Commercial & Business Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Commercial & Business Design Manager

Company: E.ON Next

Location: United Kingdom (Home-Based, with hybrid expectations in Nottingham, Solihull, or London)

Job Type: Full-Time (12-month Fixed-Term Contract)

Category: Revenue Operations / GTM Strategy / Business Design

Date Posted: June 03, 2026

Experience Level: Mid to Senior Level (Implied 5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the design, validation, and launch of new commercial ventures within E.ON's Growth Studio, focusing on accelerating the clean energy transition.

• Develop sophisticated financial models and commercial structures to support the scalability and financial viability of new ventures.

• Collaborate closely with Entrepreneurs in Residence to translate innovative ideas into validated business models and actionable strategies.

• Drive the creation of unique deal structures and financing mechanisms to facilitate venture growth and market entry.

• Bridge the gap between technical energy system capabilities and commercially viable business cases, ensuring integrated operational and financial planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role, while titled "Commercial & Business Design Manager," has significant overlap with Revenue Operations and Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy, particularly in its focus on developing scalable business models, financial projections, and commercial validation for new ventures. The emphasis on translating technical constraints into commercial viability and defining market opportunities aligns strongly with operations roles that support strategic growth.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop dynamic, advanced financial models to forecast revenue stacking scenarios, operational costs, and overall commercial viability for new ventures.

• Design and validate innovative, place-based energy propositions that address stakeholder needs and challenge conventional energy market approaches.

• Support venture leads in validating commercial hypotheses, defining Total Addressable Market (TAM), Serviceable Available Market (SAM), and Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM).

• Establish and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) to demonstrate venture scalability and strategic alignment.

• Engineer novel financing mechanisms and commercial structures, including Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), and other innovative funding models.

• Translate complex technical energy system functionalities (e.g., battery optimization, grid capacity constraints) into clear, compelling commercial business cases and operating models.

• Articulate complex financial and energy market concepts persuasively to diverse audiences, including investment boards, infrastructure funds, and B2B clients.

• Proactively identify and resolve regulatory, operational, and commercial challenges through creative problem-solving and adaptability in an ambiguous environment.

• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to inform venture strategy and identify unique selling propositions.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product, engineering, and legal, to ensure seamless venture development and launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities list has been expanded to reflect the detailed nature of business design and commercial strategy within a venture studio context. Emphasis has been placed on the financial modeling, market analysis, and deal structuring aspects, which are critical for operations professionals aiming to drive commercial success for new ventures.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Engineering, or a related field.

• A Master's degree or MBA is advantageous, particularly with a focus on strategy, finance, or innovation. Experience:

• 5-10 years of progressive experience in commercial strategy, business development, financial analysis, or venture design, preferably within the energy sector or a related regulated industry.

• Demonstrated experience in building and managing complex financial models from inception.

• Proven track record in developing and validating business cases and commercial propositions for early-stage ventures or new market entries.

• Experience operating in agile, test-and-learn environments with a focus on iterative commercial validation. Required Skills:

• Financial Modelling & Analysis: Expert proficiency in developing dynamic financial models, including revenue stacking, cost forecasting, and scenario planning.

• Energy Market Expertise: Deep understanding of energy markets, pricing mechanisms, trading, and commercial structures, including wholesale and retail energy.

• Commercial Strategy Development: Ability to design and validate robust commercial strategies, market entry plans, and business models.

• Venture Development: Experience in shaping, validating, and launching new business ventures or products.

• Stakeholder Management & Communication: Exceptional ability to influence and communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to diverse internal and external audiences, including senior leadership and investment partners.

• Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): Hands-on experience and knowledge of PPAs, wholesale energy markets, retail tariffs, and grid services.

• Systems Thinking: A strong ability to connect operational, technical, regulatory, and commercial considerations to develop integrated solutions.

• Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Proven ability to navigate ambiguity, solve complex challenges, and adapt to rapidly changing environments.

Preferred Skills:

• Innovative Financing: Familiarity with innovative financing structures such as Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), Community Benefit Schemes (CBS), green bonds, or off-balance-sheet financing.

