Germany’s clean energy market hasn’t slowed down, but hiring within it has changed.
Across EV charging and battery energy storage (BESS), businesses are more cautious, more selective, and far less interested in speculative hiring than they were a few years ago. Pricing pressure, grid connection delays, and an increasingly crowded supplier landscape have all made commercial performance non-negotiable.
For many companies, that’s translated into one clear hiring priority:
Sales professionals who already know the market, the customers, and how deals are actually won.
Why Hiring Feels Harder Than It Used to
In both energy storage and EV charging, the challenge isn’t a lack of candidates – it’s a lack of relevant ones.
Manufacturers and solution providers are operating in a market shaped by:
- Overproduction of batteries and storage components, driving prices down
- Increased competition from low-cost international manufacturers
- Slower-than-expected grid connections, delaying deployment and revenue
When margins tighten, hiring becomes less about potential and more about certainty.
As a result, German clean energy companies are prioritising candidates who can:
- Bring existing customer relationships
- Understand procurement and decision-making structures
- Operate commercially from day one
This is especially true for sales and business development roles, where “learning the market” on the job is no longer an option.
Our Perspective on the German Clean Energy Landscape
Within Germany, our clean energy work centres on two areas where commercial hiring is most critical:
1. BESS & energy storage companies
Energy storage remains one of the fastest-evolving parts of the transition.
Because the sector is relatively young, professionals with even 3–5 years of focused BESS experience are often considered senior – and highly sought after.
Here’s what we’re seeing in the market:
- Strong interest in candidates who bring both commercial and technical credibility.
- Firms seek people who can step in with relationships and understanding of the market.
- Pricing pressures and supply dynamics mean hiring decisions are more strategic than reactionary.
2. EV Charging & Fleet Infrastructure
EV charging is now a crowded space, particularly at the hardware and end-to-end solution level.
While consumer charging has commoditised quickly, commercial and fleet electrification remains far more complex – with longer sales cycles, bespoke infrastructure, and higher operational risk.
Because of this complexity, experience matters. This is what we’re seeing:
- Strong demand for candidates who understand the technical realities and commercial decision-making behind fleet electrification.
- Clients prioritise hires with proven experience selling into complex, multi-location customers (e.g. bus depots, logistics fleets, municipal operators).
- Businesses have the talent supply to become more selective – favouring people who can shorten sales cycles, manage stakeholder complexity, and reduce delivery risk.
Why Networks Matter More Than Ever
Across both markets, one theme comes up repeatedly: clients want hires who already have a black book.
When budgets are under pressure, companies are less willing to invest in building relationships from scratch. Instead, they’re looking for people who can:
- Open doors immediately
- Re-engage dormant accounts
- Accelerate revenue without a long ramp-up period
Why SR2 Clean Energy for Germany
Deep domain expertise
We recruit exclusively in clean energy, with experience across EV charging, BESS and broader energy transition segments.
Proven delivery on specialist roles
We don’t do broad generalist hiring. Our focus is on commercial talent with track records – and where possible, bringing client networks into their new roles.
Local insight, global standards
Our team understands the German market’s expectations for credibility, language and cultural fit – balancing local sensibilities with international best practice.
Values-driven approach
As a B Corp-certified business, we put people and purpose at the core of how we work, building partnerships that last, not short-term transactions.
Ready to Build Your Team in Germany?
SR2 Clean Energy connects purpose-driven organisations across Germany with the specialised talent that drives revenue and market impact. If you’re scaling your commercial functions, accelerating EV infrastructure growth, or expanding energy storage capability, get in touch with our Munich team.
