The Manager, Program Management – Commercial Development is responsible for leading a team that manages strategic programs and projects supporting utility infrastructure development for large-load commercial customers, with a primary focus on data centers, hyperscale campuses, advanced manufacturing, clean energy projects, and other high-growth economic development opportunities.
This role serves as a key link between customer development activities and utility system planning, ensuring commercial opportunities are successfully evaluated, planned, and delivered while maintaining reliability, regulatory compliance, and long-term system objectives. The successful candidate will bring experience working within the utility, energy, data center, or large-scale infrastructure development sectors and have a strong understanding of the processes required to support large-load customer interconnections and utility infrastructure expansion.
The position collaborates extensively with engineering, transmission and distribution planning, construction, operations, regulatory affairs, finance, customer solutions, and external stakeholders to deliver complex, cross-functional initiatives that enable customer growth and economic development.
Essential FunctionsLead the day-to-day program management function supporting commercial development initiatives for large-load customers, including data centers, hyperscale developments, advanced manufacturing facilities, clean energy hubs, and other high-energy-demand projects.
Oversee the planning, execution, governance, and delivery of programs and projects related to utility infrastructure expansion, customer interconnections, and electric and gas system development.
Partner with economic development, account management, engineering, system planning, regulatory, and construction teams to evaluate and advance customer growth opportunities.
Coordinate cross-functional workstreams to identify and manage project dependencies, risks, schedules, milestones, and resource requirements.
Drive alignment between customer development timelines and utility capital planning, infrastructure readiness, and system capacity requirements.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure projects align with utility objectives, customer requirements, permitting considerations, and system capabilities.
Guide project teams through the entire project lifecycle, including feasibility analysis, load forecasting, system impact assessments, permitting, engineering design, construction, energization, and project closeout.
Monitor and report program performance, key milestones, KPIs, and portfolio health to leadership teams, ensuring accountability and transparency.
Support portfolio management efforts to prioritize commercial opportunities and balance near-term customer needs with long-term utility system planning strategies.
Identify and implement best practices that improve program governance, project execution, stakeholder communication, and cross-functional collaboration.
Develop executive-level presentations, business cases, and strategic communications for senior leadership, executive committees, and board-level stakeholders.
Prepare materials and updates for regulatory agencies, community stakeholders, and leadership teams as required.
Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business, Project Management, Energy Management, or a related field.
5+ years of progressive experience supporting utility infrastructure projects, commercial development, large-load customer programs, data center development, energy delivery, or electric/gas system planning.
Demonstrated experience managing complex, cross-functional programs involving utility infrastructure, customer interconnections, transmission/distribution upgrades, or large-scale capital projects.
Experience working with or supporting data center, hyperscale, advanced manufacturing, or other energy-intensive customer developments.
Strong understanding of electric and/or gas utility operations, system planning, regulatory environments, and customer development processes.
Proven ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment.
Strong leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.
Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and a systems-level perspective.
Technical understanding of utility infrastructure planning, capacity assessments, and project development processes.
Demonstrated change leadership, organizational agility, and problem-solving capabilities.
Strong experience developing and delivering presentations and business recommendations to Senior Executive Leadership and Board-level audiences.
Master's Degree in Engineering, Business Administration (MBA), Project Management, Energy Management, or a related field.
PMP, PgMP, or equivalent program/project management certification.
Experience supporting utility service to hyperscale data centers, cloud service providers, industrial load growth, or large economic development projects.
Knowledge of transmission and distribution planning, interconnection processes, load forecasting, and utility infrastructure investment planning.
Experience working across utility commercial development, economic development, customer solutions, or strategic growth organizations.
Why This Opportunity?
This role offers a unique opportunity to help shape the future of utility growth by leading programs that enable some of the largest and fastest-growing customers in the market. The successful candidate will play a critical role in supporting data center expansion, economic development, and utility infrastructure investments that drive long-term growth and reliability for customers and communities.
