Origination Director

Job Description

The Origination Director will play a pivotal role within Mainstream Renewable power. This position within Mainstream's trading/aggregator platform is focused on leading PPA origination and structured energy sales to develop new energy products and commercial opportunities and revenue streams within South Africa's dynamic power market.

What you will do

The right candidate will be required to lead the strategic development and execution of energy trading opportunities across South Africa. This role involves identifying, structuring, and negotiating energy trading deals, building relationships with key stakeholders, and expanding the company's footprint in the region's energy markets.
Activities will also include driving bilateral PPAs, renewable energy offtake agreements, and wheeling solutions for corporate and industrial clients. Leveraging the company's strong balance sheet, generation portfolio, and trading capabilities, the right candidate will deliver innovative and bankable power solutions that enable South Africa's energy transition and support private market liberalisation.

• Lead origination, product development and commercial negotiation of RESAs (Renewable Energy Supply Agreements) with a wide range of clients.
• Develop and execute a sales and origination strategy.
• Identify and pursue new energy trading opportunities, including tenders and bilateral deals.
• Mentor and develop origination and sales and business development professionals within the team.
• Build and manage senior relationships with C&I customers, project developers, municipalities and financial intermediaries.
• Collaborate closely with trading, risk and legal teams to price, structure and optimise commercial terms in line with market and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure all transactions are compliant with NERSA, Eskom, and municipal wheeling frameworks, as well as internal risk policies.
• Contribute to the design of new commercial products, such as flexible supply, renewable certificates, and hybrid energy solutions.
• Represent Mainstream Renewable Power at industry events, trade associations and client forums, positioning the firm as a trusted and innovative energy partner.

What we require

A candidate with proven track record and skillset in this market space, which is motivated by a fast-paced startup environment and seeking pragmatic innovative ways to solve problems and grow a business.

• 10-15+ years' experience in energy trading, origination, or structured energy sales, ideally within a utility, IPP or energy trading business.
• Proven track record in structuring and closing PPAs, including both physical and financial arrangements.
• In-depth understanding of the South African electricity market, including wheeling frameworks, licensing and bilateral power trading.
• Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills with the ability to balance customer needs and internal risk appetite.
• Solid network across corporate energy buyers, IPPs and the renewable energy ecosystem.
• Strong analytical and financial modelling capability.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Finance, Economics, or Business; postgraduate or MBA qualification advantageous.

Additional Attributes

• Experience working with or within utility-backed energy trading platforms.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to combine long-term partnership building with short-term deal execution.
• Confident communicator with strong presentation and stakeholder management skills.
• Entrepreneurial and proactive mindset suited to a fast-changing and deregulating market environment.

What we offer

We offer you the opportunity to work in an innovative and entrepreneurial organisation, to be part of a diverse workplace with regards to gender, age and cultural background in the most exciting industry in the world today.

Career development

• Individual training budget
• Career progression
• Leadership development

Shared financial success

• A competitive, industry benchmarked and cost-of-living linked salary, reviewed annually
• Performance bonus
• Salary contribution to your pension fund and private medical cover

Work/life balance

• Hybrid, flexible working arrangement
• Generous annual leave, plus a community or charity work day each year
• Paid maternity, parental, adoptive and bereavement leave
• Parental transitional coaching

True diversity & inclusion

• Equal opportunity targets
• You can be you, whatever your gender, colour or sexual orientation

Care for health & wellbeing

• Life cover
• Free Employee Assistance Program for you and your family