Senior Project Manager

Job Summary

The Senior Project Manager will be a key member of the Distributed Energy Resources (DER) leadership team, responsible for managing one or more DER programs from design through execution. This position may involve building new programs and/or overseeing existing offerings related to solar, energy storage, and building electrification. Responsibilities include program planning and design, coordination with internal teams and external partners, client management, and oversight of budgets, timelines, and deliverables. The role works closely with DER staff and cross-functional CSE teams, while managing subcontractors and engaging stakeholders. Strong experience in clean energy program design, the solar industry, and project finance is preferred. The ideal candidate brings a strong strategic perspective on the evolving clean energy landscape, paired with the operational rigor needed to deliver high-performing programs. 

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Program Design and Planning:

• Develop program goals, identify program strategies, determine program objectives and KPIs, in collaboration with clients, stakeholders and fellow CSE employees.
• Develop comprehensive program plans, including timelines, budgets, and resource allocation, and design program activities and interventions. 

Budgeting & Financial Management:

• Develop and manage program budgets, track expenditures, and ensure that programs are financially sustainable. 
• Create and deliver program invoices to clients and ensure timely payment of invoices.
• Report on program financial progress monthly to senior leadership.

Schedule Management

• Develop and manage program schedule and timelines, track progress against key milestones, and proactively address variances.

Client Management:

• Provide exemplary client service, acting as a primary point of contact to ensure transparency and trust. Maintain clear expectations around dependent deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities, and consistently communicate program progress, risks, and opportunities for improvement.

Implementation & Coordination:

• Oversee the implementation of program activities, coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, and ensure that programs are delivered effectively and efficiently. 

Evaluation & Documentation:

• Evaluate program effectiveness, collect data, and document program activities and outcomes, and make recommendations for program improvement. 
• Create and maintain program documentation, including manuals, reports, and presentations. 

Collaboration:

• Work with other professionals, including program managers, staff, and stakeholders, to ensure that programs are successful. 

Knowledge Management:

• Support knowledge management efforts to gather evidence on best practices and lessons learned. 

Staff Management:

• Supervise direct reports, if applicable, providing clear direction and offering to act as a sounding board. Supervision includes merit increase review and implementation of performance improvement plans, if needed.

Role Specific Responsibilities:

• Manages all aspects relating to successful implementation of assigned programs. Develops, implements and oversees detailed program policies and guidelines, team roles and responsibilities, budgets, and schedules. 
• Tracks and manages program activities and expenditures to ensure project deliverables are completed on time and within budget. Ensures accurate, timely billing of project activities. Continuously monitors project effectiveness and implements new approaches, as required. 
• Collaborates with internal and external teams in matters related to programmatic functions.
• Develops expertise in specific program requirements and technologies such as Handbook updates, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and other related programmatic items. Provides development of guidance, and internal procedures. For incentive programs, ensures Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) utilized by the application review team are clear, up to date and conform with evolving program rules and requirements. 
• Establishes goals for direct reports and monitors their progress. Ensures direct reports’ goals are achieved or exceeded. Meets weekly with direct reports to provide regular feedback and consistent communications. Conducts performance appraisals. Creates professional development opportunities.
• Supports the DER management team in managing the workflow of the assigned staff through the development of tools, reports, and metrics. Works with staff to ensure individual work of each team member is being completed on time and on budget. 
• Manages subcontractor and vendor relationships and contracts to ensure satisfactory completion of program activities. 
• Identifies key program needs and supports proposal development and develop projects to meet all contractual terms and conditions of assigned contracts.
• Creates project reports and presentations.
• Contributes data analysis and project reporting and prepares regular metric reports.
• Provides oversight and support for ad hoc escalated cases from the application review team with unique circumstances to ensure program requirements are met. Directs team decision making in unique cases in which program precedent may be set.  
• Develops and oversees execution of process improvement projects. 
• Contributes to CSE’s thought leadership and research.
• Supports the development and execution of processes and procedures related to quality assurance protocols and data confidentiality requirements. 
• Communicates regularly with the Distributed Energy Resources leadership team to provide status updates, report concerns, and recommend solutions and improvements.
• Takes strategic direction from the DER Director and Senior Director and proactively directs the team’s efforts based on that direction.
• Completes miscellaneous administrative duties, including time and leave management system for direct reports.
• Provides progressive discipline, coaching, and accountability when direct reports are not meeting goals or performance expectations in collaboration with DER Director and Senior Director.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Required

• Proven ability to deliver complex projects on time and within budget
• Strong client management and stakeholder engagement skills
• Confidence navigating competing priorities while upholding delivery excellence
• Proactive problem-solving and decision-making in dynamic environments
• Demonstrated proficiency in project management through all five phases (initiating, planning, execution, monitoring, closing).
• Successful project management of all six project constraints (scope, quality, scheduling, budget, resources, risk).
• Familiarity with concepts and frameworks for operations management and process improvements. 
• Deep experience with the DER industry, including understanding of project finance, key industry trends and stakeholder landscape, and the role of incentive programs, particularly related to solar, storage and building electrification technologies. 
• Familiarity with environmental justice and energy equity issues and best practices in making programs accessible to disadvantaged communities. 
• Demonstrated high-level of abilities of various computer software programs (e.g. project/budget management tools such as PM.com PowerBI) and fluency in using standard office software packages such as MS Office: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Extremely detail-oriented with exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to perform within required deadlines.
• Strong organizational, time management and planning skills. Ability to step back from day-to-day tasks to assess overarching project needs and timeframe to ensure tasks are approached in order of dependencies.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to operationalize concepts by translating them into concrete tasks, budgets and timelines.
• Ability to effectively handle multiple tasks, changing priorities, stressful situations and complex assignments.
• Ability to oversee other staff.
• Ability to take initiative, be proactive and work with minimal supervision.
• Curious, motivated, pro-active and a self-starter keen to solve problems.
• Ability to interact at the highest level of management, both internally and externally, in a constructive and collaborative manner and in way that appropriately represents CSE.

Preferred

• PMP certification or equivalent 
• Experience in clean energy industry
• Familiarity with distributed energy resource policies and landscape

Education:

• Bachelor's or equivalent required, master’s preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum 6 years relevant experience.

Licenses, Certificates or Registrations:

• PMP or equivalent preferred