Energy and Utilities Senior Principal - Business Strategy
About The Position
The Senior Utilities Principal serves as a bridge between technical solutions and business objectives, applying utilities industry expertise and strategic vision to deliver customer outcomes within Verizon Business Group’s Manufacturing, Energy & Utilities Practice. The role initiates, drives, and manages innovation strategy for key enterprise clients across the U.S. utilities sector. It engages directly with executive leaders, including utility CIOs, CTOs, and Operational Technology leaders, to build partnerships for grid modernization, critical infrastructure security, and digital transformation. The position also advances Verizon’s credibility through client engagement, business development, thought leadership, and strategic ecosystem relationships. The role focuses on strategic growth across global enterprise and public sector utility customers, including investor-owned, municipal-owned, and cooperative utilities. It supports pipeline development and large opportunities involving grid modernization, federal infrastructure funding, connected assets, Private 5G, NaaS, SD-WAN, and SASE. The Senior Utilities Principal develops outcome-based solution frameworks, provides strategic client guidance, and leads cross-functional teams in solution design and implementation. The position also represents Verizon at industry events and forums, shares utility industry knowledge across internal teams, contributes to repeatable solution development, and collaborates with Public Sector, Product, and IoT teams. It builds relationships with utility technology organizations to support a connected grid ecosystem. This mobile role is based primarily at customer or field locations, with occasional visits to a Verizon location for training and meetings. It may be based at most Verizon Hub locations across the United States, requires travel, and is scheduled for 40 hours per week.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or four or more years of equivalent work experience.
- Eight or more years of relevant work experience in utility or energy sector technology, private wireless networks, critical infrastructure sales, or OT/IoT solutions, or a combination of professional and/or military experience with specialized training.
- Willingness to travel.
- Demonstrated experience in the utilities vertical.
- Deep, practical knowledge of the U.S. utilities market.
- Working knowledge of Advanced Metering Infrastructure upgrades, distributed energy resource management, and Field Area Network buildouts, including aligning Private 5G, NaaS, and SD-WAN solutions with utility reliability, geographic coverage, and resiliency requirements.
- Knowledge of utility cybersecurity frameworks and NERC-CIP compliance standards.
- Understanding of private LTE and 5G adoption drivers and utility use cases, including field operations, substation automation, and distribution automation.
- Experience deploying IoT applications across grid assets such as smart meters, voltage regulators, connected substations, and drones.
- Familiarity with DOE Grid Resilience Grants, IRA and IIJA infrastructure funding programs, and FERC/state PUC technology requirements.
- Experience aligning solutions with utility capital investment cycles ahead of procurement.
- Experience guiding utilities in deploying workforce management, safety, and customer engagement applications.
- Fluency with SD-WAN, SASE, and secure remote access solutions that integrate with utility OT/IT environments and support utility CTO and CFO priorities.
Nice To Haves
- Knowledge of protecting critical infrastructure against ransomware and cyber threats, including identity and access controls, network segmentation, and OT security for SCADA systems and substation automation.
- Knowledge of Intelligent Lighting, Field Area Networks, and Condition-Based Maintenance solutions.
Responsibilities
- Drive strategic growth with Global Enterprise and Public Sector utility customers, including investor-owned utilities, municipal-owned utilities, and electric cooperatives, with a focus on grid modernization, Private 5G, Field Area Networks, and IoT.
- Initiate, guide, and execute pipeline opportunities for existing business and advanced solutions, including Private 5G, NaaS, SD-WAN, and SASE, in partnership with Client Partners and Regional Sales Leaders.
- Support large utility opportunities and pipeline growth involving grid modernization infrastructure, DOE/IRA/IIJA-funded programs, and connected asset deployments.
- Develop and deliver outcome-based solution frameworks that communicate the value of mission-critical connectivity.
- Participate in and lead discussions at utility industry events and forums, including DistribuTECH, IEEE PES, Edison Electric Institute, and UBBA.
- Engage with industry analysts and represent Verizon at vertical marketing events, including speaking at conferences, webinars, and podcasts.
- Apply utilities expertise across client engagements, business development, and ecosystem relationships to shape Verizon’s go-to-market strategy.
- Share grid modernization and operational insights with account teams and internal stakeholders across VBG.
- Provide industry guidance and sales support to MEU, Public Sector, and Federal teams pursuing DOE- and IIJA-funded infrastructure opportunities.
- Identify and build repeatable solutions for grid modernization, connected assets, and operational security as part of new product development.
- Collaborate with Public Sector, Product, and IoT teams to identify shared solutions and execution opportunities, including Field Area Network deployments and Private 5G critical infrastructure.
- Guide clients on complex grid and operational challenges using integrated Verizon solutions, including Private 5G, NaaS, SD-WAN, SASE, IoT, and cybersecurity.
- Lead cross-functional teams of solution architects, adoption specialists, and deal experts in developing and implementing opportunities across utility segments.
- Build strategic partnerships with utility technology organizations, including Itron, Honeywell, Schneider Electric, and Siemens.
- Travel as required.
Benefits
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Short- and long-term disability insurance
- Basic life insurance
- Supplemental life insurance
- AD&D insurance
- Identity theft protection
- Pet insurance
- Group home and auto insurance
- Matched 401(k) savings plan
- Up to 8 company-paid holidays per year
- Up to 6 personal days per year
- Paid parental leave
- Adoption assistance
- Tuition assistance
- Incentives
- Potential premium pay, such as overtime, shift differential, holiday pay, and allowances
- Up to 15 days of vacation per year for newly hired employees, with vacation increasing with additional service
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
