Account Executive

The primary purpose is to manage strategic issues and stakeholder relationships with Duke Energy’s largest and most complex customers for the purposes of enhancing customer satisfaction, growing earnings, and strengthening regulatory relationships. In collaboration with other internal groups, these professionals develop and execute strategies for the success of Duke Energy’s business goals, policy objectives, and reputation management. Management of these customer/stakeholder relationships includes interfacing with key contacts from both the customer/stakeholder and internal Duke Energy organizations.

Responsibilities
 

Relationship and Issues Management

• Establish strong relationships at all levels within targeted large, complex Duke Energy customers – executives, operations management, energy management, research, maintenance, and local elected officials (towns & municipality customers)

• Comprehend and represent to large business customers an in-depth understanding of complex rate structures, billing options, demand response programs, and renewable options based upon their respective customer value propositions; and serve as a lead negotiator and most often decision maker, to resolve issues with assigned customers

• Own and manage the total customer relationship including interfaces with other Duke Energy departments and senior leadership

• Understand the customer’s needs and communicate those needs within Duke Energy to effectively manage their strategic issues, business objectives, unique needs, and decision-making process

Business & Economic Development

• Deliver earnings contributions by proactively identifying existing Duke Energy technical products and solutions that can be positioned to meet and exceed the customer’s needs while enhancing earnings growth or meeting specific Duke Energy regulatory requirements

• Manage the sales process from customer needs assessment by coordinating appropriate internal cross-functional support as needed

• Capture customer, market, and product feedback to support and influence future Duke Energy product development

• Actively promote the implementation and broad acceptance of Duke Energy’s tools and services within customer organizations

• Coordinate, sponsor and manage customer service projects and load growth opportunities with Duke Energy’s electric transmission, electric distribution, gas operations and other Duke Energy departments

• Assist the Duke Energy economic development group in the identification, coordination, and management of potential projects, site visits, or expansions within the Duke Energy service territory

Strategic Planning

• Develop and execute strategic plans to address and resolve issues in order to preserve/enhance relationships with large business customers, reducing the risk to the corporation and enabling business objective achievement

• Develop and document a comprehensive understanding of the customer’s business and stakeholder issues, staying abreast of customer/stakeholder plans and initiatives that may impact regulated revenues, policies and strategies

• Communicate trends, kWh and revenue forecasts, and significant legal, environmental and market challenges being faced by assigned customers

• Identify specific objectives based on the customer’s needs and plans. Develop and implement action plans for specific projects to meet these objectives

Project Management

• Coordinate between customer and Duke Energy the scheduling and technical requirements for planned maintenance outages, transmission and distribution construction projects, and emergency scheduled repairs

• Work closely with engineering, construction, Energy Control Center, Distribution Control Center, and other key internal departments to ensure that customer expectations are met in a timely manner with consistent communications

• Provide emergency storm support and other after-hours support, working with customers to provide/interpret outage information and restoration estimates

Education and Policy Advocate

• Gain customer support for Duke Energy’s positions on specific regulatory items, local ordinances, or legislative issues, while communicating and collaborating their respective positions to key internal stakeholders (i.e. State President, Legislative Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Wholesale & Renewables, and Community Relations)

• Ensure that effective communication and education channels are established and maintained to share key information and assistance between Duke Energy and assigned customers/stakeholders

• Prepare and present to customers/associations information about pertinent emerging issues

Performance Management

• Develop and maintain technical and working knowledge of industrial processes and technologies used by large-assigned customers that affect the energy delivery methods including all energy end uses

• Develop and maintain comprehensive working knowledge of electric systems and components, including those associated with Duke Energy’s transmission and distribution system, as well as the effect of the interface with the customer’s systems

• Serve as a resource to assigned internal cross-functional teams to assist in developing solutions to large business customer's needs

Required/Basic Qualifications

• Bachelors degree AND five (5) years minimum required related work experience

• In lieu of Bachelors degree(s) AND 5 years related work experience listed above, High School/GED AND eight (8) years minimum required related work experience

Desired Qualifications

• Masters degree in Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• Certified Energy Manager and/or Professional Engineer

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive & thorough knowledge of electric distribution and transmission systems and grid operations

• Knowledge of customer-side energy distribution and energy-consuming systems and processes

• Demonstrated experience managing relationships with utility’s largest and most complex customer and/or key stakeholders

• Business development experience

• Knowledge of business processes, trends, economic development, local business climate

• Knowledge of corporation’s business objectives, strategies, products and services, markets, distribution practices, rate applications, governmental and community relations, cross department relationships/dependencies

• Demonstrated ability and flexibility to effectively manage and facilitate multiple projects and issues simultaneously

• Demonstrated effective analytical, problem identification and resolution skills

• Demonstrated excellent judgment and decision-making skills.

• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills including communication skills, presentation skills, conflict resolution and negotiation skills, excellent leadership skills

• Intuitive skills to identify and discern issues that are important to the corporation and that could positively or negatively affect ability to achieve corporate objectives

• Proven self-starter, results-oriented, and requiring no supervision to take charge and get things done

• Demonstrated ability to maintain composure and clarity of thought and purpose when confronted with highly stressful situations

• Personal computer skills

• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment to coordinate resources in a matrixed organization to meet customer expectations

• Demonstrated ability to develop results-oriented business relationships to influence the outcome of issues to effectively advance and/or position the corporation’s business plans and objectives

• Strong working knowledge of energy efficiency advancements and programs

Working Conditions

• Hybrid Mobility Classification – Work will be performed from both remote and onsite locations after the onboarding period. However, hybrid employees should live within a reasonable daily commute to a Duke Energy facility.

• Role can require long drive times and occasional construction site visits

Specific Requirements

• Have the knowledge and capability to pass the CEM certification test

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