• Flexibility & Grid Services: Experience with flexibility modeling, battery dispatch, capacity markets, or Time-of-Use (TOU) arbitrage.

• Decentralised Energy Systems: Exposure to or understanding of decentralised energy systems, microgrids, local energy sharing, or multi-asset energy integration.

• Venture Studio/Startup Experience: Previous experience working directly within a start-up, venture studio, innovation lab, or as part of a founding team.

• Public Sector/Regulated Environments: Experience working within public sector, local authority, or regulated commercial environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications section has been structured to highlight both essential and desirable skills, with a strong emphasis on financial modeling, energy market knowledge, and venture development capabilities. The "Required Skills" are framed to align with core operations and GTM competencies, while "Preferred Skills" indicate areas of specialization that would provide a competitive edge.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Financial Modeling Demonstrations: Showcase examples of robust, dynamic financial models developed for new ventures, including detailed assumptions, sensitivity analyses, and ROI projections. Highlight the complexity and scalability of these models.

• Business Case & Proposition Development: Present well-structured business cases that clearly articulate market opportunities, value propositions, go-to-market strategies, and commercial frameworks for previously developed ventures or initiatives.

• Deal Structure Innovations: Include examples or detailed descriptions of novel financing mechanisms, commercial agreements, or partnership structures designed to facilitate venture growth.

• Market Analysis & Validation: Provide evidence of thorough market research, TAM/SAM/SOM analysis, and hypothesis validation processes employed to de-risk new ventures.

• Process Optimization Case Studies: Highlight instances where you've translated technical or operational constraints into commercially viable solutions, demonstrating a systems-thinking approach.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate your ability to map out and optimize end-to-end business processes for new ventures, from ideation and validation to launch and scaling.

• Commercial Validation Frameworks: Detail your methodologies for iteratively testing and validating commercial hypotheses, customer assumptions, and value propositions in an agile environment.

• Performance Measurement & Reporting: Showcase your experience in defining and tracking key operational and commercial metrics (e.g., OKRs, KPIs) to measure venture progress and inform strategic adjustments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are tailored to demonstrate practical application of financial modeling, strategic planning, and commercial validation skills essential for this role. Emphasizing case studies of process optimization and the ability to document these workflows is crucial for showcasing operational expertise.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience, likely falling within the range of £60,000 - £90,000 per annum for a mid to senior-level role in the UK energy sector, considering the fixed-term contract nature and specialized requirements. Benefits:

• Annual Leave: 26 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.

• Pension Scheme: Generous company pension contribution.

• Life Cover: Standard life assurance benefit.

• Bonus Opportunities: Potential for performance-based bonuses.

• Flexible Benefits: Access to 20 flexible benefits with tax and National Insurance (NI) savings options.

• Parental Leave: Excellent parental leave allowance.

• Hybrid Working: Flexible hybrid working arrangements.

• Award-Winning Workplace: Recognition as a Sunday Times Best Place to Work and Best Place to Work for 16-34-year-olds.

• Health & Wellbeing: Support for fertility and menopause, and Disability Confident Employer status.

• Growth & Development: Investment in employee growth through talent networks and development programs.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, estimated at 40 hours per week. The role requires flexibility, with potential for periods of intensive office presence based on business needs, balanced by hybrid working arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary range estimation is based on typical compensation for similar roles in the UK energy sector, considering the required experience and the fixed-term contract. The benefits are directly extracted from the provided text and highlight E.ON Next's commitment to employee well-being and flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Energy, Utilities, Clean Technology, Venture Building. E.ON Next operates within a rapidly evolving energy landscape, driven by the global transition to cleaner energy sources and decarbonization efforts. The company is focused on delivering innovative solutions for consumers and businesses to support this transition.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Implied by E.ON Next being part of E.ON Group, a major European energy company). This suggests access to significant resources, established processes, and a broad market reach, while the Growth Studio likely operates with a more agile, start-up-like ethos.

