VRB - Director of Sales & Marketing in Mesa, Arizona at Ivanhoe Electric

The Company

VRB Energy is a global leader in vanadium redox battery (VRB®) technology, driven to empower a clean energy future for the world. VRB Energy is a privately owned U.S. company, majority-owned by Ivanhoe Electric (NYSE: IE). VRB Energy's VRB-ESS® advanced long-duration vanadium redox flow battery storage technology has been developed over the past 15 years, including UL1973 certification for its Gen3 60kWdc cell stack, the largest commercially available. These batteries deliver the lowest levelized cost of integration for renewable energy for commercial and industrial customers, renewable energy developers, and utilities.

The Role

The Director of Sales & Marketing will be the commercial engine of VRB USA, owning both the sales pipeline and the marketing strategy that feeds it. This is a player-coach role built for a startup: you will personally develop customer relationships, pursue and close deals, and simultaneously build the brand, content, and lead generation programs that create a scalable commercial function. You will work directly with the President to define a go-to-market strategy for the North American long-duration energy storage market, targeting utilities, renewable energy developers, C&I customers, and EPCs. As VRB USA's first dedicated commercial hire, you will shape everything from pricing strategy and proposal development to trade show presence and digital marketing.

Sales & Business Development

• Build and manage the sales pipeline from lead identification through contract execution for VRB USA's vanadium flow battery systems.
• Develop and maintain relationships with target customers, including utilities, independent power producers, renewable energy developers, C&I customers, and EPC contractors.
• Lead the full sales cycle: prospecting, qualification, technical presentations, site assessments, proposal development, negotiation, and closing.
• Collaborate with the engineering team to scope and price customer solutions, develop technical proposals, and support RFP/RFQ responses.
• Track and report pipeline activity, revenue forecasts, and win/loss analysis to the leadership team
• Develop pricing strategy and standard commercial terms in coordination with the President and CFO.
• Build a network of channel partners, consultants, and industry influencers who can drive referral opportunities.

Marketing Strategy & Brand

• Define and execute VRB USA's brand positioning and messaging strategy for the North American market, aligned with the VRB Energy global brand guidelines.
• Develop compelling value propositions and narratives for different audiences: utilities, developers, C&I customers, investors, and policymakers.
• Own VRB USA's digital presence, including website, SEO, email marketing, LinkedIn, and other relevant channels
• Create and manage a content calendar spanning case studies, white papers, technical briefs, blog posts, press releases, and social media.
• Monitor competitors' positioning and market trends to refine messaging and identify opportunities for differentiation.

Sales Enablement & Collateral

• Produce sales collateral, including product brochures, data sheets, presentations, and proposal templates, in collaboration with the engineering team.
• Develop customer-facing materials that clearly communicate the technical capabilities, economic benefits, and sustainability advantages of vanadium flow battery systems.
• Build and maintain a library of case studies, reference projects, and testimonials as demonstration projects are completed.

Events, PR & Industry Engagement

• Plan and manage VRB USA's presence at key industry conferences and trade shows (RE+, ESA Conference, Intersolar, CLEANPOWER, and similar)
• Represent VRB USA at industry events, conferences, and customer meetings as the public face of the company's commercial efforts.
• Coordinate speaking opportunities, panel submissions, and award nominations to raise VRB USA's profile.
• Manage media relations, draft press releases, and support executive thought-leadership content.

About you

You are a commercial leader who can sell and market with equal conviction. You have a track record of building customer relationships and closing complex, technical sales in the energy sector. You also know how to build the brand, content, and campaigns that drive top-of-funnel activity. You thrive in startup environments where the commercial playbook hasn't been written yet—and you're energized by the opportunity to write it. Candidates will have the following skills and experience:

• 8+ years of combined sales and marketing experience, with a demonstrated track record of closing complex B2B deals in energy, energy storage, power systems, or related industrial technology
• Direct experience selling engineered or capital equipment products to utilities, developers, EPCs, or large commercial customers
• Strong understanding of the long-duration energy storage market, renewable energy integration, or grid-scale power systems
• Proven ability to develop and execute marketing strategies, including brand positioning, content marketing, digital campaigns, and event management
• Excellent writing and presentation skills with the ability to translate complex battery technology into clear customer value propositions
• Experience managing the full sales cycle from prospecting through contract negotiation and closing
• Proficiency with CRM platforms (HubSpot or Salesforce) and digital marketing tools
• Comfort with marketing analytics, pipeline reporting, and data-driven decision-making
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or a related field; MBA is a plus
• Experience in the energy storage industry, flow batteries, or long-duration storage technologies is strongly preferred.
• Existing relationships with utilities, developers, or EPCs in the U.S. energy storage market are highly valued.
• Willingness to travel 25–40% for customer meetings, site visits, and industry events

Next Steps & Benefits

If the above sounds like you and you are eager to get involved with an industry leader and play a key role in establishing U.S. manufacturing, please apply. The successful applicant will receive a salary commensurate with their experience, fully paid health insurance, & participation in a long-term incentive plan.

VRB Energy is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or veteran or disability status.