Why this role matters

Rhythm Energy is launching a transformative new business to deliver leading virtual power plant (VPP) capabilities centered on residential battery storage to Texas and beyond. Our ambition is to become a national leader in distributed energy and load flexibility, leveraging our position as a fast-growing, customer-obsessed, retail energy innovator. We will deploy our first fleet of behind-the-meter batteries in the months ahead and begin to build the organizational infrastructure to scale.

The U.S. Department of Energy projects 80-160 GW of VPP capacity enough to supply 10-20% of peak demand will be needed to maintain grid reliability and affordability. We are hiring a Head of VPP Development to capture this opportunity and lead our effort from the ground up. This is not a strategy-only role: the executive will take a hands-on role in execution while shaping the long-term business model for distributed energy resources (DERs) at Rhythm. The Head of VPP Development will own the development, deployment, and optimization of our battery-based VPP program, focusing on defining the initial go-to-market strategy, establishing a successful sales motion, and laying the foundation for rapid growth.

The ideal candidate combines commercial acumen, detail-oriented operational execution, and fluency in the solar + storage ecosystem. This is a rare opportunity to build a new business within a fast-growing energy company that's committed to accelerating the energy transition with quantifiable impact.

What you'll do

Build and scale a VPP business

• Lead the end-to-end VPP roadmap from design to execution and from Texas pilot to national expansion to create a scalable storage and VPP business, and a core revenue engine for the company.
• Build a core and cross-functional team spanning Product, Operations, Finance, Sales and Marketing.

Drive commercial strategy and financial rigor

• Own commercial design and financial modeling, including evaluating lease vs. loan financing options, and understanding incentive structures, wholesale market value streams, and customer-level economics.
• Develop the business case that secures Board buy-in and sets the stage for full P&L ownership as the VPP business scales.

Create an exceptional customer value proposition

• Lead go-to-market, including offer design, customer value proposition experimentation, and end-to-end enrollment funnel coordination.
• Partner with Marketing to develop positioning, messaging, and campaign/channel strategies that drive customer acquisition.

Build strategic partnerships

• Develop relationships with residential solar and battery equipment manufacturers, installers, and, in time, policy makers, regulators and wholesale market operators

Execute cross-functionally

• Coordinate operational readiness across Rhythms Customer Care and Operations teams to ensure a seamless customer and installer experience.
• Partner closely with Product, Engineering, Data and Portfolio Management teams to define technology requirements including integration with Rhythms in-house energy technology platform, Symphony

Measure, learn and optimize

• Establish clear metrics for deployment, economics and customer satisfaction; report on performance and continuously optimize refine the program based on data and market feedback.

What you'll bring

• 10+ years of experience in energy, clean tech, or related commercial/operational roles, with specific exposure to behind-the-meter battery storage, solar or DER programs.
• Proven record of building and scaling new commercial offerings, especially those involving cross-functional delivery, technical integration, and direct customer interaction.
• Strong analytical skills. Able to compare options (e.g. loan vs. lease), build business cases, perform financial analyses (e.g. model wholesale market value), and structure partnerships.
• Fluency in the residential energy ecosystem. OEMs, installers, regulatory considerations, and customer dynamics.
• A builder's mindset: equally comfortable setting long-term strategy and rolling up your sleeves to launch the next set of battery deployments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and cross-functional leadership skills, with the ability to drive progress across diverse teams (Product, Portfolio Management, Operations, Legal, Marketing, etc.).
• Bias toward action, ownership, and accountability in fast-paced and evolving environments.
• High comfort level with ambiguity and a passion for driving meaningful decarbonization through customer-focused innovation.
  
  

What success looks like

• Texas effort launched and scaled into a repeatable VPP program.
• A validated business case demonstrating attractive customer economics, wholesale market value and a scalable financing model.
• High customer satisfaction (NPS/CSAT in line with Rhythms core retail business) and a seamless customer journey from marketing to onboarding and customer support.
• Organizational readiness people process, and technology enabling Rhythm to quickly and efficiently scale DER deployments.
• VPP is providing demonstrated value as a tool in Rhythms broader financial and risk management toolkit.

This is more than a program launch. It's a chance to build and define a new business that reshapes how the grid works. If you're excited to build the next generation of clean, flexible power at startup speed, we'd love to talk.

Location

• Rhythm Energy is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

• Houston, TX (preferred) | Remote (U.S.)

What you'll love

• Our culture. We're friendly, transparent, and love to innovate together.
• Flexible work-life balance.We embrace the mix of working remote and from the office.
• Professional development opportunities.We love to grow together.
• A chance to make a difference. We're a sustainably-driven company rethinking what's possible in Energy.
• Competitive compensation. We reward performance with annual bonuses and salary increases.
• Health Benefits. We promote your wellbeing with unlimited paid vacation and premium private medical insurance for you and your family.

About Us

Rhythm is a renewable energy and technology company empowering you to take control of your budget and your footprint. We combine energy market expertise with technology, design, and data science to create best-in-class products and services that are simple, delightful, and seamlessly integrated with the rhythm of your life. Our mission is to upend the energy status quo by setting a new standard of service excellence and customer partnership. We are a mission-driven, results-oriented group of engineers, businesspeople, designers and artists who love solving tough problems, all while making a positive impact on our communities.