Founded: E.ON was founded in 2000. E.ON Next was launched in 2020 as part of E.ON's strategy to simplify its UK operations and focus on customer service and innovation.

Team Structure:

• E.ON Growth Studio: This team is likely structured to foster innovation and venture creation. It will include roles like Entrepreneurs in Residence (EiRs), Venture Builders, Commercial Analysts, Business Designers, and support functions. The structure is designed for rapid iteration and cross-functional collaboration.

• Reporting: The Commercial & Business Design Manager will likely report to a Head of Venture Design, Head of Growth Studio, or a similar senior leadership role within the innovation arm of E.ON Next.

• Collaboration: This role requires extensive collaboration with internal E.ON teams (e.g., legal, finance, product, operations, market strategy) and external partners, including potential investors, technology providers, and pilot customers.

Methodology:

• Agile Venture Development: The Growth Studio likely employs agile methodologies to rapidly design, prototype, test, and iterate on new business concepts. This involves a "test and learn" approach to validate assumptions quickly and pivot strategy as needed.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using data analytics to validate commercial hypotheses, model financial outcomes, and measure the success of new ventures against defined OKRs.

• Systems Integration: A core methodology involves understanding and integrating complex systems – technical, regulatory, commercial, and operational – to build holistic and viable business models.

Company Website: https://www.eonnext.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights E.ON Next's position in the energy transition and the likely structure and methodology of its Growth Studio. This information is vital for candidates to understand the operational environment and the collaborative nature of the role within a large corporate innovation hub.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role sits at a crucial intersection of commercial strategy, financial analysis, and business design, aligning with a mid-to-senior level in operations or GTM strategy. It offers a unique opportunity to shape the future commercial landscape of a major energy provider by building new ventures from the ground up.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into a senior leader within the E.ON Growth Studio, providing direct exposure to innovation strategy and venture capital-like decision-making processes. This structure facilitates direct mentorship and visibility.

Operations Impact: The Commercial & Business Design Manager directly impacts revenue generation and strategic growth by conceptualizing, validating, and building the commercial foundations of new ventures. Success in this role contributes to E.ON Next's broader mission of driving the clean energy transition.

Growth Opportunities:

• Venture Leadership: Potential to transition into a leadership role within a successfully launched venture, taking ownership of its P&L and strategic direction.

• Specialization in Energy Innovation: Deepen expertise in specific areas of the clean energy transition, such as distributed energy resources, smart grids, or novel energy services.

• Strategic Finance & Investment: Develop advanced skills in venture finance, deal structuring, and investor relations, opening doors to roles in corporate venture capital or private equity focused on the energy sector.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain broad experience across various business functions by working with diverse teams within E.ON Next and its partners.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Benefit from an environment that fosters an entrepreneurial mindset, providing valuable experience for future ventures or leadership roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on how the role contributes to career progression within operations, GTM, and broader business strategy, emphasizing the unique experience gained in a venture studio environment.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model, with a requirement for office presence in Nottingham, Solihull, or London (Farringdon). The hybrid expectation is flexible, with potential for concentrated office weeks followed by periods of remote work. This model aims to balance focused, collaborative work with individual productivity.

Office Location(s):

• Nottingham: A significant operational hub for E.ON Next.

• Solihull: Another key location, likely housing various business functions.

• London (Farringdon): A strategic location for access to talent, potential partners, and investment networks.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The Growth Studio environment is designed to foster collaboration, idea sharing, and rapid iteration among venture teams.

• Tools & Technology: Access to modern digital tools and platforms necessary for financial modeling, data analysis, project management, and communication within a hybrid setup.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for frequent interaction with Entrepreneurs in Residence, venture leads, and other cross-functional team members, both in person and virtually.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected, with flexibility for hybrid working. The nature of venture building may require adaptability and occasional extended hours during critical project phases, balanced by the flexibility of remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description emphasizes the hybrid nature and the specific UK locations, providing practical information for candidates regarding work arrangements and office presence expectations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review, including a mandatory cover letter, assessing alignment with required skills and experience.

