Manager, Customer Accounts- PA

FirstEnergy at a Glance

We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers’ lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.

FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.

About the Opportunity

This is an open position with the FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. 

This position reports to the Director, Customer Accounts and Local Engagement. The preferred reporting location is either Greensburg or Reading, but the selected candidate may report anywhere in the Pennsylvania Electric Company footprint. 

Summary:

The Manager of Customer Accounts is a leadership position responsible for managing the Customer Account Department within a state. The incumbent is responsible for management and implementation of the regional and corporate operational strategy and also for providing leadership and strategic direction for the Customer Accounts team.

The Customer Accounts team is responsible for both internal and external key commercial and industrial customers, managing the new business process for billing / rate issues, power quality, administering energy efficiency programs, customer rate calculations, rebills, revenue protection, rate verifications, and numerous complex customer issues. The team is tasked with shepherding large load customers through the Transmission Connection Process (Detailed Load Study Agreement, Detailed Load Study, Construction Agreement, securing Letter of Credit, etc.)  from beginning to end.  The team supports multiple internal teams including, but not limited to, Economic Development, Local Engagement, Transmission Protection & Planning, Engineering, Project Management, Legal, Line Department, Substation, Meter and Revenue Operations.  The team coordinates executive level customer engagement between Senior Operations Management and Customer Executives, provides guidance to the Customer Advocacy Group and provides research on customer trends to the Market Research and Business Finance Departments to help forecast customer consumption for budgeting purposes. 

This position will provide direction and leadership from the following perspectives:

Customer Engagement & Representation:

• Developing strategic business relationships with large commercial and industrial customers.
• Exceeding customer expectations by being accessible and responsive to customers’ needs.
• Displaying confidence during customer interactions while instilling trust and loyalty.
• Consulting with customers to assess needs, build consensus, and obtain results.
• Providing information to customers to allow them to make the best business decisions.
• Ensuring that all employees remain focused on providing excellent service and making sound business decisions.
• Continually seek opportunities to increase customer satisfaction and broaden/deepen relationships. Anticipate customers’ needs and propose alternative solutions when necessary.
• Championing customer satisfaction initiatives across utility operations.
• Demonstrating exceptional problem-solving skills to resolve complex customer and company issues including complex regulatory (pricing/rate increases) and reliability issues.
• Developing and implementing initiatives to improve results.

Technical Account Management:

• Responsible for the relationship of FirstEnergy’s most complex, high-value, and large load Commercial & Industrial accounts, driving strategic engagement, customer satisfaction, and sustainable load growth through custom solutions and long-term partnership development.
• Shepard large load customers through the Transmission Connection Process (DLSA/DLS/Construction Agreement) from beginning to end. 
• Working with Operations, Distribution and Transmission Engineering, Project Management, Rates, Legal, FERC/Wholesale Connection, Real Estate, Energy Efficiency, Billing, and external customers.
• Develop, obtain approval of, and execute all agreements required to connect new transmission service.
• Develop the cost allocation matrix for upper management’s review of large transmission projects. 
• Coordinate between customer and FirstEnergy the scheduling and technical requirements for planned maintenance outages, transmission and distribution construction projects, and emergency scheduled repairs.