Customer Account Specialist

Job Title

This is an open position with Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp.

This is a full-time, on-site position located at either Painesville Concord or Akron (with travel to Painesville Concord at least once a week).

Summary

This position is responsible for activities that include reliability and power quality performance, new business relationships and customer satisfaction.

This entails, but is not limited to, growing profit margins through new business support, providing customers guidance on efficient electric usage options, supporting the storm process, administering operating company tariffs and regulations, maintaining the customer database system, seeking alternative solutions, and implementing improvements to achieve corporate goals.

Responsibilities

Customer Engagement & Representation

• Serve as the primary point of contact and liaison for FirstEnergy managed customers, embodying the company's values and commitment to service.
• Deliver superior customer experience through proactive, personalized engagement with managed Commercial & Industrial (C&I) customers and community stakeholders.
• Act as a trusted advisor and point of contact for managed customers, ensuring their needs are understood and addressed effectively. Maintaining customer confidentiality.

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.
• Acting as project manager for construction projects, facilitating the expansion of additional product lines to be offered, and communicating the various regulated products and services available to our customers.
• Cultivate high-impact relationships across all levels of customer organizationsfrom operational teams to executive leadershipto strengthen strategic alignment, enhance collaboration, and drive long-term business value.
• Identify opportunities to drive load growth and capital investment through strategic partnerships and tailored energy solutions.

Communication & Relationship Building

• Bridge communication between FirstEnergy and its customers, translating technical and organizational information into actionable insights for customer retention, attraction, and expansion projects
• Foster collaboration across internal departments to support customer initiatives and infrastructure development, including but not limited to Local Engagement, Economic Development, National Accounts, Engineering, Legal, Rates, and Billing
• Represent customer interests in internal planning and decision-making processes.
• Works with Lines, Substation, DCC and ACC organizations to schedule work in accordance with customer priorities.
• Works in conjunction with Business Services and Billing to ensure accurate and timely billing for customer work requests.

Organizational Knowledge & Technical Insight

• Utilize deep organizational insight to navigate internal structures and advocate for customer priorities, ensuring seamless integration of customer needs into business operations.
• Apply industry expertise and technical acumen to deliver tailored guidance that supports complex customer initiatives and drives mutual value.
• Engage cross-functional teamsincluding legal, engineering, operations, and regulatoryto strategically align internal capabilities with customer project goals, timelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Will become proficient in the following technical areas:
• Distribution/Transmission Interconnection process.
• Shepherd the customer through the full Transmission Connection lifecycle process.
• Gain working knowledge of the purpose, function and operating characteristics of electrical equipment and systems. (i.e., substation, overhead lines, underground lines) as well as working knowledge of construction methods, maintenance practices, service practices, standards and procedures. Provide technical support to customers for both distribution and transmission services.

Customer Focus & Issue Resolution

• Leverage emotional intelligence and strategic problem-solving to effectively resolve complex customer challenges related to reliability, energy efficiency, and load growth ensuring outcomes that align with both customer expectations and business objectives.
• Maintain a composed, solutions-focused presence during high-impact or sensitive engagements, reinforcing trust and confidence in FirstEnergy's commitment to customer success.
• Assist the FirstEnergy economic development group in the identification, coordination, and management of potential projects, site visits, or expansions within the service territory.
• Strategic Planning - Develop and execute strategic plans to address and resolve issues to preserve/enhance relationships with large business customers.
• Coordinate between customer and FirstEnergy the scheduling and technical requirements for planned maintenance outages, transmission and distribution construction projects, and emergency scheduled repairs.
• Work closely with engineering, construction, Energy Control Center, Distribution Control Center, and other key internal departments to ensure that customer expectations are met in a timely manner with consistent communications.
• Serve as a resource to assigned internal cross-functional teams to assist in developing solutions to large business customers' needs

Project Collaboration & Infrastructure Support

• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to support infrastructure development and customer-driven project initiatives on Transmission and Distribution level customers.
• Monitor project progress providing timely updates to customers, facilitate communication, and ensure timely delivery of services and solutions. May act as project lead for complex

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Engineering, Engineering technology, or a related field preferred.
• 3 to 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in engineering, design, customer relations, technical support, or economic development. In lieu of a degree, 5-7 years of related experience.
• Customer relationship management and engagement.
• Economic and business development.
• Problem-solving and strategic decision-making.
• Customer facing technical or engineering roles.
• Project Management
• Demonstrated problem solving skills and customer service.

Skills & Competencies

• Analytical Skills: Ability to manage medium to large commercial accounts, analyze data using tools such as Excel, CRM/SAP, Power BI, QlikView, etc.
• Communication: Excellent oral and written communication skills to effectively interact with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Leadership & Teamwork: Exceptional relationship management, leadership, and collaboration skills.
• Technology Proficiency: Strong skills in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word), SAP/CRM, GIS View, MS Dynamics, FLEX, CREWS, and other customer databases.
• Process Improvement: Demonstrated initiative in identifying and implementing process improvements.
• Public Relations: Outstanding skills in building relationships across a diverse background of individuals at various levels of an organization.
• Understanding of/or ability to quickly learn about filed rate tariffs, deregulation, and special contracts.
• Working knowledge of company policies, electrical systems, billing, collections, outage history, and power quality issues.
• Additional Requirements:
• Ability to work independently with minimal direction and broad discretion to meet strategic objectives.
• Availability to work extended hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, during emergencies or storms with little notice.
• Commitment to ethical standards, confidentiality, and a safety-first mindset.

Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity

At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.

Safety Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co