Renewable & Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Project Manager

Work Location: This position will be based out of Birmingham, AL or Atlanta, GA. Candidates living outside of the area may be considered with the expectation that they could successfully telework and would be willing to travel to work and/or field locations on a routine and as-needed basis. This position will require a mix of both field and office work, with some office work performed remotely (telework/work from home).

About the Role

This position serves as the Renewable and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) development manager with formal leadership and supervisory responsibilities, including:

• Developing a strategic approach for the evaluation, development, and deployment of renewable resources for the Retail Electric Operating companies of Southern Company.
• Developing a strategic approach for the evaluation, development, and deployment of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) for the Retail Electric Operating companies of Southern Company.
• Supporting project development teams with leadership for traditional or non-traditional inverter or inertia-based projects.
• Leading the system Technology Application Standards (TAS) development and Technology Strategy Coordination (TSC) for emerging technologies, including cost, performance, and commercial availability.
• Providing performance management and leadership for team employees.
• Supporting regulatory filing requirements for asset certifications.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and direction to evaluate the deployment of cost-effective and reliably sufficient renewable resources into the Southern Company generation portfolio.
• Provide strategic leadership and direction to evaluate the deployment of cost-effective and reliably sufficient distributed energy resources into the Southern Company generation portfolio.
• Develop strategies to maximize the value of renewable generation and distributed energy resources through their efficient integration across the Southern Company energy system.
• Develop and deploy economical renewable solutions through evaluation of resource viability, customer and stakeholder engagement, process integration and alignment, technology innovation, and policy influence.
• Lead efforts to develop operating company-specific renewable generation project strategy and create robust, economically sound evaluation techniques for continued integration of DERs and expansion of incremental DER technologies into business activities.
• Lead efforts to ensure operating company-owned renewable projects required to meet regulatory filings meet all regulatory standards for quality, compliance, and expertise.
• Lead efforts to build and maintain positive relationships with key internal and external parties to facilitate broad knowledge of development approaches and resource integration.
• Engage external OEMs to understand emerging issues with renewable and DER technologies to ensure optimal deployment.
• Provide cross-organizational support for developing projects as availability and business needs require.
• Lead a staff and budget, prioritizing future expenditures in areas of value and benefit to the company.
• Ensure Southern Company values are exemplified through the team and in all interactions with internal and external customers, colleagues, and business contacts.
• Lead the technology portfolio management process for renewable and DER technologies, screening based on qualitative and quantitative criteria, and establishing technology application standards.
• Develop, maintain, and revise standards of renewable and DER technology attributes for all commercial evaluations and IRP uses, including capital cost, O&M costs, typical performance metrics, general site requirements, system limitations, and flexibility.
• Lead enterprise-wide project teams to investigate, evaluate, and recommend state-of-the-art deployment structures for renewable and DER energy supply technologies, including customer-sited applications.
• Support the development of comparative economic analyses (e.g., levelized cost of energy, levelized cost of capacity) of renewable and DER technologies relevant to the retail OPCOs.
• Inform System Planning’s methods for accurately modeling renewable and DER generation technologies.
• Maintain current working knowledge of industry trends and published technology assessments and forecasts from entities such as S&P Global, BNEF, NREL, NETL, EIA, Lazard, and public disclosures from other utilities.
• Develop new renewable and DER solution constructs for the Retail Operating companies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree is required; advanced degree is desired.
• An MBA and experience in power generation is a plus.
• Desired experience in generation development, project management, project development, economic evaluations, and state or federal regulatory environments.
• Desired areas of knowledge include: life cycle cost analysis; avoided and marginal cost concepts; economic dispatch; Southern Company integrated resource planning process; generation and transmission planning processes; generation technologies and operation; federal and/or legislation and rules governing renewable energy; typical power purchase agreement terms and conditions.
• High degree of critical/strategic thinking to resolve high-impact, complex, and/or cross-functional problems.
• Ability to communicate complex issues clearly and understandably to a broad group of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated effective leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to lead the activities of numerous direct and indirect reports and achieve business results in a cost-effective and timely manner.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a dynamic and changing environment where goals and objectives may not always be clearly established or defined.

Behavioral Attributes

• Demonstrate Southern Company Values: Safety First, Unquestionable Trust, Superior Performance, and Total Commitment.
• Safety focus and a strong personal safety record.

Travel

This position can require some travel – approximately 25% per year.

Relocation

Some relocation assistance is available if the selected candidate currently resides outside the Birmingham area.

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.