VP, State Policy

Interested candidates should direct their inquiries to Preng & Assoc. [email protected] 

Flexible Work Arrangement: Hybrid

The Vice President, State Policy at PJM Interconnection reports to the EVP, Governmental and Member Services and provides strategic leadership for PJM's State Governmental Affairs, state regulatory engagement, and state policy strategy across the PJM region. This position serves as a senior advisor to PJM leadership on state policy, legislative, and regulatory matters and ensures that state perspectives and regulatory considerations are reflected in PJM's decision-making, stakeholder engagement, and implementation plans.
The Vice President, State Policy provides direction and coordination for state-focused governmental affairs activities, including engagement with governors, state commissions, state energy offices, legislators, consumer advocates, and other state policy makers. The position supports timely, accurate, and effective communication regarding PJM operations, markets, planning, reliability, and policy initiatives throughout the PJM footprint.
In addition, the Vice President, State Policy monitors and assesses state policy developments in regions that may affect PJM's operations, markets, reliability responsibilities, or stakeholder interests. The role works closely with Governmental Services, Member Services, Legal, Operations, Markets, Planning, and other internal teams to align State Governmental Affairs strategy with PJM's broader business objectives.
The Vice President, State Policy represents PJM in appropriate state forums and supports the EVP, Governmental and Member Services in advancing constructive relationships with state governmental entities, regulators, policy makers, members, and other stakeholders.
Essential Functions:

• Develop and execute PJM’s state-related strategy, goals, and operating priorities in alignment with Governmental and Member Services and PJM’s broader strategic direction.

• Lead PJM’s engagement with governors, state commissions, state energy offices, legislators, consumer advocates, member representatives, and other state policy stakeholders across the PJM footprint.

• Monitor, assess, and communicate internally state legislative, regulatory, and policy developments that may affect PJM operations, markets, transmission planning, reliability, members, or stakeholders.

• Advise the EVP, Governmental and Member Services, President and CEO, Executive Team, General Counsel, and Senior Leadership Team on state regulatory, legislative, policy, and stakeholder matters.

• Partner with Corporate Communications to advance PJM positions and messaging in state governmental forums.

• Partner with Legal, Operations, Markets, Planning, Communications, Member Services, and other internal teams to ensure that state engagement strategies are coordinated, accurate, and aligned with PJM’s mission.

• Represent PJM in state forums to both inform and maintain constructive, credible relationships with governmental entities, regulators, policy makers, members, and external stakeholders.

• Lead, develop, and retain State Liaison and State Policy Solutions staff; set priorities, manage performance, support professional development, and foster a collaborative, accountable team culture.

• Oversee budgets, resources, work plans, and performance measures to ensure efficient, high-quality execution of department priorities.

• Promote compliance with applicable requirements, ethical standards, PJM Core Values, and practices that support the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the electrical grid.

Characteristics and Qualifications:
Required:

• Bachelor degree Public Policy, Economics, Engineering, Political Science, Law Energy & equivalent work experience

• 10+ years of leadership experience in a managerial/supervisory role.

• 15+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in government affairs, state regulatory policy, energy policy, public policy, utility, RTO/ISO, or related industry roles.

• Must include significant experience leading teams, advising senior executives, and engaging with state regulators, policy makers, consumer advocates, members, and external stakeholders on complex policy or regulatory matters.

• Executive presence and judgment; ability to advise senior leaders and represent PJM credibly with state regulators, policy makers, members, and other external stakeholders.

• Strong knowledge of state regulatory and legislative processes, public policy development, stakeholder engagement, and the electric power industry.

• Ability to translate complex technical, market, reliability, and policy issues into clear recommendations and communications for varied audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to build trust, manage sensitive issues, resolve competing priorities, and lead cross-functional teams in a highly visible environment.

Preferred:

• MBA degree, MA, Economics, MPA, MA,, Law Public Policy, JD, Energy Policy

• Executive experience in the electric utility, wholesale power market, transmission, RTO/ISO, state regulatory, legislative, or public policy environment.

• Experience representing an organization before state commissions, legislative bodies, industry associations, or multi-state stakeholder forums; familiarity with PJM operations, markets, planning, reliability, and stakeholder processes preferred.

• Deep familiarity with PJM’s role, governance, stakeholder processes, operating agreements, tariffs, markets, transmission planning, reliability responsibilities, and regional policy issues.

• Experience working with state commissions, state energy offices, legislatures, consumer advocates, industry associations, and multi-state policy forums.

• Advanced written and verbal communication skills, including executive briefing, public presentation, testimony preparation, and policy messaging.

• Ability to anticipate emerging state policy trends and align internal subject matter experts around coordinated engagement strategies.