Utilities Transmission & Distribution, ArcGIS Senior Principal

Accenture•Charlotte, NC

About The Position

Within Accenture's Utilities Practice, we leverage deep industry expertise in digital customer engagement and operations, connected energy services, and customer platforms to assist retail energy and utility providers in achieving cost-effectiveness, revenue assurance/extension, and enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty. Transmission & Distribution (T&D) organizations are tasked with innovating, investing strategically, and modernizing infrastructure to effectively balance supply and demand, optimize assets and teams, and progress towards net-zero emissions. The ArcGIS Utility Network Solution Architect will act as the senior functional authority, guiding client teams through the transformation from legacy, geometric network-based GIS to ArcGIS Utility Network, utilizing industry best practices and proven implementation patterns. This role is crucial for defining the target Utility Network platform and facilitating the transition from a database-centric GIS environment to a modern, service-oriented, web-GIS platform. The Solution Architect will provide hands-on functional leadership across business processes, workflows, applications, services, integrations, and overall business objectives, ensuring alignment with the client's enterprise architecture and utility operational goals.

Requirements

Deep, recognized expertise in ArcGIS Utility Network architecture and enterprise GIS transformation, with the ability to define end-to-end platform strategies.
Extensive experience aligning GIS to enterprise utility operations, including planning, engineering, field execution, outage response, and asset lifecycle management.
Advanced understanding of Utility Network architecture, including data modeling, topology, tracing, branch versioning, services, APIs, and web GIS patterns.
Proven ability to design and implement large-scale, service-oriented GIS ecosystems, integrating with platforms such as EAM (e.g., Maximo, SAP), OMS, ADMS/DERMS, and field service systems.
Experience leading organizational change and operating model transformation associated with adopting ArcGIS Utility Network and modern GIS practices.
Strong knowledge of utility regulatory, reliability, and operational requirements, and how GIS supports compliance and grid performance.
Ability to define and drive enterprise data strategies, including governance, data quality, digital twin enablement, and analytics integration.
Recognized as a thought leader or domain expert, with contributions to industry innovation, client transformation programs, or intellectual property development.
10+ years of experience in utility GIS, with significant focus on enterprise architecture, Utility Network, and large-scale transformation programs.
Demonstrated experience serving as a lead architect or functional authority on complex, multi-year GIS modernization initiatives.
Proven track record of influencing senior client stakeholders and driving enterprise-wide transformation decisions.
Experience contributing to business development, large deal pursuits, or practice growth initiatives within consulting or industry.
Hybrid background spanning utility operations, enterprise GIS, and system integration, with the ability to bridge business, technology, and strategy.

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior-most functional authority and enterprise architect for ArcGIS Utility Network transformation, shaping client vision, strategy, and target-state architecture across large-scale utility programs.
Define and evangelize next-generation Utility Network operating models, including business processes, governance, service-based architectures, and enterprise integration patterns.
Lead the design of complex, multi-system GIS ecosystems, ensuring alignment across GIS, EAM, OMS, ADMS, CIS, and field mobility platforms.
Establish and apply industry-leading best practices, accelerators, and reusable assets for Utility Network migration and modernization, contributing to Accenture’s differentiated market offerings.
Translate utility business priorities (e.g., grid modernization, DER integration, reliability, asset optimization) into scalable, future-ready GIS capabilities and platform strategies.
Provide hands-on expert guidance across architecture, design, and delivery, while also ensuring solution quality, performance, and long-term sustainability.
Act as a thought leader in GIS transformation, advising clients on emerging trends (e.g., digital twin, AI-enabled GIS, advanced analytics) and how they impact utility operations.
Support sales, solutioning, and large deal shaping efforts, contributing to proposals, client pursuits, and the growth of Accenture’s Utilities GIS practice.
Serve as a trusted advisor to C-suite and senior utility leadership, influencing enterprise-wide decisions related to GIS strategy, grid modernization, and digital transformation.
Lead executive-level workshops, strategy sessions, and transformation roadmapping engagements, shaping client investment priorities and modernization agendas.
Drive client relationship growth and account expansion, identifying opportunities to extend GIS transformation into adjacent domains (e.g., Asset Management, Grid Ops, Customer).
Provide thought leadership both internally and externally, including contributions to industry forums, whitepapers, and client-facing POVs.
Mentor and develop senior practitioners and delivery teams, establishing best practices and elevating overall capability within the GIS and Utilities practice.
Collaborate across Accenture leadership (Strategy, Industry X, Technology) to deliver integrated, cross-capability solutions for complex utility clients.