ASCEND Program Information

Southern Company is committed to building the future of energy for the customers who depend on us, the communities we serve and the industry we lead. The ASCEND program will transform how we do business, helping us elevate the customer experience, adapt to industry changes, and implement technology that offers new capabilities with more agility. It will involve implementing multiple applications, including the replacement of our meter data management (MDM) and customer service systems (CSS) with a new, Oracle customer information system (CIS) called customer to meter (C2M). Additionally, it includes implementing an advanced analytics platform (AAP), customer experience (CX) and customer engagement platform (CEP).

The new platform, to be rolled out to Alabama Power, Georgia Power, and Mississippi Power, will be implemented in phases over the next four years. Currently, we are building an ASCEND organization dedicated to helping the electric operating companies realize the vision for a modernized, efficient, digital customer experience to deeply engage with our customers and provide a more personalized experience. ASCEND will be one of the most comprehensive Customer Service and Marketing transformation initiatives in our company’s history.

Each Leader, Technology (CIS/MDM) position is responsible for the oversight, management, and delivery of critical activities within the Technology Workstream required for the program.

Click here for more information about the CIS project and to view FAQs.

The location for this position is flexible between Atlanta, Birmingham, or Gulfport.

The successful candidate will remain an employee of the operating company while reporting to the CIS/MDM Project Team and may report to a SCS or operating company leader for delivery. There will be alignment for technology employees to the technology leaders and business employees to business leaders.

JOB SUMMARY:   

The Project Manager will manage one or more projects (workstreams) within a large program. This Project Manager is responsible for assembling the project team, developing the work plan, and managing expectations, deliverables and results of all project resources for the roles and activities defined in the plan. This role is responsible for tracking project milestones and making necessary adjustments to the project plan or resources to maintain commitments and drive towards program objectives. The Project Manager communicates project status and risks to all project and program stakeholders and manages the change process for each assigned project. This role will work closely with the Delivery Managers to ensure workstream objectives remain on track while identifying and communicating risks, issues, and decisions.

JOB REQUIREMENTS: (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills)

Bachelor’s degree in related field highly desirable.

A minimum of 5 years managing technology projects.

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred, not required.

Knowledge of PMI based project management competency areas and methodologies and experience applying these methods to manage projects.

Experience with Agile tools and methodologies.

Experience influencing and managing project teams without formal direct reporting relationships.

Demonstrated analytical skills to effectively manage activities related to budgeting, forecasting, schedule development, identifying dependencies and critical path, process management, risk management, quality control and reporting.

Proven organizational skills and demonstrated ability to adapt in a dynamic environment.

Demonstrated time management skills with the ability and determination to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.

Strong oral and written communication skills with experience leveraging these skills to interact with all levels of management.

High proficiency in Microsoft Office products, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Visio and MS Project.

Experience with Business Intelligence (BI) reporting tools, such as Power BI a plus.

Experience with using JIRA software a plus

MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Provide support to the Delivery Managers aligning workstream deliverables with program objectives.

Manage all project related aspects of a project team to determine and clarify scope and deliverables to devise and maintain a workable plan.

Serve as project communication clearing house for all formal project status reporting. 

Develop and maintain project management artifacts throughout the project lifecycle 

Identify and manage risks at the workstream level and apply sound judgement working out mitigation and escalations strategies.

Collaborate and coordinate with project managers and scrum masters on related projects within the program.

Manage interaction between the customer, vendors, and the internal project team to ensure that appropriate relationships exist to produce positive outcomes.

Manage the project change control process, project estimating, monthly cost accounting, status reporting, RAID log items, and other project control processes in support of the program Quality Assurance plan.