• Technical Assessment/Case Study: Likely to involve a detailed financial modeling exercise, a business case development task, or a scenario-based problem related to energy markets and venture strategy. This will test practical application of core skills.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with key team members, including potential direct reports, peers, and senior leadership within the Growth Studio. Focus will be on assessing collaboration style, problem-solving approach, and strategic thinking.

• Presentation: Candidates may be asked to present their portfolio or a solution to a case study to a panel, demonstrating their ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively.

• Final Interview: A concluding interview with a senior executive to assess cultural fit, long-term potential, and overall alignment with E.ON Next's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Quantify Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your solution, the process followed, and measurable outcomes (e.g., revenue generated, cost savings, market share gained, investor funding secured). Use metrics like ROI, IRR, NPV where applicable.

• Showcase Financial Acumen: Highlight your most complex and dynamic financial models. Be prepared to walk through assumptions, sensitivities, and how you translated business logic into financial outputs.

• Demonstrate Commercial Validation: Detail your approach to validating hypotheses. Include examples of customer interviews, pilot programs, market research, and how these informed your commercial strategy.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by venture or by skill (e.g., Financial Modeling, Business Design, Deal Structuring). Use concise descriptions and high-impact visuals.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects and experiences most relevant to designing and validating new ventures in the clean energy sector.

Challenge Preparation:

• Financial Modeling Practice: Refresh your skills in Excel or other modeling software. Be ready to build a model from scratch or critique an existing one under time pressure.

• Energy Market Knowledge: Review current trends, regulatory frameworks, and commercial mechanisms in the UK energy market, particularly concerning renewables, storage, and grid services.

• Venture Strategy Frameworks: Familiarize yourself with common venture building methodologies, business model canvas, Lean Startup principles, and OKR setting.

• Communication & Presentation: Practice articulating complex financial and commercial strategies concisely. Prepare a compelling narrative around your portfolio highlights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application and interview process section is designed to provide concrete preparation strategies, focusing on the practical skills and portfolio demonstration expected for a role of this nature.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Microsoft Excel: Advanced proficiency is essential for complex financial modeling, scenario analysis, and data manipulation.

• Presentation Software (e.g., PowerPoint): For creating compelling presentations to stakeholders, investment boards, and B2B clients.

• Financial Modeling Software/Platforms: While Excel is primary, familiarity with specialized financial modeling or valuation tools may be beneficial.

• Project Management Tools (e.g., Asana, Jira, Trello): For managing venture development workflows, tracking tasks, and collaborating with teams in an agile environment.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence Tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI): For visualizing financial data, market trends, and venture performance metrics.

• Data Analysis Tools: Proficiency in analyzing datasets to extract insights for market validation and business case development.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce): While not the primary focus, understanding CRM principles for customer segmentation and sales funnel development is advantageous.

• Collaboration Platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack): For seamless communication and collaboration within hybrid and cross-functional teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section highlights the core technical tools expected for financial modeling, data analysis, and collaboration, which are fundamental to operations and GTM strategy roles.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Entrepreneurship: A strong drive to create and build new solutions, embracing experimentation and learning from failure.

• Customer Centricity: A commitment to understanding and meeting customer needs, ensuring that new ventures deliver genuine value.

• Sustainability & Impact: Dedication to advancing the clean energy transition and creating a positive environmental impact.

• Collaboration & Inclusivity: Working effectively across diverse teams and fostering an environment where all voices are heard and valued.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Relying on rigorous analysis and evidence to inform strategic choices and measure success.

• Commercial Acumen: A sharp focus on financial viability, market potential, and sustainable business growth.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where close working relationships are built with Entrepreneurs in Residence, product developers, technical experts, and external partners.

• Agile & Iterative: A culture that embraces rapid prototyping, continuous feedback loops, and iterative development to refine business models and propositions.

