Job Application for Director of Program Management, Utility Partnerships at Sparkfund

About Sparkfund

Sparkfund is the deployment services company utilities rely on to take DERs from grid edge to grid core.

With over a decade of experience as a utility services company, Sparkfund has pioneered a smarter approach to deploying distributed assets as part of a fast-growing grid. Through its Distributed Capacity Procurement (DCP) model, Sparkfund enables utilities to plan, deploy, and dispatch DERs at the scale and pace necessary to meet load growth demand and unlock the full value of the grid. We support program design, assessment of DER grid value, host engagement, and value chain management to ensure on-time, on-budget deployment of distributed resources with maximum grid value and lowest cost.

With more than 3,500 projects deployed across 43 states and more than 300MW of energized assets constructed, Sparkfund is transforming buildings into a valuable extension of the grid for the benefit of our society.

Position Summary

Sparkfund is hiring an experienced Program Manager to lead governance and manage the day-to-day relationship between Sparkfund and our Enterprise Utility Client. In this strategic and highly visible role, you'll be accountable for driving the success of this critical partnership. Key responsibilities include strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and communication, internal initiative prioritization, cross-functional coordination, proactive risk identification and mitigation, operational setup, ongoing management, and comprehensive reporting.

Initially reporting to the VP of Deployment during the launch phase of our client partnership, this Senior Manager- or Director-level role will transition to a matrixed reporting structure under the VP of Governance & Operations, reflecting its critical importance within Sparkfund’s growing organization. This position is ideal for an experienced professional adept at navigating complex stakeholder environments, driving strategic alignment, and directly contributing to business development and organizational growth.

Location and Travel

Sparkfund is a remote-friendly company with a digital workplace built around emerging hub-offices; however applicants for this role must be based in, or near, Minneapolis, MN. There will be required travel up to 10% of the time, including meetings within the Minneapolis, Denver, and Washington, DC areas as well as meetings in other parts of the continental US to be determined. These meetings may include visits to utility customer offices and project sites as well as scheduled team and company gatherings to collaborate with other members of the team / company, learn the ins and outs of our business, and contribute to our company culture.

Please note that this role may require evening and weekend hours to ensure coverage at stakeholder meetings and events as necessary.

Key Responsibilities

Lead overall program management and governance for the Enterprise Utility Client.
Act as the primary day-to-day point of contact for the Utility Client, managing execution and interactions across key client functions, including distribution planning, distribution engineering, customer programs, key accounts, customer service, regulatory, capital projects, and strategy.
Coordinate cross-functionally with Sparkfund’s core teams, including deployment, governance, operations, growth, value chain management, finance and accounting, among others.
Track and report on schedule, budget, and performance KPIs across the Sparkfund team, vendors and partners, and client leadership.
Ensure timely, budget-conscious, and high-quality deployment of distributed energy resources through the program.
Support Sparkfund’s Deployment team in establishing, automating, and streamlining progress reporting toward milestones and deliverables.
Proactively anticipate and manage troubleshooting efforts across Sparkfund, vendors and partners, and client teams.
Collaborate with deployment and growth teams to continuously refine processes, tools, and team management based on program performance data and insights.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Proven experience in managing regulatory, pilot, or capital projects, preferably valued over $50 million and within the electric power industry.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain collegial, productive, collaborative relationships across both small and large organizations, both within energy utilities and startups.
Deep commitment to ensuring client and stakeholder success.
Strong operational discipline, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple competing priorities.
Demonstrated agility in switching contexts across corporate cultures, workflows, and communication styles efficiently and effectively.
Competency in utilizing cloud-based and software tools including Salesforce, Google Workspace, Slack, Teams, and project management platforms.
Skilled in crafting and delivering impactful presentations to stakeholders at various organizational levels, including executives.
Excellent communication skills—written, verbal, and listening—and keen attention to detail.
A genuine passion for Sparkfund’s mission and a strong commitment to addressing climate change.

Benefits

For full-time positions:

Competitive compensation and stock option plans - we believe in shared ownership

The anticipated On-Target Earnings (OTE) for this position is between $150,000 - $300,000 per year.

Comprehensive benefits package including medical, vision, and dental insurance as well as disability and life insurance
401(k) plan with a 2% employer match
Flexible vacation policy encouraging strong work life balance and paid time away. We also observe all federal holidays
Alternating 4 day weeks, with every other Friday off
12 weeks gender-neutral paid leave for caregivers when they have a new addition to their families and an additional 4 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents
A one-time, work-from-home stipend to help cover any equipment, hardware, etc. you need to set up your remote office
A monthly allowance of $100 to help cover phone and WiFi expenses

We Want You To Know

You can be a great candidate even if you don't fit everything we've described above. You can also have important skills we haven't thought of. If that's you, don't hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself. We are dedicated to environmental stewardship, and recognize we need diverse perspectives to successfully tackle this massive challenge. To change the world, we must first change ourselves, which is why Sparkfund has created a space that sources viewpoints from people who look and think differently.

We are committed to diversity and building an equitable and inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and experiences, and we're taking steps to meet that commitment. Sparkfund is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Sparkfund will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records consistent with federal, state, and local legal requirements.

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Director of Program Management, Utility Partnerships