Senior Program Manager, Market Development Initiatives

Company Overview

Founded in 2000, Walker-Miller Energy Services is a core-values driven company committed to changing lives through energy efficiency. We create and manage customized energy waste reduction programs that assist electric and gas utilities meet mandated energy savings goals.

Our experience driven philosophy of energy efficiency as economic development helps families and businesses save energy and save money. Through innovative, inclusive initiatives, we help build communities by creating local jobs, producing equitable energy savings for all rate payers, and spurring the growth of diverse local businesses.

Our operating philosophy is reflected in our core values. We refer to them as BEHIVE:

B - Boldly Go

E-Embracing Equity

H - Humble Confidence

I - Inclusive Stewardship

V - Value Reputation

E - Extraordinary Experience

The Senior Program Manager works directly with the assigned utility client and serves as the senior portfolio lead accountable for delivery across multiple workforce and industry-development programs. The role is responsible for ensuring client commitments are delivered within scope, schedule, and budget; leading program staff; coordinating internal and external partners; managing risks and issues; and driving performance and continuous improvement across the portfolio.

The ideal candidate is a dynamic, client-facing leader with strong program, financial, and people management experience and a passion for advancing equity and opportunity in sustainability-focused careers.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, based on operational needs.

• Embrace, operate and lead within our core values.
• Oversee multiple concurrent programs and cohorts within the assigned MDI utility portfolio, with accountability for scope, schedule, budget, performance, client commitments, and, when applicable, grant or philanthropic funding.
• Serves as the senior program lead for assigned utility program delivery, balancing timelines, staffing capacity, budget, risks, and cross-program dependencies.
• Manages full suite of program elements across the assigned portfolio:
• Recruitment, onboarding, training, placement, and follow-up for multiple cohorts and program pathways within the assigned utility portfolio.
• Integration of reporting across programs, ensuring data alignment for leadership dashboards.
• Coordinates larger partner networks (10-20+ active relationships with partners/vendors).
• Leads strategic employer, contractor, and partner engagement across the assigned utility portfolio.
• Designs or refines processes for efficiency and consistency across programs.
• Ensures compliance and performance tracking across diverse funding requirements.
• Serves as escalation point for Program Managers and other delivery staff.
• Partners with the Director of MDI and Finance to develop annual staffing and financial plans and monitor budget-to-actual performance, labor utilization, program expenses, and forecasted portfolio needs.
• Leads portfolio staffing and capacity planning, including hiring, onboarding, workload allocation, and performance management across Program Manager and Coordinator roles.
• Owns portfolio-level risk and issue management and escalates scope, schedule, budget, or performance concerns with recommended corrective actions.

• Manage direct reports and oversee the portfolio delivery team. This includes workforce planning, interviewing, onboarding, assigning work, completing performance evaluations, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and directing work.
• Complete and manage quarterly program performance evaluations with staff and client.
• Provide ongoing leadership to program staff, aligning priorities, client commitments, workload, communications, and cross-program dependencies to achieve portfolio goals.
• Lead and develop team members based on core values-driven culture that encourages top performance with compassion.
• Develop and implement strategies to meet participant, employer, contractor/service-provider, and other pipeline goals based on assigned program objectives.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the program’s strategic direction regarding energy efficiency and the business activities of its customers.
• Develop and oversee the processing of program paperwork through designated tracking systems.
• Coordinate with program evaluators to understand evaluation plans and communicate program procedures to staff.
• Be a member of several working groups that will coordinate the program with other organizations working in the program.
• Own portfolio-level KPI reporting and performance reviews, ensuring timely, accurate, and actionable reporting to the client and Walker-Miller leadership.
• Incorporate “best practice” methods of energy efficiency program implementation.
• Provide a professional appearance appropriate to represent both Walker-Miller and the client.
• Lead and attend relevant…