• Open Communication: Encouragement of open dialogue, constructive challenge, and knowledge sharing to collectively solve complex problems and drive innovation forward.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture and values are inferred from E.ON Next's stated mission and the nature of a venture studio, focusing on innovation, impact, and collaborative problem-solving relevant to operations professionals.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: The inherent uncertainty of building new ventures requires comfort with incomplete information and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.

• Market Validation: Successfully validating novel propositions in a dynamic and potentially regulated energy market can be challenging.

• Balancing Innovation with Corporate Structure: Integrating new venture concepts within a large corporate like E.ON Next presents unique challenges related to stakeholder alignment, resource allocation, and internal processes.

• Technical-Commercial Translation: Effectively translating complex technical energy system capabilities into compelling and financially viable business cases requires a unique skill set.

• Fixed-Term Contract: Adapting to a 12-month contract duration while aiming to make a significant, lasting impact on venture development.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Venture Strategy Mastery: Gain deep experience in all facets of venture creation, from ideation and validation to financial modeling and commercial launch.

• Energy Sector Innovation: Become an expert in cutting-edge areas of the clean energy transition and their commercial application.

• Financial Structuring Expertise: Develop advanced skills in project finance, deal structuring, and investment mechanisms relevant to new energy ventures.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Hone leadership and collaboration skills by working with diverse teams and stakeholders across a large organization.

• Entrepreneurial Toolkit: Acquire a robust set of skills and experiences applicable to future entrepreneurial endeavors or leadership roles in innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section outlines potential challenges and growth opportunities, framing them as developmental experiences for operations professionals looking to expand their expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building a financial model for a novel distributed energy resource (DER) venture, considering variable inputs like grid pricing and customer adoption rates?" (Focus on your modeling methodology, assumptions, and sensitivity analysis.)

• "Describe a time you had to validate a complex commercial hypothesis with limited data. What was your process, and what were the key learnings?" (Highlight your validation techniques, adaptability, and data-driven approach.)

• "How would you design a commercial structure for a community energy-sharing initiative, balancing stakeholder benefits, regulatory compliance, and financial sustainability?" (Focus on your understanding of deal structuring, value proposition design, and risk management.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about E.ON Next's mission to accelerate the clean energy transition, and how does your experience align with this?" (Research E.ON Next's recent initiatives and articulate your passion and relevant skills.)

• "How do you approach working in an agile, test-and-learn environment, especially when dealing with significant ambiguity?" (Provide examples of your adaptability, problem-solving skills, and comfort with uncertainty.)

• "How do you ensure that commercial strategies are aligned with technical capabilities and regulatory requirements in the energy sector?" (Demonstrate your systems-thinking approach and ability to integrate cross-functional considerations.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your portfolio presentation around a compelling story for each key project: the problem, your strategic approach, the execution (including financial modeling and commercial design), and the measurable impact.

• Quantify Everything: Be ready to discuss the specific metrics and financial outcomes of your work. Use charts and graphs to visualize data effectively.

• Deep Dive on Modeling: Prepare to thoroughly explain the assumptions, logic, and outputs of your most complex financial models. Be ready for detailed questions on your methodology.

• Showcase Problem-Solving: Highlight instances where you overcame significant commercial or operational challenges. Explain your thought process and the solutions you implemented.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Respect the interviewers' time. Deliver your presentation with clarity and focus, ensuring key takeaways are easily understood.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation tips are designed to equip candidates with specific question types and presentation strategies relevant to the role's core competencies in finance, strategy, and operations.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link, ensuring you include a comprehensive cover letter as required.

• Portfolio Curation: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best demonstrate your financial modeling, commercial strategy development, and venture design capabilities. Quantify achievements with specific metrics and financial data.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords and responsibilities mentioned in the job description, such as "financial modelling," "commercial strategy," "venture development," "energy markets," and "PPA." Focus on achievements rather than just duties.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your experience using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), especially for behavioral questions. Prepare to present your portfolio and discuss case study solutions confidently.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research E.ON Next, its Growth Studio initiatives, and current trends in the UK clean energy market. Understand their mission, values, and recent activities to demonstrate genuine interest and alignment.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.