Project Coord I, II, Sr

Southern Company•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Energy Innovation Coordinator supports the utility’s mission to provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy. The role coordinates day-to-day implementation of energy innovation projects funded through third-party donations, community partnerships, pilots, and other flexible resources. Projects deliver home and business efficiency, affordability, and sustainability improvements. Working across internal departments and with community organizations, local governments, funding agencies, and other external partners, the coordinator helps ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with customer affordability and community energy goals. The position involves hands-on project management and continuous improvement in program delivery, and reports to the Energy Innovation Projects Team Lead. The coordinator plans and organizes affordability-focused energy innovation and renewable energy projects; manages schedules, deliverables, dependencies, budgets, risks, and reporting; supports innovative program design; and facilitates project meetings and follow-through. The role also develops partnerships, represents the utility in community forums, supports procurement and contract processes, tracks funding and financial performance, coordinates customer outreach and enrollment, analyzes customer feedback and outcomes, and maintains records and reports for leadership, regulatory, compliance, and evaluation purposes. The role requires routine travel within the assigned region to meet with internal partners and customers, with occasional overnight travel for team and organizational meetings; travel may total up to 25%. The coordinator may also support assigned storm restoration and emergency response activities, with flexibility to adjust work schedules, duties, and location. Possible emergency assignments include Damage Assessment Team assessor or coordinator, Network Management System operator, evaluator, driver, or logistics support.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, Public Administration, Communications, Social Work, Sociology, Finance, Engineering, Environmental Science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Three or more years of experience in project coordination or management, community engagement, or program implementation within the utility, energy, community development, nonprofit, government, consulting, construction, housing, or a related field.
Experience coordinating projects from planning through implementation, including schedules, budgets, deliverables, workflows, risk tracking, issue resolution, and status reporting.
Knowledge of energy efficiency, renewable energy, affordability programs, or regulated utility operations.
Public speaking or presentation experience.
Experience supporting budget tracking, performance goals, reporting, or compliance requirements.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, specifically Excel for budget and performance tracking, and project management or collaboration software.
Ability to travel routinely within the assigned region, with occasional overnight travel; total travel may be up to 25%.
Ability to support assigned storm restoration and emergency response activities.
Flexibility to adjust work schedules, duties, and location.
Strong organization and attention to detail, including the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, deadlines, records, and follow-up items.
Proactive, solutions-focused judgment to identify issues early, recommend practical next steps, and elevate risks appropriately.
Strong collaboration and communication skills for building relationships with internal teams, vendors, community organizations, funding partners, and other stakeholders.
Ability to work in an evolving environment, create structure from incomplete information, and adapt to changing program, customer, or partner needs.
Meeting facilitation skills, including organizing discussions, documenting decisions and action items, and maintaining accountability through completion.
Analytical and financial responsibility, including interpreting project data, monitoring performance measures, and communicating clear, accurate status updates.
Customer- and community-focused approach and appreciation for affordability challenges.
Integrity, discretion, ownership, reliability, strong follow-through, and a continuous-improvement mindset.

Nice To Haves

Relevant professional certification in project management, process improvement, energy, building performance, grants, contracts, or a related discipline; certification is preferred but not required.
Examples of relevant credentials include Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), Lean Six Sigma, Certified Demand Side Management Professional (CDSM), Certified Energy Manager (CEM), or Building Performance Institute (BPI) credentials.

Responsibilities

Plan, organize, and coordinate affordability-focused energy innovation and renewable energy projects.
Manage project timelines, deliverables, dependencies, and reporting requirements in alignment with utility regulatory and performance standards.
Support innovative program design and continuous improvement to increase customer participation and satisfaction and achieve measurable energy savings.
Develop and maintain implementation plans, process flows, roles and responsibilities, customer handoffs, escalation procedures, and launch-readiness checklists.
Plan and facilitate project meetings; document decisions, action items, owners, and due dates; and follow through to resolve barriers.
Maintain project plans and shared workstreams, clarify owners, deadlines, dependencies, and next steps, identify risks, and elevate barriers.
Contribute to a culture of collaboration, innovation, inclusion, and accountability within the team and across departments.
Work cross-functionally to integrate affordability strategies into existing and new utility programs.
Develop and maintain relationships with community organizations, municipalities, and business customers to identify collaboration opportunities.
Represent the utility at community meetings, workshops, and stakeholder forums focused on energy affordability and sustainability.
Coordinate with Supply Chain, Legal, program teams, and external partners on RFP development, scopes of work, contract execution, change requests, vendor onboarding, and deliverable management.
Support preparation and management of funding proposals and compliance with grant and regulatory requirements.
Track project budgets, commitments, invoices, forecasts, spending timelines, and funding requirements; reconcile variances and elevate risks.
Coordinate outreach to increase awareness of and participation in utility affordability and efficiency programs.
Support customer enrollment and participation in programs such as pre-weatherization, energy efficiency, energy audits, appropriate rate plans, and renewable installations.
Collect and analyze customer feedback and outcomes, including energy savings, health outcomes, and demand savings, to improve program design and delivery.
Monitor performance metrics such as participant pipeline, annual and lifetime project budgets, energy savings, cost reduction, and customer impact.
Develop reports for internal leadership and regulatory filings as required.
Maintain accurate documentation and project records for compliance and evaluation.
Coordinate data collection, system requirements, reporting definitions, quality-control documentation, and partner submissions needed to monitor participant progress, customer outcomes, project performance, and compliance.
Support assigned storm restoration and emergency response activities, including possible Damage Assessment Team, Network Management System, evaluator, driver, or logistics assignments.