ASCEND PROGRAM INFORMATION

Southern Company is committed to building the future of energy for the customers who depend on us, the communities we serve and the industry we lead. The ASCEND program will transform how we do business, helping us elevate the customer experience, adapt to industry changes, and implement technology that offers new capabilities with more agility. It will involve implementing multiple applications, including the replacement of our meter data management (MDM) and customer service systems (CSS) with a new, Oracle customer information system (CIS) called customer to meter (C2M). Additionally, it includes implementing an advanced analytics platform (AAP), customer experience (CX) and customer engagement platform (CEP).
The new platform, to be rolled out to Alabama Power, Georgia Power, and Mississippi Power, will be implemented in phases over the next four years. Currently, we are building an ASCEND organization dedicated to helping the electric operating companies realize the vision for a modernized, efficient, digital customer experience to deeply engage with our customers and provide a more personalized experience. ASCEND will be one of the most comprehensive Customer Service and Marketing transformation initiatives in our company’s history.
Each Leader, Technology (CIS/MDM) position is responsible for the oversight, management, and delivery of critical activities within the Technology Workstream required for the program.
Click here for more information about the CIS project and to view FAQs.
The location for this position is flexible between Birmingham or Atlanta.
The successful candidate will remain an employee of the operating company while reporting to the CIS/MDM Project Team and may report to a SCS or operating company leader for delivery. There will be alignment for technology employees to the technology leaders and business employees to business leaders

ABOUT US

Southern Company is upgrading its Customer Information System (CIS) to better serve 4.6 million electricity customers. The new system leverages Databricks’ lakehouse architecture and Azure’s cloud services to enhance data management, streamline reporting, and empower advanced analytics, data science, and artificial intelligence initiatives.
Alongside these modern tools, we are assembling an agile and collaborative data management practice focused on delivering business-aligned objectives through robust, accurate, and scalable data products and features. Our innovative customer data solutions prioritize strong governance, regulatory compliance, and user-centric design, driving exceptional customer experiences and operational excellence.
The Customer Data Platform (CDP) is a data lake house built atop Databricks within Microsoft’s Azure cloud. Information relative to Southern Company’s customers is managed in CDP to produce data products and features used for customer and partner facing data projects, reporting, and analytics. CDP rapidly puts Southern Company’s customer information to work towards the achievement of the greatest value for our customers and shareholders.
Job Summary
We are seeking an experienced and dedicated agile development Product Owner to lead the product development lifecycle of our data lake house. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in customer information systems, cloud platforms (specifically Azure), data engineering, and data analytics. This role will involve working closely with cross-functional teams to define and prioritize product features, ensuring the successful delivery of a scalable, secure, and high-performance data lake house that meets the needs of our business and customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and prioritize the product backlog for the data lake house on Databricks in Azure, ensuring alignment with business objectives and customer needs.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to gather requirements, develop user stories, and create detailed product specifications.
• Work closely with development teams to ensure clear understanding of product features and requirements.
• Actively participate in Agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate product progress, making adjustments as necessary to ensure timely and successful delivery.
• Develop and enforce best practices for data governance, data management, and data lifecycle processes.
• Collaborate with IT, business units, and third-party vendors to ensure seamless integration and operation of the data lake house.
• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in data engineering and analytics.
• Communicate product status, risks, and issues to senior management and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Data Science, or a related field (master’s degree preferred).
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in product management, data engineering, or related roles, with at least 2 years in an Agile product owner position.
• Proven experience with Databricks, Azure Data Lake, Azure Synapse, and other relevant Azure services.
• Strong understanding of data warehousing, ETL/ELT processes, and data modeling.
• Experience with big data technologies such as Apache Spark, Delta Lake, and related frameworks.
• Excellent project management skills, with a track record of delivering complex data projects on time and within budget.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the electric utility industry is a plus.

Preferred Skills

• Certification in data management or analytics (e.g., CDMP, CBIP).
• Experience with machine learning and advanced analytics techniques.

Behavioral Attributes

• Opportunistic Drive - Committed to delivering technology solutions that help Southern Company achieve their business imperatives and driven to identify opportunities to do so within the solutions, information and data we’re stewards of.
• Positive Can-Do Attitude – Must be willing to take full responsibility for duties and work effectively under the pressure of deadlines and shifting priorities.
• Self-Starter – Able to work in a professional environment with limited direct supervision.
• Results-Oriented – Acts with speed and decisiveness; takes initiative does what it takes to meet commitments.
• Safety Focused – Accepts responsibility for the safety of yourself and co-workers.
• Commitment to continuous learning and improvement – Stays abreast of new technologies and techniques in the market; Looks for opportunities improve through strategy and innovation.

• Define and prioritize the product backlog for the data lake house on Databricks in Azure, ensuring alignment with business objectives and customer needs.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to gather requirements, develop user stories, and create detailed product specifications.
• Work closely with development teams to ensure clear understanding of product features and requirements.
• Actively participate in Agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate product progress, making adjustments as necessary to ensure timely and successful delivery.
• Develop and enforce best practices for data governance, data management, and data lifecycle processes.
• Collaborate with IT, business units, and third-party vendors to ensure seamless integration and operation of the data lake house.
• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in data engineering and analytics.
• Communicate product status, risks, and issues to senior management and stakeholders