Business Development Manager / Customer Success Manager - Utility / Energy Industry

Job Title: Project Manager

Location: Atlanta, GA 30308

Duration: 12 Months

Job Description:

• The primary purpose of this position is to manage and oversee from inception to completion all aspects of projects assigned to them.
• The Project Manager will need to identify, understand, and help improve business issues and processes for all of Retail Energy segment’s markets.
• The role will help drive entry into new markets or new acquisitions as well as any other new product or services.
• The incumbent will be responsible for defining and documenting business requirements.
• In their role they will provide functional subject matter expertise to various teams.
• The Project Manager provides comprehensive test cases and oversees thorough testing compliance with SouthStar’s business processes. The position will be responsible for developing project plans for projects and tracking and reporting on milestones and status.
• The position will also be responsible for providing analytical support for measuring operational improvements.
• The Project Manager validates and improves customer requirements by verifying adherence to required functionality in delivered solutions, conducting user acceptance testing, managing customer change requests, and providing the customer with ways to improve their processes by effectively using SouthStar's applications.

Job Responsibilities & Accountabilities by Competency:

Functional Expertise:

• Provide project management for process improvement projects both in Customer Operations and throughout the Retail Energy segment, including idea conception, implementation and monitoring of results.
• Manages aspects of the project including research, writing project requirements analysis, documentation, design/development, testing, negotiation, problem resolution, training, status reporting, implementation, deliverables, project closing and post implementation review/audit.
• Provide project management for business and operational readiness related to the Retail Energy segment’s deployment into new markets. This includes coordinating resources from multiple functional areas documenting project requirements and tracking and reporting on progress of all new markets implementation projects.
• Provide project management for business and operational readiness related to any Retail Energy segment acquisitions.
• Develops and presents project documentation with all project stakeholders. Documentation may include business cases, project initiation requests, work plans, project milestones.
• Provide project management for business and operational readiness related to certain system enhancements for all of the Retail Energy segment’s systems and in all markets.
• Develop detailed project plans for implementations and track and report on milestones, dependencies, risks and mitigations.
• Provide regular inputs for Customer Operations business and budget planning and assist with the monthly budget process as needed.
• Assist in supporting call center, billing and back office operations for all markets as needed. Support billing and back office audits as needed for all markets

Business Acumen:

• Drive system enhancement projects for all markets in the role of Service Quality owner as needed. This includes reviewing and providing feedback on business requirements, functional requirements, test plans, test scenarios, documentation and training materials.
• Assist with developing a long term strategy for systems and operations to support continued growth in all existing and new markets.
• Maintain knowledge of regulatory requirements and changes across all markets.

Engagement:

• Proactively communicate issues, concerns, status or questions to all stakeholders for projects as required in a timely manner.
• Provide liaison between Customer Operations, IT, Business Owners, and Vendors to roll out new operational processes, website and system changes.
• Liaise with other Retail Energy segment departments and Vendors to develop and launch new operational processes and process improvements as well as develop and implement system, IVR and website changes and enhancements.
• Interact with all levels and departments of the organization such as IT, Regulatory, Marketing business owners, and vendors to maintain and update project plans.
• Liaise with Call Center(s) and other departments as required, for providing information on new programs and launches as well as updates relating to system/program issues and changes.
• Serve as a member of each system’s Project Review Committee and advise the committees on projects timelines and priority.

Driving Results:

• Measure ongoing process improvements by creating and implementing associated statistics, reports and/or metrics.
• Provide analytical support in evaluating the Retail Energy segment‘s systems and operations as needed to identify and recommend process improvement opportunities.
• Project success measurements would be having projects deployed by our vendors on budget, on time, within scope and within the estimated hours.

Education, Certifications/Licenses:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of applicable experience

Preferred:

• MBA
• PMP Certification, working towards obtaining or approved equivalent which may include experience.

Related Work Experience:

Required:

• Strong communication skills, verbal and written.
• Manage projects independently with limited supervision. Manage all facets of multiple projects, in accordance with company's project management methodology. Manage the development and implementation process of a company's products and/or services. Coordinate departmental or cross-functional teams.
• Manage project from initiation through implementation and delivery. Provide planning and direction on schedules and monitoring budget/spending. Guide projects thru to completion on time, with agreed upon scope, within budget meeting and/or exceeding quality standards.

Preferred:

• Retail utility experience

Specific Skills & Knowledge:

Required:

• Strong project management skills
• Be highly organized and a good multi-tasker, take charge and know how to lead and be an effective communicator.
• Ability to perform metrics creation, implementation, tracking and reporting for operational departments
• Experience with operational or system requirements gathering. Specifically, soliciting, documenting and reviewing requirements through to approval with multiple business owners.
• Ability to conduct trending and analysis to identify root causes and possible solutions
• Computer literate; strong knowledge of Microsoft Office applications such as Project, Visio, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access
• Advanced database knowledge (e.g. developing and executing SQL statements, importing data, etc.)
• Ability to work with IT and manage Billing System enhancements by working with end users, defining scope of projects, define cost / benefit justification, define test plan, train end users, and document all processes for successful implementation
• Entrepreneurial focused. Ability to do whatever is needed to get the job done. Big picture view of all processes.
• Ability to lead by example.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; ability to communicate positively and professionally with customers, coworkers and vendors
• Highly service and results-oriented.
• Strong relationship management skills
• Strong organizational and problem resolution skills
• Ability to manage and complete multiple high priority projects and activities with strict time sensitive deadlines.
• Ability to work independently under moderate supervision; ability to also operate effectively as a team player, even if located remotely
• Ability to coordinate and manage multiple tasks with sensitive timelines

Preferred:

• Demonstrated leadership, team-building and employee management skills
• Contract and Vendor Management experience
• An understanding of business processes and billing systems.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

• This position requires occasional travel (5-20%). The incumbent may be required to travel on occasion. Trips may require air travel and/or overnight stay away from home for one or more nights.
• This position occasionally requires prolonged standing or walking
• This position occasionally requires incumbent to reach above shoulder level
• The position occasionally requires incumbent to bend, kneel, crouch or crawl
• This position requires the ability to lift up to 10 pounds
• The incumbent works in an office environment

Job Type: Contract

Pay: Up to $75.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Experience:

• Project Manager: 5 years (Required)
• Email marketing: 5 years (Required)

Work Location: On the road

Salary : $75