Associate Program Specialist

Associate Program Specialist- Load Management

Location: Columbia, MD or Reston, VA (Hybrid – Home Office with Office Travel) 

Are you ready to make a difference?

To support our growth, ICF is seeking an entry level candidate to provide program support for our utility program team in Maryland. Working closely with program and portfolio managers, this individual will coordinate and contribute to various deliverables such as creating and managing progress reports, conducting research on load management or electric vehicle initiatives for utilities, supporting program stakeholders and participants, and researching products and enhancements.  

What is a load management program? ICF partners with utilities to design and implement load management programs that enable utilities to strategically reduce and shift energy demand while maintaining a high-quality customer experience. ICF load management programs integrate multiple distributed energy resources (DERs), including smart thermostats, electric vehicles, batteries, and water heaters, into a coordinated framework that can be dispatched during periods of peak energy demand. As a trusted partner to utility clients, ICF provides full lifecycle support, including program design, technology partnerships, customer outreach and enrollment, incentive administration, and ongoing client operations. We leverage advanced analytics and our experience across diverse markets to orchestrate grid-edge resources that deliver measurable load reductions and system reliability improvements.

This position is highly remote, but in-person office days and events are encouraged. Some travel to client sites may be required (<5%).

Why you will love working here: 

• Quality of life: Flexible workplace arrangements, work-life balance 
• Local events and team-building focus
• Investment of the community: Donation matching, volunteer opportunities 
• Investment in you: Tuition reimbursement, access to professional development resources, 401kmatching, Employee Stock Purchase Plan 
• And many, many more (Ask your recruiter for more details!) 

What you will be doing:

• Process customer applications from third party platforms for enrollment into utility sponsored load management programs 
• Support customer applications for utility electric vehicle programs
• Create and maintain Excel spreadsheets and databases for internal tracking 
• Analyze data and call out trends, find and address errors to resolution 
• Develop and update high quality client reports within required timelines 
• Support various internal staff with data management and analysis 
• Provide regular program status updates 
• Handle and track issues brought by subcontractors, customers, and customer service representatives 
• Assist with customer engagement, as needed, on various programs 
• Support ICF’s Utility Programs & Services Business Development in the East Region
• General support for various demand side management (DSM) program designs and client programs
• Other duties as required to support our work nationally and provide direct support to division leadership and clients as needed 
• Address client and customer issues with a positive attitude 
• Take minutes during internal and external calls 
• Coordinate with various internal teams, such as Flexible Load Management, Delivery, Operations, and IT

What we need you to have (minimum qualifications): 

• Bachelor’s degree (or applicants can substitute one year of related experience for one year of education)
• 6+ months of experience in energy, environmental or sustainability work
• Must be able to pass a background check and drug screening

What we would like you to have (preferred): 

• Experience with Microsoft Office applications including Excel, PowerPoint, Word  
• Prior experience supporting, or participating in, utility-sponsored energy efficiency or demand response programs
• Experience with customer management and engagement
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment while maintaining multiple deadlines with a client-first mindset  
• General understanding of state and federal initiatives related to energy  
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal and written communication skills 
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capabilities 
• Familiarity with PowerBI, SharePoint, Teams

Compensation: Although the posted range below is broader, this position is anticipated to offer a base salary up to $65,000 annually. Actual compensation may vary based on the candidate’s location, experience, and