Principal Project Manager

JOB SUMMARY

This position will lead efforts to strengthen Georgia Power’s strategic planning capabilities in two priority areas: transmission interconnection planning and long-range distribution/substation capacity planning. It will also lead and be involved in complementary efforts such as but not limited to process updates, long-term resource forecasting, and related technology integration to achieve these desired business outcomes.

Georgia continues to grow rapidly, and this role will focus on developing the next evolution in business practices to continue to successfully and proactively plan to meet this growth safely, reliably, and affordably. Meeting this demand not only requires enhanced strategic planning capabilities, but also a keen focus on bringing experience to developing workforce. Beyond leading strategic planning efforts, this role will also have an expectation to provide technical guidance in related planning functions for a range of employees including leadership.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• This role will report to the Planning & Policy General Manager and is expected to work independently 80% of the time by working closely with other leaders to identify needs and develop plans and recommendations that align with the identified business needs below.
• Provide strategic planning guidance across multiple planning disciplines to develop strategic planning capabilities that do not exist within the Company today – specifically in the areas of transmission interconnections planning (IP) and long-term distribution and substation capacity planning.
• Lead coordination among stakeholders and other partners that need to be involved in the planning and project development stages, including but not limited to departments such as Transmission, Distribution, Generation, Land, and others.
• Provide technical guidance and leadership to both young engineers as well as other leadership within Transmission & Distribution. This role will specifically provide technical training and knowledge transfer for engineers and will lead the development of business cases, recommendations, and process development to support identified critical planning needs on behalf of the Grid Transformation organization.
• Identify and develop recommendations for complementary efforts needed to achieve primary business objectives such as but not limited to process updates, long-term resource forecasting, and related technology integration. 
• Transmission interconnections planning:
  • Guiding the development of solutions in complex substation configurations that enable safe and reliable interconnection capabilities that also balance the many constraints at points of interconnection. 
  • Close coordination with partner organizations including the Transmission Project Management Organization, Transmission Planning, and Generation Development (among others) to ensure timely, accurate, and creative solutions in response to study requests
  • Guide RFP processes and execution in support of Company-Owned Proposals to ensure strategic configurations and compliance obligations are secured.
• Long-term distribution and substation capacity planning:
  • Close coordination with partner organizations including Network Underground, Transmission Project Management, Transmission Planning, and Land (among others) to create processes and produce recommendations on planning projects that should be considered for strategic investments that unlock grid capacity and enhance reliability
  • Establish metrics and criteria for consideration in a long-term, comprehensive distribution and substation capacity plan for areas of load growth, supporting prioritization, sequencing, and a phased investment roadmap
  • Develop and compare technically feasible alternatives and deliver clear, regulatory-defensible documentation and presentations that define system needs, alternatives considered, and the rationale for recommended solutions
  • Evaluate cost allocation methodologies needed to support long-term plans and develop new methodologies as needed to support new planning approaches
  • Coordinate project plans with internal teams and local city agencies to proactively identify project dependencies, conflicts, optimal work windows, and right-of-way/land strategy requirements.
  • Update planning assumptions and criteria as projects progress, incorporating new information from internal stakeholders and city coordination

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in the energy sector, utilities, infrastructure, or large‑scale project delivery.
• 5+ years of project management experience with an emphasis on complex projects across transmission and distribution grid infrastructure.
• 3+ years supporting generation interconnections, with experience in RFP processes for procuring generation capacity.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating complex, cross‑functional initiatives with significant safety and reliability implications.
• Strong understanding of transmission and distribution systems, grid operations, and interconnection requirements.

SKILLS, ABILITIES & LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES

• Proven ability to lead large projects, develop strategy, and execute in a highly regulated, safety‑critical environment.
• Strong systems thinking with the ability to balance demand growth with grid reliability and compliance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of engaging department leaders, technical teams, and customers.
• Ability to build consensus, manage conflict, and drive decisions across organizational boundaries.
• High judgment, accountability, and comfort operating with ambiguity during rapid growth.