DER Consumer Programs Mgr

American Electric Power•San Benito, TX

1d•$116,255 - $151,133

About The Position

Lead and manage operating company distributed energy resource (DER) consumer activities, including planning, acquisition, implementation, evaluation, and contract administration. Direct professional staff working at multiple remote locations and guide cost-effective program delivery, operations and maintenance budget management, regulatory compliance, and timely cost recovery. Program implementation includes procuring and managing vendors and employees working on DER or distributed generation behind the customer meter, renewable resources such as geothermal, emerging technologies, marketing, and branding. Marketing activities include advertising, market research, segmentation, and customer engagement. The role oversees DER resource planning, acquisition, and evaluation; program design and implementation; contractor selection and contracts; promotion and training; measurement and verification; cost tracking; data collection; administration; and metric reporting. It works with AEP central teams, sister utilities, operating company personnel, regulators, public policy teams, external groups, and corporate communications to evaluate programs, develop strategies, keep informed about external developments, coordinate customer marketing, and support timely regulatory updates. The manager is accountable for program goals, budget targets, customer engagement and satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. The role also manages and mentors staff, coordinates DER-related processes and systems, and ensures program data and required metrics are captured in the DER tracking system.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business, economics, engineering, or a related field.
Minimum of 8 years' experience or a minimum of 3 years' direct experience in DER-related activities.
In-depth knowledge of regulatory requirements for utility demand-side resource planning, acquisition, and implementation.
Mastery of highly complex utility resource planning processes, including mathematical and statistical knowledge.
Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, verbal and written communication, and time and project management skills.
Demonstrated leadership traits.

Nice To Haves

Previous supervisor and/or management experience.
Relevant project management experience.

Responsibilities

Lead DER resource planning, acquisition, and evaluation, and approve final program designs to meet goals and objectives.
Manage contractor selection through competitive bidding where applicable, and administer associated contracts.
Oversee program promotion and implementation, employee and contractor training, measurement and verification, cost tracking, data collection, program administration, and metric reporting.
Work with AEP central organization and sister utilities' DER staff to evaluate programs, recommend new or modified programs and deliverables, and provide program support.
Ensure program goals and objectives are met, including DER budget targets and improved operating customer engagement and satisfaction.
Maintain working relationships with state regulators and regulatory agency staff.
Collaborate with AEP DER staff and public policy teams to develop DER strategies and monitor industry, regulatory, legislative, and other external developments.
Analyze pending or enacted legislation related to DER and work with external special interest groups and appointed task forces.
Manage, coach, train, and mentor professional staff across multiple remote work locations; oversee their work for compliance with company policies and objectives.
Coordinate DER activities with AEP and operating company personnel and maintain working knowledge of DER activities across functional areas and their interrelationships.
Communicate deliverables, schedules, achievements, process improvements, and roles and responsibilities to AEP and operating company units.
Distribute feedback to appropriate personnel and keep operating company management, AEP DER support staff, and regulatory interface personnel informed of progress and achievements.
Ensure program data, costs, participant levels, installed measures, projected impacts, and other required metrics are captured in the DER tracking system.
Identify business processes and systems affected by DER implementation, notify responsible teams, and monitor timely planning and implementation of necessary changes.
Coordinate customer marketing and engagement with Corporate Communication across TV, radio, digital, web, and social media, in accordance with corporate messaging and branding standards.
Coordinate customer DER program implementation with Distribution.
Instill a Safety & Health environment and develop and maintain a healthy, productive work-team culture.