Technical Implementation Manager

Rhizome is seeking a Technical Implementation Manager who can lead Rhizome’s software implementations with our enterprise utility customers. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in B2B SaaS, deep knowledge of electric utilities, and model development who excels working and and empathizing with Fortune 500 customers and highly technical stakeholders. Critical to the success of this role is being a reliable conduit between our technology and science team and the customer during software implementation, with an emphasis on providing high-quality service with complex projects.If you’re eager to dive into the nuts and bolts of the power sector, help implement one-of-a-kind modeling platform, and have a passion for applying your skills to solving tough challenges related to climate change, this is for you. This role will report directly to the CTO. 

About Rhizome

Rhizome is at the forefront of developing decision intelligence technology at the intersection of climate science and infrastructure systems. Our team pursues this endeavor with the wisdom and steadiness of industry veterans, and the curiosity, grit, and energy of startup and technology enthusiasts.

Our climate resilience SaaS platform helps utilities, governments, and industries plan for greater resilience to climate change and extreme weather by applying AI to a vast amount of information that characterizes infrastructure assets and their vulnerability to extreme weather. Focused on the $500B resilience investment gap on the grid today, our mandate is simple: Help electric utilities proactively adapt to climate change by integrating cutting-edge climate-asset intelligence into their existing planning workflows. As the world experiences record-breaking climate-related impacts, especially related to grid failures, our platform identifies future extreme weather vulnerabilities on utility assets at high resolutions and empowers planners to optimize investment deployments that keep society safe during natural hazard events.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Project Management and Customer Deliveries
  • Be the point-of-contact and ensure timely delivery and implementation of Rhizome’s software platform, initially for electric utility customers.
  • Manage delivery expectations, technical work plan, milestones, and associated timelines, both internally and externally, with several customers.
  • Provide technical support, program recommendations, and be the trusted advisor for large enterprises.
  • Anticipate deployment roadblocks and proactively develop solutions and plans to address them. 
  • Leverage tools such as Jira and Confluence for internal and external project management.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Create and track metrics related to the implementation cycle and success criteria. 
  • Design processes intended to streamline data ingestion, model iteration, customer feedback loops, and application stand-up; be proactive in searching for ways to improve service and shorten delivery timelines.
• Product and Technology
  • Collaborate with the technology team on delivery expectations, work plan, milestones, and timelines.
  • Solicit customer feedback and provide insights and information to product and engineering teams. 
• Commercial
  • Support the business development team on sales and product marketing efforts, identifying potential customer needs and crafting solutions leveraging Rhizome’s technology platform to meet those needs. 
  • On an as-needed basis, assist with proposal development, keeping a focus on delivery expectations and reasonable milestones and timelines.

Qualifications

• 5+ years implementing complex software and/or AI models, preferably at early- or growth-stage technology companies
• You’re someone who gets excited about solving problems and driving impact with large enterprise customers.
• Extensive background in data science, data analysis, data integration, and software implementation.
• Excellent programming skills in Python, SQL and data processing with large GIS datasets; ability to swiftly operate in cloud environments; familiarity with the electric utility software stack a plus. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with a particular ability to develop and present slide decks that are clear and communicate complex, technical information in an intuitive and confident manner.
• Ability to ask hard questions, manage difficult conversations, and quickly get to the “why” behind client objections.
• Comfort operating in fast-paced environments, adapting and pivoting when necessary, and prioritizing efforts with minimal guidance. 
• Comfort in a highly technical, heavy industry environment. You’re not afraid of the technical details. 
• Ability to execute under pressure under tight deadlines.
• Knowledge of AI/ML approaches or ability to learn quickly. 
• Ability to creatively solve problems and independently move initiatives forward.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams and colleagues. 
• Background in energy and utilities, or otherwise heavily-regulated industry.
• Enthusiasm, energy, and optimism for building from scratch and growing through impact.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics or equivalent experience required.

We’ll pay extra close attention if you have:

• B2B SaaS experience specifically in the utility sector
• Previously worked in climate data and climate adaptation

Culture and Core Values

At Rhizome, we lead with compassion and empathy, aiming to understand before we help. Our thesis as technologists is that, in order to fulfill our mission to protect society from the impacts of climate change through intentional, intelligent infrastructure planning, we need to embark on a journey of respectfully listening, learning, and then problem-solving. This sentiment is represented through our core values: 

Empathy: Understanding and relating to problems, customers, and each other, with humility.

Creativity: Exploring with curiosity and building with intention.

Aspiration: Striving for societal impact, personal fulfillment, and simply doing good work.

Tenacity: Pushing past barriers and the status quo with a sense of optimism and determination.

Service Excellence: Delivering high-quality outcomes for our customers, colleagues, and communities.