The U.S. federal government has set a goal of 100% clean electricity in 2035 and a net-zero carbon economy in 2050. All forms of renewable energy, including wind power, will play an important part in achieving these ambitious targets.
A dynamic company headquartered in Spain driven by an unwavering commitment to deliver the global energy transition is on a mission to monetize the favorable US market conditions and step-change its wind business growth while fulfilling its vision for a sustainable future. The right talent, particularly an effective commercial team, is crucial to achieving their objectives and ambitious targets.
The company specializes in supplying spare parts and repair components for specific wind turbines and wind farms. They serve as a crucial link in the supply chain, distributing items from their warehouses located in Houston. They are a service provider, facilitating the smooth operation of wind energy infrastructure.
The challenge we initially faced was that the company’s brand was new to the U.S. market, so the primary task was to educate potential candidates about who they were and explain the narrative behind their mission.
To tackle this, we produced a video interview with the CEO, where he discussed his reasons for joining the company, what he found exciting about it, and his vision for the company. The main goal was to ensure that people not only recognized the brand but also understood the career opportunity, the company’s growth objectives, and potential challenges.
Another challenge arose from the fact that we were tasked with putting together a brand-new team. It was crucial that this team not only aligned with the company’s core values but also functioned cohesively, despite working remotely and only meeting in person for a monthly team meeting in Houston, at trade fairs, or an occasional visit to the Spanish HQ. Our goal was to establish a strong U.S. presence for the company, which meant the team needed to encapsulate the U.S. business identity.
With insights gained from an intake call, the Pacific team compiled a targeted list of companies in the wind industry and other complimentary renewable energy sectors.
The research team then methodically mapped out these organizations to identify their top commercial talent gathering information on remunerations, locations, and career drivers while spreading awareness of the client’s brand. They also spoke to their referral network to understand the different organizations—how they operate, the structure of their departments, and their strategic approaches.
They specifically looked for candidates who had experience in both large, structured organizations and were also comfortable in a more dynamic, startup environment. This dual focus helped Pacific’s team to engage in numerous valuable discussions within the industry, allowing them to present candidates who were not only skilled but also adaptable to varying business scales and cultures.
The project required coordinating across multiple time zones: two stakeholders were in Spain, and one was in New Mexico (Mountain Time). However, the investment in the success of this project was evident from both sides: our clients often joined calls as early as 5:00 AM, and Pacific’s team joined calls as late as 8:00 or 9:00 PM their time. It was a concerted effort—truly all hands on deck—highlighting the priority and commitment of everyone involved.
Another potential challenge was the preference for face-to-face meetings, which required candidates to be highly flexible and able to travel to Houston with little notice. This need for agility could have been a hurdle, but our candidates rose to the occasion, showing great adaptability and determination to join the company on the growth journey.
We received exceptionally positive feedback from our client. Our intake call on November 2nd set the stage, and by January 2nd, just eight weeks later, we had successfully placed two candidates in their new roles. This rapid turnaround in filling the positions was truly remarkable and resulted in securing another search with the client.
The following month we successfully filled another role—a third Key Account Manager. This surge of activity and successful placements has made the future look incredibly promising for our client.
