This position provides strategic leadership and governance for Southern Company Gas’ enterprise GIS and Asset Data organization. The Manager, GIS & Asset Data establishes direction for geospatial and asset data programs that support utility operations, engineering, compliance, construction, asset management, and regulatory objectives. The position partners with business organizations, technology teams, and external providers to ensure dependable asset information, safe operations, regulatory readiness, and informed business decisions.
MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategic Leadership and Organizational Management
- Establish the GIS and Asset Data strategy, operating model, service expectations, and technology roadmap.
- Lead and coordinate supervisors, employees, contractors, consultants, and managed-service resources.
- Build workforce capability through coaching, performance management, succession planning, knowledge transfer, and professional development.
- Promote safety, accountability, collaboration, customer service, continuous improvement, and innovation.
- Lead GIS and asset data standards, stewardship, quality, traceability, accessibility, and lifecycle management.
- Ensure processes and controls support dependable asset records and operational, engineering, compliance, and regulatory needs.
- Lead governance forums and facilitate decisions involving geospatial platforms, asset data, business processes, and system ownership.
Technology Strategy and Business Relationship Management
- Serve as a strategic liaison across GIS, Enterprise Asset Management, Operations, Engineering, Compliance, Construction, and Technology.
- Identify, evaluate, prioritize, and sponsor technology investments, system enhancements, integrations, and modernization initiatives.
- Guide requirements, solution alignment, testing oversight, readiness, communication, and adoption activities.
- Promote effective use of enterprise GIS, Maximo, analytics, mobility, automation, and related business platforms.
Financial, Vendor, and Portfolio Management
- Develop and manage departmental capital and O&M budgets, forecasts, accruals, expenditures, invoices, and financial reporting.
- Develop business cases and funding recommendations that align investments with operational, regulatory, and strategic priorities.
- Manage vendor relationships, sourcing activities, contracts, MSAs, SOWs, performance, and delivery commitments.
Program and Project Leadership
- Lead or sponsor GIS and asset data programs involving system upgrades, integrations, conversions, records modernization, data quality, and process improvement.
- Provide governance, risk management, issue resolution, stakeholder communication, and executive reporting for strategic initiatives.
- Ensure initiatives align with approved scope, schedule, budget, quality, compliance, and business outcomes.
Regulatory, Operational, and Customer Support
- Ensure GIS and asset data services support Operations, Engineering, Construction, DIMP, TIMP, Corrosion, Asset Protection, System Operations, and other internal customers.
- Support regulatory reporting, audits, records research, operational decision-making, incident response, and business continuity needs.
- Represent GIS and Asset Data in corporate, regulatory, vendor, and industry forums as appropriate.
WORKING CONDITIONS / PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Works primarily in an office or hybrid business environment.
- Periodic travel to operating companies, field locations, project sites, vendor locations, and industry conferences/meetings may be required.
- May periodically support urgent operational, compliance, system, or data issues outside normal business hours.
Education and Experience:
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in Geography/GIS, Geospatial Sciences, Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, Business, Asset Management, or a related discipline. 10 or more years of progressive experience in GIS, asset data management, utility operations, asset management, engineering support, or a related discipline.
- Five or more years of experience leading teams, programs, projects, vendors, or enterprise initiatives.
Preferred:
- Master’s degree in business administration, Geography/GIS, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field.
- Professional certification such as PMP, GISP, change management, or asset management.
- Applicant may possess a combination of equivalent education and work experience.
Related Work Experience:
Required:
- Experience leading enterprise GIS and asset data programs that support utility operations, engineering, compliance, construction, and asset management functions.
- Experience establishing geospatial and asset data strategy, governance, service priorities, performance measures, and technology roadmaps.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams that include employees, contractors, consultants, vendors, and managed-service providers.
- Experience developing business cases, funding requests, investment recommendations, and executive presentations.
- Experience developing and managing capital and O&M budgets, forecasts, accruals, invoices, and project expenditures.
- Experience managing vendor relationships, competitive sourcing activities, contracts, Master Service Agreements, and Statements of Work.
- Experience leading requirements gathering, business process analysis, solution design, business readiness, and technology adoption.
- Experience applying data governance, quality assurance, records management, and stewardship practices to enterprise asset information.
- Experience communicating complex business and technical matters to senior leaders, operational stakeholders, technology teams, and external partners.
- Experience prioritizing concurrent operational work, strategic initiatives, system enhancements, and customer commitments.
Preferred:
- Natural gas distribution or transmission utility experience.
- Experience with Esri Utility Network, Esri Utility Pipeline Data Model, ArcGIS Pro, and enterprise GIS modernization.
- Experience with integrated GIS and Enterprise Asset Management solutions, including Maximo Application Suite.
- Experience leading large-scale data migration, records modernization, asset digitization, or system-conversion initiatives.
- Knowledge of PHMSA part 192 requirements and utility asset recordkeeping, audit, and compliance practices.
- Experience applying analytics, automation, AI, and emerging technologies to improve data quality, operational efficiency, and customer service.
Specific Skills & Knowledge:
Required:
- Strategic planning, organizational leadership, talent development, succession planning, and performance management.
- Business relationship management, stakeholder engagement, facilitation, negotiation, and executive communication.
- Financial planning, budget management, forecasting, accruals, expenditure controls, and business case development.
- Vendor, contract, MSA, SOW, and portfolio management.
- Enterprise GIS strategy, architecture, governance, data lifecycle management, quality controls, and asset information stewardship.
- Esri ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, enterprise geodatabases, spatial analysis, and geoprocessing.
- Esri Utility Network and Utility and Pipeline Data Model.
- Enterprise Asset Management and work management concepts, including Maximo Application Suite or comparable platforms.
- Power BI, SharePoint, Microsoft 365, document management, and enterprise reporting solutions.
- SQL and relational database concepts.
- Utility asset lifecycle, gas distribution and transmission records, construction closeout, compliance reporting, and decision support.
- Organizational change management, business readiness, process improvement, requirements analysis, solution design, testing, and implementation.
- Ability to evaluate alternatives, resolve complex issues, manage changing priorities, and make decisions with significant business impact.
- Strong written, verbal, analytical, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
Preferred:
- Python, Model Builder, FME, SQL, workflow automation, or comparable data-processing tools.
- AI-enabled analytics, intelligent automation, mobile GIS, digital-twin concepts, and other emerging utility technologies.
- GIS and application integration architecture, data conversion, and enterprise implementation experience.
- Knowledge of DIMP, TIMP, corrosion, engineering, construction operations, system operations, field operations, asset protection, and regulatory support workflows.
- Active participation in utility GIS, records management, asset management, or related industry organizations.