IT Infrastructure Programs & Projects Manager

About the role

The Infrastructure Programs & Projects Manager provides leadership and management for Infrastructure Services programs, strategic initiatives, governance processes, and project execution activities that support organizational priorities and business objectives. This position leads a team of approximately 7-9 professionals responsible for planning, governing, prioritizing, and delivering programs and projects that improve organizational effectiveness, reduce technical debt, strengthen governance, and enable Infrastructure Services to achieve strategic objectives.

The manager also provides leadership and direction for the Technology Planning Analyst (TPA) function, including strategic planning, investment justification, organizational communications, and coordination of cross-functional initiatives. The role serves as a strategic partner across Infrastructure Services, the Technology Organization, and other business units to identify opportunities, align priorities, facilitate decision-making, and drive execution of initiatives that deliver measurable business value.

This position is accountable for the leadership and continuous improvement of key Infrastructure Services programs, including:

• Infrastructure Services Asset Management
• Infrastructure Services Problem Management
• IS Work Requests
• IS Process Orchestration
• Infrastructure Services Records & Information Management (RIM)
• Southern Company Domain Name Management

Additional programs, initiatives, committees, and governance responsibilities may be assigned as organizational priorities evolve.

Responsibilities

• Partner closely with Technology leaders across the Technology Organization and beyond to ensure infrastructure programs are aligned to current and future needs of the business.
• Apply strong leadership and broad, strategic thinking to a diverse set of opportunities and challenges, serving as a true strategic partner and business enabler.
• Provide leadership for initiatives that improve and optimize infrastructure processes and technologies.
• Drive and manage continuous improvement of organizational responsibilities.
• Identify and resolve obstacles that prevent the organization from being as effective as it can be.
• Drive innovation and leverage technology to create value.
• Establish and maintain excellent working relationships and partnerships with senior leadership throughout the enterprise, industry peers and groups, and external vendors and suppliers.
• Support the delivery of infrastructure solutions that are common where possible and custom where it counts.
• Consult with business partners on matters related to the use and implementation of infrastructure processes and technologies.
• Provide cost-effective management, rationalization, and simplification of the company’s infrastructure processes and technologies.
• Enforce appropriate IT policies, best practices, processes, systems and technology portfolio and lifecycle management, and program and project management.
• Assess the impact of infrastructure changes and quantify risk in order to ensure appropriate business decisions are made.
• Act as a student of the business and technology, anticipating future needs and directional shifts in both technology and energy industries.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate the operating model and supporting organizational design to identify efficiencies and synergies and ensure efficient resource allocation.
• Create an organizational budget and manage financial performance.
• Lead and manage an organization of technical services professionals.
• Hire, develop, reward, and retain a highly qualified and diverse team.
• Create an environment that fosters accountability, innovation, and engagement at all levels.
• Establish themselves as a thought leader and integral part of the Infrastructure Services leadership team.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, an Engineering field, or related discipline required.
• Eight (8) or more years of experience in technology, program management, project management, process improvement, or related disciplines.
• Four (4) or more years of experience leading cross-functional teams, strategic initiatives, programs, or projects.
• A minimum of two (2) years working with IT budgets and/or cost allocation experience.
• Experience governing, prioritizing, and delivering multiple concurrent projects and initiatives.
• Experience developing business cases, investment recommendations, and organizational budgets.
• Experience working with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

Skills

• Strategic leadership and change-management capability, including the ability to challenge the status quo, influence outcomes, and lead teams through evolving priorities.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to establish credibility and trusted partnerships across leadership, business partners, peer organizations, vendors, and suppliers.
• Collaborative, enterprise-focused approach to aligning stakeholders, resolving obstacles, and delivering practical solutions that support business outcomes.
• Ability to improve organizational effectiveness through governance, prioritization, process improvement, technology rationalization, and simplification.
• Sound business, financial, risk, and compliance judgment, including experience interpreting financial information, estimating costs, managing budgets, and operating in a regulated environment.
• Proven people-leadership skills, including the ability to attract, develop, motivate, delegate to, and retain high-performing teams.
• Excellent written, verbal, and executive communication skills.
• Strong critical thinking, independent judgment, initiative, follow-through, and adaptability in a changing environment.

About Southern Company

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network, and telecommunications services.

Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience, and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental, and social progress for tomorrow.

Benefits

Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees, and health, welfare, and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s).

A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here.