Director - Dragonfly VPP Business Development

Clustered Virtual Power Plants for AI Data Centers

sonnen is one of the pioneers of the virtual power plant (VPP). It links thousands of home and small business batteries together so they work as one, supporting the grid and cutting the need for new power lines, substations and power plants. The company started in Germany and now has a fast-growing US business, with its headquarters and factory in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Project Dragonfly brings this technology to AI data centers, by way of a highly unique local cluster VPP design, where sonnen energy storage systems are installed in thousands (min) of homes and businesses which co-habitat in the same grid load pocket as an AI data center. sonnen can dispatch the VPP as a single local pooled resource or “swarm response,” sculpting the ideal load shape, and balancing the grid. The Dragonfly VPP is designed to save the data center substantial time and money during the interconnection process, by preventing costly grid upgrades, like a new substation, and eliminating prolonged processes for interconnection approval due to certain peak load profiles. The Dragonfly VPP can also reduce or eliminate the data center’s requirement for building new onsite power generation facilities, whether that be natural gas or costly nuclear power. Furthermore, the load flexibility empowered by the VPP will further reduce ongoing demand charges, which the data center would incur from the local utility over the years. The data center can further monetize the VPP by dispatching the battery network into the overall energy market or in partnership with the utility - serving the greater energy grid, outside of its local load pocket. But perhaps the greatest Dragonfly VPP benefit of all, is that of positive public relations, providing the local community members with backup power resiliency and peace-of-mind in the face of potential outages, lower electric bills and cleaner energy, all to support the data center’s existence. The Dragonfly VPP also requires data centers to make a pledge supporting the development of AI security and common-sense regulation – alleviating the most critical public concern around the development of data centers. Finally, the Dragonfly local cluster VPP is engineered in a manner where it could serve as a “kill switch” for the AI data center, in the event of an AI security risk. The combined effect of these “community and public relations benefits,” is to unlock substantial public support for data center development, solving the number 1 challenge facing the industry’s expansion.

sonnen is looking for a data center business development leader to take Project Dragonfly to market. The ideal candidate already knows the people who decide where data centers are built and how they are powered, at hyperscalers, developers and owners, and can engage them early, while sites and power plans are still being worked out. This is a senior individual contributor role with a path into leadership.

Responsibilities

• Prospect, identify and engage decision makers within hyperscalers, developers and data center owners, in particular location strategy, site selection and/or energy teams
• Position Project Dragonfly at the earliest stage of new developments, and with existing data centers planning expansion
• Build strong, long-lasting relationships at executive level within each target account
• Educate customers on the value of a local clustered VPP; address technical and commercial questions with support from sonnen's VPP team
• Take opportunities from first conversation through binding agreement, contract and deployment
• Build a qualified pipeline across the most active US data center markets; maintain CRM data and accurately forecast
• Interface effectively with sonnen's VPP technology, operations and commercial teams
• Represent sonnen at industry events and feed market insight back into the go-to-market strategy

Ideal Profile

• Existing strong relationships with hyperscaler, data center developer, owner and operator executives
• Experience engaging at the front end of data center development: site selection, location strategy, power strategy or project architecture
• A successful track record of consultative, long-cycle sales to senior stakeholders
• A background in data center power, energy or infrastructure (e.g. powered land, on-site generation, power supply) is an advantage, but not a requirement; VPP experience is not required
• Experience interacting with AI data center public relations strategy - optional, but highly valued
• Experience selling new technologies or unfamiliar propositions into conservative buyers
• Credible with both commercial and power engineering stakeholders
• Strong prospecting, networking and presentation skills
• Purpose-driven and genuinely excited to bring clean energy and AI together
• Relentless attitude, curious, desire to win, self-starter

Hiring Details

• Job Location: Remote, anywhere in the US
• Reports to: Executive Vice President, Virtual Power Plant Business Unit
• Travel: Regular travel nationally
• Start Date: Immediate
• Hire Type: Full-Time Permanent Employee, Direct Hire
• Package: Base salary $200,000 plus milestone bonuses and commission; on-target earnings $300,000–$350,000+

Benefits Summary

• Paid Time Off (PTO) - Accrued up to 20 days per year.
• Comprehensive Health Benefits - medical, dental, vision.
• Disability Coverage - Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Life Insurance – Coverage to help protect you and your loved ones.
• Employee Discounts - Exclusive discounts on sonnen product.
• Paid Sick Time – Time to care for yourself when you need it.
• Paid Holidays - 12 company holidays plus 2 floating holidays.
• Tuition Assistance – Support for your continued education and professional growth.
• 401K Retirement Plan – Build toward your financial future with our 401k retirement savings plan.