IT DER Project Manager

Title: IT DER Project Manager

Location: Newark, NJ (3 days per week onsite)

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced IT DER Project Manager to support a critical Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Integration Program within a utility environment. This role will be responsible for managing end-to-end technology project delivery supporting DER initiatives, including solar, battery storage, EV charging infrastructure, microgrids, and related grid modernization efforts.

The Project Manager will lead project planning, governance, stakeholder engagement, vendor coordination, risk management, and cross-functional execution across Information Technology (IT), Operational Technology (OT), Utility Operations, Cyber Security, Testing, Architecture, and Business teams.

The ideal candidate will possess strong project management expertise combined with utility industry knowledge and a practical understanding of grid operations, distribution systems, DER technologies, and utility operational platforms such as ADMS, GIS, SCADA, OMS, and related integration technologies.

• Manage end-to-end delivery of DER Integration Program projects ensuring scope, schedule, budget, quality, and business objectives are achieved.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, schedules, milestones, RAID logs, status reports, and executive dashboards.
• Coordinate project activities across utility business units, IT teams, OT teams, cybersecurity, testing, architecture, infrastructure, vendors, and external partners.
• Facilitate project governance activities including steering committee meetings, executive reviews, risk reviews, and status reporting.
• Ensure adherence to PMO/EPMO standards, methodologies, governance processes, and reporting requirements.
• Lead stakeholder management activities across business, operational, and technical organizations.
• Facilitate requirements workshops, design reviews, process mapping sessions, and technical integration discussions.
• Coordinate system implementation, migration, upgrade, modernization, and integration activities supporting DER initiatives.
• Work closely with solution architects, SMEs, and engineering teams to ensure architectural alignment and operational readiness.
• Identify, track, and mitigate project risks, issues, dependencies, and constraints.
• Manage vendor deliverables, project timelines, escalations, and contractual commitments.
• Coordinate testing, deployment, cutover, training, and transition-to-support activities.
• Support regulatory-driven initiatives and technology roadmap execution.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment among executive leadership, business stakeholders, and technical teams.

• 8+ years of Project Management experience delivering enterprise technology initiatives.
• PMP Certification Required.
• Strong experience managing large-scale system implementations, integrations, upgrades, migrations, or modernization programs.
• Experience working within Electric Utility, Energy, Power, Smart Grid, or Critical Infrastructure environments.
• Strong understanding of project management disciplines including scope, schedule, budget, risk, quality, and change management.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent work streams in complex enterprise environments.
• Proven stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
• Strong vendor management experience.
• Experience supporting PMO and EPMO governance frameworks.
• Strong experience with Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, and enterprise PPM tools.
• Ability to manage cross-functional teams across business and technology organizations.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.