JOB SUMMARY:

This leader will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Nicor Gas Energy Assistance team responsible for ensuring income-eligible customers can access and fully benefit from available federal, state, local, and company-sponsored bill payment assistance program grants. In this role, the successful candidate will lead efforts to help design and enhance programs and processes to drive results through increased customer enrollments. In addition, this candidate will foster and maintain relationships with local community action agencies, and other key internal and external stakeholders focused on the same mission of increasing affordability solutions for economically vulnerable communities in need. This candidate also will support strategies and solutions for the development of policies, procedures, and actions required for operational improvements and decision making in response to energy assistance activities for compliance and effectiveness.

MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage the day-to-day of the Energy Assistance Team by overseeing work responsibilities that help ensure income-eligible customers can fully maximize available bill payment assistance program benefits

• Help to influence and support the strategic vision and direction for the Energy Assistance Team and how they perform their work on behalf of the company and with the best interest of customers being top of mind

• Leverage data analytics to identify customers eligible for bill payment assistance programs as well as analyze performance of programs to determine how to modify, if needed, to reach more eligible customers

• Be an advocate for federal and state financial assistance programs, such as the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

• Manage day-to-day relationships with key internal stakeholder groups/departments and state and local agencies by building and maintaining healthy relationships that foster new or improved opportunities to better serve customers

• Oversee processes for collecting, tracking, and maintaining energy assistance dollars as well as reconciling energy assistance payments for accuracy and auditing

• Influence development and execution of an Energy Assistance strategy to help educate company employees, especially frontline customer service and field employee, and customers about available bill payment assistance resources.

• Participate in public and company planned events, including customer-facing events, that help connect customers to available bill payment assistance programs.

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, as well as company policies related to energy assistance programs.

• Ensure all financial transactions are documented correctly and that records of program activities are accurate, organized and accessible for review.

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

• 3 to 5 years of prior leadership experience required

• Bachelor’s degree in related field preferred or equivalent academic, education and work experience

• 5+ years of customer experience/ credit & collections/ billing/ energy assistance/utility experience performing duties noted above with progressive responsibility

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Strong interpersonal skills Strong analytical skills

• Strong critical thinking and decision-making skills

• Strong aptitude for working with numbers, ability to quickly understand, interpret, and reconcile financial data

• Ability to work with diverse internal and external teams and understand the needs of low-income customers

• Expertise in CC&B

Preferred:

• Demonstrated experience building relationships, collaborating, influencing, and creating leadership buy-in

• Demonstrated experience working with federal, state and local organizations who assist income-eligible customers

• Demonstrated experience with customer-focused regulatory and/or technology projects

• Demonstrated experience with process improvement, specifically leading projects from initiation to completion

• Strong technical acumen, with ability to solve complex problems

• Bilingual skill is a plus

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

Some business travel (5 – 20% travel): The incumbent will be required to travel to the various company sites and meetings. Trips may require air travel and/or overnight stay from home for one or more nights.

Disclaimer:

This information describes the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this job. The description is not designed to be a comprehensive inventory of duties, responsibilities and qualifications required in the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to qualified disabled individuals for performance of essential duties and responsibilities

About Southern Company Gas

Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.2 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states and approximately 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com .

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million residential and commercial customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy infrastructure company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network, and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience, and sustainability, we are taking action to meet our customers’ and communities’ needs while advancing our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have earned the company national awards and recognition from numerous organizations, including Forbes, Military Times, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, J.D. Power, Fortune, Human Rights Campaign and more. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.

Southern Company is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Job Identification: 6519

Job Category: Customer Service

Job Schedule: Full time

Company: Nicor Gas