The preceding description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required of the position.
As a public utility, NiSource is required to provide continuous service to customers at all times. To ensure we fulfill that obligation, employees may be required to work outside their normal work hours and perform tasks outside of their normal responsibilities in support of emergency operations.
Work Authorization
Authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship.
Workplace Connection
Value inclusion within your day to day responsibilities by respecting others perspectives/convictions, engaging others opinions, creating a safe environment where people, ideas, and opinions are valued within your Team/Customers and external partners.
Respect the unique lived experiences within your Team/Customers and external work partners by valuing different world views, challenges, and cultures that represents all walks of life and all backgrounds.
Treat others with respect and consideration. Actively participate in creating and contributing to a positive work environment.
Equal Employment Opportunity
NiSource is committed to providing equal employment opportunities in each of its companies to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, veteran status, disability, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions), genetic information, citizenship status, or any protected group status as defined by law. Each employee is expected to abide by this principle.
By applying, you may be considered for other job opportunities.
ADA Accommodations
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process or to perform the essential functions of the position, please contact OneHR at [email protected] or 1-888-640-3320
Safety Statement
Promote a safe work environment by actively participating in all aspects of our employee safety program. Report any unsafe conditions and take actions to prevent personal injuries. Support our interdependent safety culture by ensuring the safety of your co-workers. Stay focused on the task at hand and promote productivity through good work habits.
E-Verify
NiSource participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program. As part of this process, we provide the following notices to all job applicants: These documents inform you of your rights and responsibilities under U.S. law. You can view or download them using the links below:
- E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) E-Verify Participation Poster English and Spanish
- Right to Work Poster (English and Spanish) If you have the right to work, don't let anyone take it away
Salary Range*:
$133,400.00 - $200,100.00*The salary offered to a candidate is based on several factors including but not limited to the candidate’s skills, job-related knowledge, and relevant experience, as well as internal pay equity.
Posting Start Date:
2026-07-28Posting End Date (if applicable):
2026-08-05Please note that the job posting will close on the day before the posting end date.Skills Required
- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business, Project Management, Energy Management, or related field
- Authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship
- 5+ years progressive experience supporting utility infrastructure projects, commercial development, large-load customer programs, data center development, or system planning
- Demonstrated experience managing complex, cross-functional programs involving utility infrastructure, customer interconnections, transmission/distribution upgrades, or large capital projects
- Experience working with or supporting data center, hyperscale, advanced manufacturing, or other energy-intensive customer developments
- Strong understanding of electric and/or gas utility operations, system planning, regulatory environments, and customer development processes
- Proven ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams in a matrixed environment
- Strong leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills
- Technical understanding of utility infrastructure planning, capacity assessments, and project development processes
- Experience developing and delivering presentations and business recommendations to Senior Executive Leadership and Board-level audiences
- Master's Degree in Engineering, MBA, Project Management, Energy Management, or related field
- PMP, PgMP, or equivalent program/project management certification
- Experience supporting utility service to hyperscale data centers, cloud service providers, industrial load growth, or large economic development projects
- Knowledge of transmission and distribution planning, interconnection processes, load forecasting, and utility infrastructure investment planning
- Experience working across utility commercial development, economic development, customer solutions, or strategic growth organizations
What We Do
NiSource (NYSE: NI) helps energize the lives of its nearly 4 million natural gas and electric customers across six states. Our local utilities – Columbia Gas and NIPSCO – ensure that customers receive safe, reliable and affordable natural gas and electric service each and every day. Our business plan is focused on proactively investing in our energy infrastructure – approximately $1.4 billion a year – to ensure we meet and improve upon our customer commitments for the next 100 years. We employ more than 7,000 of our neighbors who are actively engaged in the communities we’re privileged to serve, making them great places to live and call home. NiSource is headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana – about 35 miles from Chicago – and we maintain a significant corporate presence in Columbus, Ohio. Our utility operations also span Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia
