Director of Program Management, Utility Partnerships

About Sparkfund

Sparkfund is an energy transition partner built to accelerate the energy transition by transforming the built environment into a productive, resilient, climate-adapted extension of the grid. We do this by partnering with utilities and building owners to provide program management, project implementation, and financing services and capabilities to our partners' customers. Together, we are creating a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable energy future. 

Position Summary 

Sparkfund is hiring an experienced Program Manager to lead governance and manage the day-to-day relationship between Sparkfund and our Enterprise Utility Client. In this strategic and highly visible role, you'll be accountable for driving the success of this critical partnership. Key responsibilities include strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and communication, internal initiative prioritization, cross-functional coordination, proactive risk identification and mitigation, operational setup, ongoing management, and comprehensive reporting.

Initially reporting to the VP of Deployment during the launch phase of our client partnership, this Senior Manager- or Director-level role will transition to a matrixed reporting structure under the VP of Governance & Operations, reflecting its critical importance within Sparkfund’s growing organization. This position is ideal for an experienced professional adept at navigating complex stakeholder environments, driving strategic alignment, and directly contributing to business development and organizational growth.

Location and Travel 

Sparkfund is a remote-friendly company with a digital workplace built around emerging hub-offices; however applicants for this role must be based in, or near, Minneapolis, MN. There will be required travel up to 10% of the time, including meetings within the Minneapolis, Denver, and Washington, DC areas as well as meetings in other parts of the continental US to be determined. These meetings may include visits to utility customer offices and project sites as well as scheduled team and company gatherings to collaborate with other members of the team / company, learn the ins and outs of our business, and contribute to our company culture.

Please note that this role may require evening and weekend hours to ensure coverage at stakeholder meetings and events as necessary.

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead overall program management and governance for the Enterprise Utility Client.
• Act as the primary day-to-day point of contact for the Utility Client, managing execution and interactions across key client functions, including distribution planning, distribution engineering, customer programs, key accounts, customer service, regulatory, capital projects, and strategy.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with Sparkfund’s core teams, including deployment, governance, operations, growth, value chain management, finance and accounting, among others.
• Track and report on schedule, budget, and performance KPIs across the Sparkfund team, vendors and partners, and client leadership.
• Ensure timely, budget-conscious, and high-quality deployment of distributed energy resources through the  program.
• Support Sparkfund’s Deployment team in establishing, automating, and streamlining progress reporting toward milestones and deliverables.
• Proactively anticipate and manage troubleshooting efforts across Sparkfund, vendors and partners, and client teams.
• Collaborate with deployment and growth teams to continuously refine processes, tools, and team management based on program performance data and insights.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Proven experience in managing regulatory, pilot, or capital projects, preferably valued over $50 million and within the electric power industry.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain collegial, productive, collaborative relationships across both small and large organizations, both within energy utilities and startups.
• Deep commitment to ensuring client and stakeholder success.
• Strong operational discipline, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple competing priorities.
• Demonstrated agility in switching contexts across corporate cultures, workflows, and communication styles efficiently and effectively.
• Competency in utilizing cloud-based and software tools including Salesforce, Google Workspace, Slack, Teams, and project management platforms.
• Skilled in crafting and delivering impactful presentations to stakeholders at various organizational levels, including executives.
• Excellent communication skills—written, verbal, and listening—and keen attention to detail.
• A genuine pass