Alternative Energy Ireland (AEI) is Irelands longest established renewable energy specialists. Established in 2007 we are 100% Irish owned and our mission is to give businesses the power to generate clean power on site behind the meter. This enables them to improve their energy efficiency levels ESG scores.
We are passionate about our business and have built up a strong reputation for being experts in this rapidly growing sector. We partner with Europe's leading manufacturers so that we can provide a broad range of renewable technologies to businesses with different requirements and preferences across all industries. The key to our success is our team who share the vision, mission, and passion that we have to creating a more sustainable future.
In 2023, AEI was acquired by DCC Plc, a company with revenue in excess of €22 billion and we now sit proudly part of Certa Ireland, a DCC company.
Job summary
Alternative Energy Ireland (AEI) is a specialist in Commercial & Industrial Solar PV, delivering rooftop and ground mount projects for businesses across Ireland. We are in a strong growth phase, with a healthy project pipeline and increasing demand from blue-chip, public sector, and SME clients, mount projects for businesses across Ireland. We are in a strong growth phase, with a healthy project pipeline and increasing demand from bluechip, public sector, and SME clients.
We are now hiring a Head of Commercial Operations to lead how we deliver projects at scale and shape the future of our commercial division.
This is a senior, hands on leadership role, responsible for the full delivery of commercial Solar PV projects from sales handover through to installation, commissioning, and client handover. You will own project delivery, partner performance, and the operating model that underpins AEI’s growth. Your remit is to ensure projects are technically robust, fully compliant, efficiently delivered, and commercially successful, while building a scalable operations function around you.
This role is ideal for a technical operations professional (ideally with an electrical engineering or Solar PV background) who enjoys end-to-end ownership, leading multidisciplinary teams, and building processes and standards in a fast-growing environment.
The successful candidate will:
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Take on a senior operational leadership role with real P&L and delivery impact.
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Work in a hands-on, technical, and delivery-focused capacity.
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Build, shape, and own the commercial operations function and playbook.
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Play a central role in AEI’s growth within the commercial and industrial Solar PV market.
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Drive change proactively, demonstrating continuous improvement, strong ownership, and scalable delivery.
Responsibilities
1. End to End Project Delivery
- Take full ownership of all commercial Solar PV projects from sales handover through to installation completion, commissioning, and client sign-off.
- Act as the primary operational owner for project success – overseeing quality, programme, budget, health and safety, and compliance.
- Manage a portfolio of concurrent C&I projects, ensuring clear scope, technical clarity, risk management, and minimal variation.
- Ensure a smooth, structured transition from Sales to Operations with standardised handover packs and clear decision gates.
2. Team & Partner Leadership
- Lead and develop the commercial operations team, including Solar PV Engineering, Project Control, and Project Management.
- Define roles, responsibilities, workflows, KPIs, and reporting rhythms for the team, and hold people accountable for delivery.
- Recruit, mentor, and develop team members as project volumes grow, creating a high performing operations unit.
- Build and manage relationships with third-party installation partners, ensuring they are properly briefed, technically aligned, and delivering to AEI’s quality and safety standards.
- Challenge and support partners where needed to drive consistent outcomes and protect programme, safety, and margin.
3. Preconstruction & Technical Management
- Working with the design and pre construction manager from your team, own all pre-construction activities, including engineering design, technical review, and constructability checks.
- Lead NC/grid applications, planning permission coordination (where applicable), and health & safety planning and documentation.
- Ensure all projects are fully de-risked before being released to installation partners, with clear design, scope, and responsibilities.
- Standardise designs, documentation, and technical processes to reduce errors, delays, and rework
4. Process, Systems & Scale
- Design, implement, and continuously improve operational processes to support AEI’s growth ambitions.
- Work with internal systems (e.g. ERP / project tracking tools) to improve visibility, cost control, forecasting, and decision-making.
- Develop scalable workflows and a repeatable “delivery playbook” that allow AEI to increase project volume without sacrificing quality or safety.
- Use data and metrics to identify bottlenecks, improve cycle times, and enhance project profitability.
5. Sales Support & Commercial Input
- Provide technical and operational input to the Sales team on complex or high-value opportunities.
- Support bids and proposals with realistic delivery approaches, timelines, and risk identification.
- Maintain clear boundaries so that Operations remains delivery-focused, while still partnering closely with Sales to win and deliver the right type of work.
- Confidently challenge scope, programme, or commercial terms where they threaten safety, quality, or margin.
What are we looking for?
Technical Background
- Qualification or equivalent experience in: Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy, Solar PV, or a closely related discipline.
o Commercial Solar PV systems and typical C&I project configurations.
o Grid connection processes and NC applications.
o Electrical design, standards, and compliance.
o Irish regulatory and health & safety requirements in a construction environment.
Experience
- Proven experience delivering commercial Solar PV or construction projects, ideally C&I scale with multiple concurrent sites.
- Strong pre-construction and technical planning experience, including design review and constructability.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and working with external installation partners and subcontractors.
- Track record of improving delivery processes, reducing delays, or increasing project margins.
- Experience within a larger corporate or structured environment is desirable (for understanding best practice and governance), but not essential.
Leadership & Ownership
- Natural owner-operator mindset – comfortable taking full responsibility for outcomes rather than just tasks.
- Proven ability to build or scale an operations function, not just manage an existing one.
- Strong decision-maker in technical and commercial environments, able to balance speed, quality, and risk.
- Comfortable challenging sales teams, clients, and partners where safety, scope, or margin are at risk.
Personal Attributes
- Highly organised, structured, and detail-oriented.
- Confident communicator who can engage credibly with sales, engineering, partners, and senior leadership.
- Pragmatic problem-solver who can operate in the real world of construction sites and tight timelines.
- Comfortable in a fast-growing, evolving business where not everything is defined yet – and motivated to define it.
What you will get in return?
- A rare opportunity to build and own the commercial operations function in a growing renewable energy business.
- Significant influence over how projects are delivered, which partners you work with, and how the team evolves.
- Competitive Compensation: Attractive salary package, life assurance, access to company
saving scheme, and employee discounts for friends and family.
- Hybrid working with flexibility, combined with meaningful time on site and with partners where the delivery happens.
- Health & Wellbeing: Annual wellbeing allowance to support both physical health and overall
wellbeing alongside our enhanced sick pay scheme.
- Work-Life Balance: Enjoy an early finish every Friday, giving you more time to unwind and
recharge, join our social club or take advantage of paid volunteer days. Good Friday is a
company day for colleagues and not taken from annual leave entitlement.
- Comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme with Laya: Supporting the mental health
and wellbeing needs of our colleagues alongside a team of mental health champions.
- Enhanced life cycle policies: We want our colleagues to thrive in all areas of life and support
them through policies such as career break, enhanced family leave and paid marriage leave
policies.
- Engaging Team Culture: Join a supportive and dynamic team.
- Professional Development: Unlock your potential with access to ongoing training and clear
pathways for career growth. A clear pathway to future leadership opportunities as AEI scales.
- Innovative Work Environment: Be part of a forward-thinking organisation at the forefront of
a rapidly evolving industry, where your ideas and contributions make a difference.
- Make a difference: Play a vital role in a cutting-edge sector, contributing to Ireland’s energy independence and sustainability goals while making a meaningful environmental impact
