General Manager - Germany
Germany (DE)
Octopus Electric Vehicles 🚙 – Growth - fixed /
On-site
What we do. Electric Car Leasing
Why we do it. Greener. Fairer. Future.
We are launching an EV (electric vehicle) leasing business in Germany and need an outstanding General Manager to lead it.
We have rapidly scaled our proposition in the UK to nearly 30k vehicles on fleet and £300m ARR in just a few years. What’s more, we’re growing faster than ever.
We have strong, well thought out reasoning to suggest that our core model is repeatable in the German market - you will launch and scale this for us.
You’ll be expected to demonstrate significant autonomy in devising and executing a go to market plan that meets the needs of your market, whilst learning from what has made Octopus EV so successful in the UK.
Whilst support from our leadership team and central functions will be provided, most areas of growth (sales, marketing, pricing) will be largely autonomous, making this an exciting opportunity for someone wishing to build a significant, high impact company from scratch.
Our mission is to rapidly accelerate the EV transition whilst providing the best possible service to our customers.
Our ambition is to rapidly build the biggest EV platform in Germany as rapidly as possible.
Purpose of the role: Launch and then lead the Octopus EV business in Germany.
Key Responsibilities
- Learning from Octopus EV’s model in the UK, craft a customer proposition that works for the Germany market.
- Devise and execute Octopus EV Germany go to market strategy.
- Coordinate any and all work streams needed to launch the proposition, from marketing and sales to fleet operations and customer success.
- Build and lead your team in a manner consistent with Octopus’ unique culture.
- Run a lean, tech-led operation that enables rapid scale.
- Work closely with central functions at OEV (e.g. finance, credit, data) and the wider group (e.g. OE Germany, group legal) to ensure you benefit from the resources and knowledge the group has to offer.
- Provide clear progress updates to Octopus EV leadership team and clearly articulate the support and resources you need.
Who we're looking for
- Essential:
- Fluent German and English.
- A ‘founder mentality’ - bias towards ownership, action and customer obsession.
- Inspiring leader, with a passion for motivating teams in the Octopus way.
- Previous company building or launching new products and markets.
- A broad commercial skillset. Comfortable wearing many hats.
- Comfort with ambiguity and rapid iteration.
- Ideally:
- Experience in one or more of mobility, automotive, consumer fintech or employee benefits.
- Experience in a rapidly scaling company.
Why you'll love it here
- Octopus Electric Vehicles, part of the Octopus Energy Group, won the Sunday Times best company to work for in 2024. We were named 6th out of the top 100 start-ups to work for by Tempo in 2025 and on Glassdoor we were voted 50 best places to work in 2022. Our Group CEO, Greg has recorded a podcast about our culture and how we empower our people
- Wondering what the salary for this role is? Just ask us! On a call with one of our recruiters it's something we always cover as we genuinely want to match your experience with the correct salary. The reason why we don't advertise is because we honestly have a degree of flexibility and would never want salary to be a reason why someone doesn't apply to Octopus - what's more important to us is finding the right octofit!
- Octopus Energy Group is a unique culture. An organisation where people learn, decide, and build quicker. Where people work with autonomy, alongside a wide range of amazing co-owners, on projects that break new ground. We want your hard work to be rewarded with perks you actually care about! Visit our perks hub - Octopus Employee Benefits
About us
The electric revolution has arrived - and from 2035 you’ll no longer be able to buy a new petrol or diesel car in the UK.
We’re building a whole new way for drivers to join the electric charge and not only learn about and shop for their EV online, but experience a 'lease for life' through an industry changing customer experience. This is the chance to join one of the UK’s most exciting start-ups – making it easy for individuals and businesses to go electric by getting their car, charger and energy all in one cracking deal.
Octopus Electric Vehicles launched in 2018 to make it seamless to switch to cleaner, greener driving. Our mission is to drive sustainable change, decarbonise the planet and provide our customers with fair pricing and a fantastic experience.
We're an Octopus Energy company—an innovative new energy supplier. We are part of the Octopus Energy Group, which seeks to improve the lives of millions of people by transforming the industries we operate in. The Octopus Group incorporates Octopus Energy, Octopus Healthcare, Octopus Investments, Octopus Property, Octopus Ventures and Octopus Labs.
If this sounds like you then we'd love to hear from you.
Are you ready for a career with us? We want to ensure you have all the tools and environment you need to unleash your potential. Need any specific accommodations? Whether you require specific accommodations or have a unique preference, let us know, and we'll do what we can to customise your interview process for comfort and maximum magic!
Studies have shown that some groups of people, like women, are less likely to apply to a role unless they meet 100% of the job requirements. Whoever you are, if you like one of our jobs, we encourage you to apply as you might just be the candidate we hire. Across Octopus, we're looking for genuinely decent people who are honest and empathetic. Our people are our strongest asset and the unique skills and perspectives people bring to the team are the driving force of our success. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute. Our commitment is to provide equal opportunities, an inclusive work environment, and fairness for everyone.
