Account Executive

More than a Career - a Chance to Make a Difference in People's Lives

Build an exciting, rewarding career with us – help us make a difference for millions of people every day. Consider joining the Duke Energy team, where you'll find a friendly work environment, opportunities for growth and development, recognition for your work, and competitive pay and benefits.

Position Summary

The Account Executive is responsible for managing strategic issues and cultivating relationships with Duke Energy's largest and most complex commercial and industrial customers. This role focuses on enhancing customer satisfaction, strengthening key external partnerships, building customer advocacy, and identifying opportunities to grow earnings. In collaboration with internal teams, Account Executives develop and execute strategies that support the company's business objectives, policy priorities and reputation management efforts.

Responsibilities

Relationship and Issues Management

• Establish and maintain strong relationships at all levels within customer organizations to support long-term engagement and strategic alignment.
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of complex rate structures, billing options, demand response programs, and renewable options based upon their respective customer value propositions.
• Serve as lead negotiator and primary decision maker in resolving customer issues, ensuring timely and effective solutions.
• Own and manage the entire customer relationship, coordinating with internal departments, including senior leadership, to ensure alignment.
• Understand the customer's unique needs, strategic issues, business objectives and decision-making processes, and effectively communicate those needs internally to drive alignment and support.

Business & Economic Development

• Drive regional growth by partnering with the Duke Energy economic development team in identifying, coordinating, and managing potential new projects or expansions within the company's service territory.
• Drive earnings growth by proactively identifying and positioning technical products and service solutions that meet and exceed customer needs.
• Manage the sales process from initial needs assessment through solution delivery, coordinating internal cross-functional teams to ensure customer success.
• Coordinate and manage customer service projects and load growth opportunities.
• Actively promote the implementation and broad acceptance of the company's tools and services.

Strategic Planning

• Develop and execute strategic plans to proactively address and resolve issues, strengthening and preserving relationships with the company's large business customers.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the customer's business, key stakeholders and strategic initiatives to better anticipate needs and deliver value.
• Monitor and communicate market trends, forecasts, and external factors – such as environmental and regulatory developments – impacting large business customers, providing insights to internal stakeholders for strategic planning and forecasting.
• Develop and implement action plans for specific projects to achieve defined business objectives and customer outcomes.

Project Management

• Serve as the primary liaison between customers and internal teams to ensure timely delivery of solutions and alignment with customer expectations.
• Provide support during emergency and storm events by communicating outage information and restoration updates to customers.

Education and Policy Advocate

• Establish and maintain effective communication and education channels to keep customers informed and engaged.
• Serve as a liaison between the company and customer to communicate and educate on relevant regulatory and legislative matters.
• Prepare and present relevant information on emerging trends, technologies, and industry developments to customers, ensuring they remain informed and engaged.

Performance Management

• Develop and maintain technical and working knowledge of industrial processes and technologies used by large assigned customers that affect the energy delivery methods including all energy end uses.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive working knowledge of electric systems and components, including those associated with Duke Energy's transmission and distribution system, as well as the effect of the interface with the customer's systems.
• Serve as a resource to assigned internal cross-functional teams to assist in developing solutions to large business customers' needs.

Basic/Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree
• Five (5) years minimum required related experience
• In lieu of degree(s) and experience listed above, High School/GED AND eight (8) years minimum required related experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree
• Certified Energy Manager
• Professional Engineer
• Experience managing relationships with large and complex customers and/or key stakeholders
• Ability to develop results-oriented business relationships to influence the outcome of issues to effectively advance and/or position the corporation's business plans and objectives

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of electric distribution and transmission systems and grid operations
• Knowledge of customer-side energy distribution and energy-consuming systems and processes
• Excellent interpersonal skills including communication skills, presentation skills, conflict resolution and negotiation skills
• Business development experience
• Excellent judgment and decision-making skills
• Ability and flexibility to effectively manage and facilitate multiple projects and issues simultaneously
• Effective analytical, problem identification and resolution skills
• Ability to maintain composure and clarity of thought and purpose when confronted with highly stressful situations
• Ability to work in a team environment to coordinate resources in a matrixed organization to meet customer expectations
• Proven self-starter, with a results-oriented mindset, capable of taking initiative and driving tasks to completion with minimal supervision.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid Mobility Classification – Work will be performed from both remote and onsite locations after the onboarding period. However, hybrid employees should live within a reasonable daily commute to a Duke Energy facility.
• 3 days in office; flexible
• Ability to engage 24/7 for response and resolution of emergent customer needs including but not limited to power outages, emergent maintenance work, and major storm support.

Specific Requirements

• Have the knowledge and capability to pass the CEM certification test
• Valid driver's license

Travel Requirements

15-25%