Director Customer Programs and Solutions - Customer Policy & Solutions - Akron FirstEnergy Headquarters

FirstEnergy • Akron, OH

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is within the FE Pennsylvania organization and reports to the President, FE Pennsylvania. Key responsibilities include: Strategic Leadership, Regulatory Strategy & Program Development, Virtual Power Plants & Grid Flexibility, Electrification & Transportation Programs, Distributed Energy Resources & Emerging Technologies, Program Portfolio Management, Vendor & Partner Management, Cross-Functional Leadership, Financial Management, and Team Leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Technical, Public Affairs/Communications or related discipline required.
• 10 years’ relevant experience in customer account management, technical or regulatory required.
• Deep knowledge of utility customer programs, electrification, DERs, grid flexibility, and regulatory processes preferred.
• Demonstrated experience developing and securing approval for complex utility programs and managing programs across multiple states and regulatory jurisdictions.
• Understanding the intersection of customer programs, grid planning, reliability, and affordability and ability to operate in emerging policy areas where regulatory frameworks are still evolving.
• Strong executive communication skills and ability to build credibility with regulators, senior leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrate the ability to translate strategy into implementation and measurable business outcomes.
• Advanced verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work after normal business hours, which could include evening or weekend travel throughout the FirstEnergy service territory in support of both projects and stakeholders.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute FirstEnergy's enterprise strategy for customer programs, distributed energy resources (DERs), electrification, virtual power plants (VPPs), demand flexibility, and emerging customer energy solutions.
• Identify opportunities to leverage customer participation to support grid reliability, affordability, resiliency, peak demand management, and evolving system needs.
• Serve as the company's business lead for customer-facing grid modernization initiatives, ensuring alignment between customer needs, regulatory requirements, and utility operational objectives.
• Build a multi-state roadmap for customer program expansion across FirstEnergy's operating companies.
• Lead development of regulatory filings, business cases, testimony support, and stakeholder engagement associated with customer programs and grid flexibility initiatives.
• Partner with Regulatory Affairs, Rates, Legal, Engineering, Operations, and State Leadership teams to secure program approvals and cost recovery mechanisms.
• Represent FirstEnergy before public utility commissions, state agencies, consumer advocates, legislators, and industry stakeholders.
• Monitor evolving state and federal policies affecting electrification, DERs, demand response, customer affordability, and grid modernization.
• Lead strategy, design, procurement, implementation, and evaluation of virtual power plant (VPP) programs and customer flexibility initiatives.
• Develop frameworks for utilizing customer assets, including thermostats, electric vehicles, batteries, solar, and smart appliances, to provide grid value.
• Collaborate with Transmission, Distribution, and Planning organizations to identify opportunities where customer programs can support reliability, congestion relief, peak demand reduction, and infrastructure optimization.
• Establish methodologies to evaluate customer flexibility performance and program value.
• Lead customer electrification strategies including electric vehicles, managed charging, fleet electrification, school bus initiatives, and other beneficial electrification programs.
• Oversee design and delivery of EV customer programs across residential, commercial, fleet, and public sector markets.
• Develop partnerships with automakers, charging providers, fleet operators, technology vendors, academic institutions, and industry organizations.
• Identify innovative solutions supporting transportation electrification while ensuring cost-effectiveness and customer value.
• Guide evaluation and deployment strategies for DERs including solar, battery storage, managed charging, demand response, and transactive energy solutions.
• Assess technology trends and market developments to identify opportunities for customer program innovation.
• Support integration of customer resources into broader utility planning and operational strategies.
• Oversee a portfolio of customer programs across multiple states, customer segments, and regulatory jurisdictions.
• Establish performance measures related to participation, customer benefits, grid impacts, operational outcomes, and regulatory commitments.
• Ensure programs are delivered efficiently, effectively, and in compliance with commission orders and company objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement through lessons learned, pilot evaluations, and performance analytics.
• Lead procurement and management of consulting firms, implementation contractors, technology vendors, software providers, and research partners.
• Negotiate contracts, establish performance expectations, and ensure accountability for deliverables and program outcomes.
• Foster strategic relationships with industry organizations, technology providers, OEMs, research institutions, and market stakeholders.
• Build strong partnerships across Customer, Engineering, Rates, Regulatory, Legal, Distribution, Transmission, Planning, Operations, Information Technology, and External Affairs teams.
• Translate technical, regulatory, and operational requirements into actionable customer program strategies.
• Lead matrixed teams to execute complex, multi-year initiatives spanning multiple business functions.
• Drive alignment among stakeholders with differing priorities while advancing enterprise objectives.
• Manage multi-million-dollar program and consulting budgets.
• Develop business cases supporting investment decisions and regulatory approvals.
• Monitor program performance, spending, cost-effectiveness, and financial outcomes.
• Ensure prudent use of customer and shareholder resources.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team responsible for program strategy, regulatory support, implementation oversight, and stakeholder engagement.
• Establish clear priorities, accountability, and performance expectations.
• Promote a culture of innovation, collaboration, continuous improvement, and customer focus.
• Support succession planning and leadership development across the organization.

Benefits

• competitive pay plus incentive compensation
• a company-sponsored pension plan
• 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution
• a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs
• skills development training with tuition reimbursement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director