Senior Connections Development Manager
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Senior Connections Development Manager
Salary: £60-80k + annual bonus + bonus for signed connection and supply agreements
Location: London / Carlisle / Hybrid
Reports to: Growth Director
About the Role
The Senior Connections Development Manager is responsible for originating, shaping and securing major building connections to our heat networks across residential, commercial and public-sector estates.
This is not a passive account-management role, nor is it short-cycle sales. Heat network connections often require multi-year engagement - influencing design decisions before planning submission, shaping energy strategies during viability discussions, and maintaining strategic relationships through development cycles and estate-wide asset planning.
You will work directly with housebuilders, commercial developers, asset managers, local authorities, NHS Trusts, universities and major landowners to bring both new and existing buildings onto our networks.
You will operate at the interface of planning policy, commercial negotiation, energy strategy and infrastructure delivery - turning early engagement into contracted, investable connections.
Key Responsibilities
- Origination & Relationship Development
- Identify and prioritise target buildings, estates and regeneration areas within network zones or expansion areas - both new developments and existing buildings.
- Build and maintain long-term senior relationships with:
- National and regional housebuilders
- Commercial developers and asset managers
- Public-sector estates (local authorities, NHS, universities)
- Major institutional landowners
- Engage early in project lifecycles to influence energy strategy decisions before they are fixed.
- Position heat networks as the preferred long-term infrastructure solution, with significant awareness of competing heating solutions.
- Act as a credible, technically fluent ambassador for the business.
- Commercial Structuring & Negotiation
- Lead commercial negotiations for connection agreements and heat supply agreements.
- Develop and agree Heads of Terms and support progression to long-form contracts.
- Work collaboratively with internal modelling and technical teams to structure commercial offers that balance:
- Planning & Policy Interface
- Engage with planning authorities and combined authorities where relevant.
- Support building owners and developers in navigating local heat-network policies and zoning requirements.
- Translate policy drivers into commercially deliverable connection strategies.
- Internal Coordination
- Work closely with:
- Connections Development Team (origination and commercial development)
- Project Development (technical and commercial feasibility & routing)
- Pre-Construction (cost and technical validation)
- Asset Management (tariff modelling and expansion strategy)
- Legal (contract structuring)
- External affairs (council engagement and local messaging)
- Pipeline & Strategy Management
- Maintain a live, probability-weighted connections pipeline with clear value and timing assessments, through our CRM.
- Track competing technologies and alternative compliance strategies in the market.
- Provide strategic intelligence on developer behaviour and market trends.
- Contribute to zone-level connection strategy and long-term network expansion planning.
What We’re Looking For
Essential Experience
- Significant experience in infrastructure, energy, utilities, property development, asset management or major project commercial roles.
- Demonstrable experience managing long-cycle, high-value negotiations.
- Track record of influencing senior decision-makers over extended engagement periods.
- Strong commercial literacy and comfort working alongside financial and technical modelling teams.
Highly Desirable
- Experience in district heating, utilities or regulated infrastructure.
- Understanding of UK planning policy and low-carbon energy compliance.
- Experience engaging with both new developments and existing estate decarbonisation programmes.
What Success Looks Like
- Strategic relationships built early and sustained through multi-year project cycles.
- Major new and existing buildings secured onto the network.
- Commercial agreements that are balanced, bankable and protective of long-term network value.
- A visible, de-risked pipeline of contracted and near-contracted connections.