysis to support RFP submissions and acquisitions, helping deliver profitable projects that meet key financial metrics. 

You will join a small, collaborative team in a fast-paced renewable energy company with a start-up culture. Our entrepreneurial culture values ownership, accountability, problem-solving, teamwork and continuous improvement. If you take initiative and manage work independently with exceptional attention to detail, this could be the right role for you. 

The preferred candidate has 5–10 years of experience leading commercial activities for contracted and merchant renewable energy projects across Canada for an independent power producer (IPP), or experience within an investment bank, pension fund manager or private equity firm developing renewable energy business cases, managing platform companies and/or leading acquisitions. 

Key responsibilities will include: 

Project Acquisitions, Greenfield Development & Indigenous Equity Partnerships 

  • Evaluate renewable energy project acquisition opportunities and manage internal resources to conduct due diligence and financial analysis for multiple projects in parallel. 

  • Lead or support negotiations with external parties for project acquisitions at various stages of development. 

  • Support the strategy for greenfield development of utility-scale wind, solar, and storage assets across multiple provincial markets by providing commercial guidance to the project development team. 

  • Lead or contribute to the negotiation of Indigenous equity partnerships with Indigenous communities on wind, solar and BESS projects. 

RFP / PPA Bid Strategy and Preparation 

  • Develop strategies and supporting analysis for procurements in target Canadian electricity markets, including tracking provincial solicitations, analyzing RFP and PPA technical and financial requirements, tracking awarded contracts and competition for past and future solicitations, collecting and analyzing strategic data to support competitive analyses, and preparing summary presentations for senior management. 

  • Working closely with Horizon’s project development team and CIP’s investment team, manage the commercial and financial preparation and evaluation of bids for provincial utility-led Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and other bids, auctions and procurement solicitations. Work closely with Horizon and/or CIP Associates to build project pro forma models that incorporate all commercial aspects of RFPs and PPAs. 

  • Lead bid strategy assessments, including analyzing provincial requirements, needs, commitments and competition through qualitative and quantitative analyses, defining bid strategies and providing recommendations. 

  • Evaluate new opportunities for future provincial procurements and assess RFP and contract risks, including between active bid periods. 

  • Prepare responses to PPA RFPs and negotiate new PPAs with commercial and industrial customers for upcoming projects. Provide guidance on structuring long- and short-term PPAs, manage basis risk and deploy hedging strategies. 

  • Working with Horizon’s legal team and CIP’s accounting team, establish project-specific entities that meet RFP requirements, CIP’s internal fund requirements and joint venture requirements with Indigenous communities. 

Bid Governance 

  • Prepare and manage reporting materials, legal reviews, peer-review materials and senior management updates. 

  • Prepare for and address post-bid requests, including responding to clarification requests and questions, preparing additional materials, and supporting additional management and shareholder approvals. 

  • Working with CIP’s finance team, prepare RFP bid security deposits, performance security deposits, Letters of Credit and RFP submission fees. 

  • Prepare post-award requirements, including documenting bid commitments, award requirements and other applicable requirements to support the transition to the project team. 

Monthly SteerCo and Annual Board Analysis and Reporting 

  • Working closely with Horizon’s Managing Director and team, prepare monthly Horizon SteerCo presentations, annual and semi-annual Horizon Board presentations, and project-specific acquisition analyses for Horizon’s shareholder, CIP. This includes preparing business cases, acquisition recommendations and project financial analyses and recommendations. 

Electricity Market Outlook 

  • Conduct market research and gather competitive intelligence, including coordinating with the project development team to produce competitive analyses and other reporting materials. 

  • Continuously monitor and analyze Canadian renewable energy market trends, development conditions and emerging opportunities. Provide updates to senior management on the structure and evolution of key Canadian provincial electricity markets, particularly in B.C., Alberta and Ontario, as well as provincial renewable energy procurements and policy drivers. 

  • Monitor, manage and report on key policy and regulatory developments that impact project economics through industry associations like the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. 

  • Develop deep industry knowledge and contacts with a focus on understanding the competitive landscape in order to effectively develop Horizon’s commercial strategy and execution plan. 

Qualifications

  • An undergraduate degree in business, finance, economics, engineering or a related field. An MBA or CFA is considered an asset. 

  • 5-10+ years of power origination/marketing experience, renewable energy business development and/or energy evaluation experience with a utility-scale renewable energy independent power producer, investment bank, pension fund manager or private equity firm. 

  • Experience with renewable energy project RFP submissions is considered an asset. 

  • Experience originating and negotiating renewable energy PPAs within the past 5 years. 

  • A proven track record of originating and executing wind, solar and energy storage investment opportunities. Excellent negotiation and deal-structuring skills. 

  • Knowledge of wholesale electricity markets and corporate/commercial bilateral power contracts, and an understanding of common PPA structures and hedging strategies. An understanding of Alberta and/or Ontario electricity markets is required. 

  • Demonstrated ability to conduct due diligence and financial analysis of wind, solar and BESS projects. 

  • A strong background or previous experience in financial analysis, including project pro forma development and analysis. Demonstrated skills in financial modelling, including financial sensitivity and scenario worksheets. Experience managing financial analysts to develop project specific proformas that meet external and internal requirements and run sensitivity analyses considered an asset. 

  • Excellent business case preparation experience, including the development of complex, detailed PowerPoint presentations. Experience preparing and presenting investment business cases to investment banks and private equity firms is considered a strong asset. 

  • Strong network of industry relationships in the Canadian renewable energy space. 

Personal Attributes 

  • Ability to take initiative and manage work independently, with strong business development acumen and exceptional attention to detail. 

  • Interpersonal and relationship skills, and the ability to work effectively and collaboratively within a fast-paced, team-oriented environment. 

  • Ability to summarize complex issues and identify opportunities, risks, and next steps is critical. 

  • Ability to manage simultaneous projects and workstreams with different deadlines, set priorities and exercise independent judgment. Excellent organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple concurrent efforts, track the progress and needs of each, and provide high-quality deliverables accurately and on time. 

  • Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as SharePoint, Teams and other relevant office management tools. 

Willingness to travel occasionally (5–10%). You must be legally eligible to work in Canada. Fluency in English is required. 

The Commercial Manager will report to the Managing Director of Horizon New Energy. The title, Manager or Senior Manager, will reflect the successful candidate’s level of experience. The position is based in Calgary. 

If you don’t meet 100% of the above qualifications but see yourself contributing, please submit your resume. 

Please send your resume and cover letter outlining why you think you are a good fit to: info@horizonnewenergy.ca