Job Description

The purpose of this position is to provide leadership and direction for the credit, collection, remittance, and energy assistance operations across Southern Company Gas's four regulated utilities. The incumbent is responsible for setting long-term strategies and overseeing these functions, ensuring regulatory compliance, optimizing operational processes, and driving strategic initiatives to support the company's goals. This role involves developing policies and procedures for credit, collections, remittance, and energy assistance operations, as well as implementing and supporting strategic plans to meet senior leadership and regulatory bodies expectations. A core aspect of this role is fostering a culture of innovation within the team and throughout the organization. This role is expected to champion creative problem-solving and encourage the development of new approaches for improving operational efficiency, enhancing customer experience, and anticipating industry trends.

Key responsibilities include leading the team to process over 30 million payments totaling over $3 billion annually and setting and executing strategies to manage collection activities and bad debt for nearly three million regulated utility customers. This role leads the organization’s efforts to develop and promote approximately $50 million in bill payment assistance programs, focusing on customer needs.

The incumbent must ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances; maintain regulatory relationships; and serve as the lead on regulatory matters. Additionally, the incumbent will participate in and provide data and operational insights to support rate cases, such as cost of service and infrastructure needs. They will manage an operating budget of approximately $25 million and lead a team of over 60 employees across multiple locations.

Functional Expertise:

• Develop and maintain performance metrics to enhance departmental effectiveness.
• Maintain proficiency in credit policies, risk assessment, and credit to ensure company manages its exposure to bad debt.
• Ensure the delivery of services aligns with federal, state, and agency guidelines for each LDC jurisdiction.
• Develop and communicate an annual collections plan for each utility to optimize recovery and maintain financial health.
• Identify and track required collection practices to maintain recovery prudency and regulatory standards in each state
• Possess understanding of rate-making processes and principles to support strategic decision-making and compliance.
• Collaborate with regulatory and finance teams to align credit and payment functions with rate-making strategies.
• Maintain strong regulatory relationships and ensure compliance with energy assistance, credit and payment policies and practices, interpret and influencing regulatory rules as necessary.
• Proven leadership experience with a track record of driving innovation and strategic change

Business Acumen:

• Design and implement comprehensive credit, collection, remittance, and payment strategies, considering both external and internal influences.
• Develop payment strategy to enhance the user experience while maintaining high standards of quality, compliance, and cost-effectiveness across Southern Company Gas
• Establish and refine policies and procedures for credit, collection, remittance, and payment, covering areas such as deposits, payment arrangements, credit scoring, and remittance functions
• Develop strategies for Energy Assistance programs, including LIHEAP, state and local initiatives and company sponsor programs.
• Develop Collections strategy to improve the user experience while maintaining high standards of quality, compliance and cost effectiveness across Gas.
• Implement actions to reduce outstanding accounts receivables.

Engagement:

• Collaborate with the leadership team to generate reports, review and analyze program performance, and develop partnerships with external organizations and utility companies.
• Work closely with the leadership team to generate and analyze reports on program performance and outcomes.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with peers across Southern Company to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing. Communicate insights and recommendations to drive strategic decisions and operational improvements.
• Establish and nurture relationships with energy assistance agencies to enhance support for customers in need.
• Coordinate efforts with agencies to streamline processes and improve access to energy assistance programs.
• Engage with stakeholders, including customers, vendors, and internal teams, to build strong relationships and support business objective.

Driving Results:

• Driving operational results by providing strategic leadership, ensuring cross-functional collaboration, managing risks, and engaging with stakeholders to ensure company's objectives and regulatory requirements are met.
• Provide strategic leadership to drive operational excellence in credit, collection, and payment processing function.
• Ensure cross-functional collaboration with other departments to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
• Manage risks associated with credit and collection activities, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and company policies.
• Foster a high-performance culture by motivating and coaching employees to achieve their full potential
• Oversee the performance management process, including setting performance goals, conducting evaluations, and providing feedback and development opportunities.
• Evaluate operational results regularly and take corrective action as needed to ensure targets are met.
• Monitor performance metrics and implement improvements to enhance service delivery and customer satisfaction

Education, Certifications/Licenses:

Required:

• BA/BS degree in business, accounting, economics, technology or similar fields, or equivalent work experience

Preferred:

• MBA

Related Work Experience:

Required:

• 7-10 years of customer care, credit/collections or operations experience with utilities or similar industry. Previous director level or higher management success

Preferred:

• 7-10 years credit and collections experience with utilities or similar industry

Specific Skills & Knowledge:

Required:

• Organizational development knowledge
• Strong ability to identify and implement innovative solutions
• Ability to manage multiple departments
• Handling ambiguous problems
• Managing other leaders
• Strategic Planning and Financial Calculations
• Strong Relationship Building
• Financial background
• Proficient understanding of technology systems and processes
• Excellent customer service skills
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to foster cross-departmental innovation

Preferred:

• Project Management skills
• Regulatory experience

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

Some business travel (10 – 30% travel): The incumbent will be required to travel to the various company sites and to conferences 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 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 solutions provider 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 customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas 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 has been recognized by a variety of organizations, earning the company awards and recognitions that reflect Our Values and dedication to service. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com

Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees and health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s). A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here https://seo.nlx.org/southernco/pdf/SOCO-Benefits.pdf Additional and specific details about total compensation and benefits will also be provided during the hiring process.

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.