Vice President, Strategic Programs and Industry Engagement

With nearly 1000 members, including 700+ utilities, Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) is accelerating the power sector’s transformation toward a modern energy future. As Vice President, Strategic Programs & Industry Engagement, you will develop and execute a comprehensive strategy to drive the growth and revenue diversification of SEPA’s broad portfolio of executive convenings, conferences, learning products, and event-related strategic partnerships. You will strengthen SEPA’s position as a trusted industry authority and convener by drawing diverse stakeholders in to engage on the sector’s most critical challenges, deepening their connection to SEPA, and ultimately supporting membership growth and long-term financial sustainability.

Reporting to the Chief Experience Officer and leading a six-person team, you will oversee and expand a portfolio that includes the Energy Evolution Summit, international and domestic Fact-Finding Missions, the SEPA Academy, RE+ and its regional events (produced in partnership with SEIA and executed by RE+ Events), the Edison Congress, and Fortnightly Top Innovators. A key focus will be maximizing the strategic value of RE+, ensuring programming aligns with the priorities of key audiences and that the event continues to deliver value, while also building out offerings owned exclusively by SEPA (e.g., executive roundtables and forums, learning products and experiences, monetized content, industry-sponsored programs, etc.). You will bring a market-driven approach to this work, identifying unmet and emerging industry needs and using those insights to strengthen the existing portfolio, develop new offerings, and shape partnership opportunities that generate revenue, deepen member engagement, and provide tangible value to stakeholders across the energy ecosystem.

This is a highly collaborative role in which you will partner closely with Membership, Research & Industry Strategy, Development, and Communications, Brand & Marketing, drawing on their expertise to bring new offerings to market while maintaining accountability for the overall strategy and performance of the portfolio.

How You’ll Make an Impact

To achieve success in this role, you will:

• Develop and execute a portfolio-level strategy that strengthens SEPA’s position as an indispensable convening organization for leaders transforming the electric power industry, drives measurable revenue growth, and supports membership growth and engagement goals.
• Identify and advance opportunities to increase and diversify revenue by growing SEPA-owned offerings and partnerships and moving the strongest ideas from concept through launch and evaluation.
• Strengthen the SEPA Academy into a more robust learning platform, expanding high-value content for energy industry professionals, increasing member and non-member participation, and growing revenue.
• Continuously evaluate portfolio performance and make data-informed decisions, balancing market demand, member and non-member value, and financial performance.
• Oversee a high-performing team with the capabilities, structure, and systems of accountability needed to achieve consistent results across the portfolio.

Work Environment, Salary, and Benefits

• This role offers a remote working environment with the option of a Washington, DC, co-working space. Travel is required up to 40% for events and meetings.
• The budgeted salary range for this position is $175K–$210K. We offer an outstanding benefits package, including health, dental, vision, and employer-funded HRA; Flexible Spending Account; fully paid short & long-term disability; life insurance; 24 days of PTO; travel assistance; 401(k) with 4% employer match; telecommuting reimbursement; professional development reimbursement; employee assistance program; health and wellness reimbursement; and pet insurance discounts.
• At SEPA, culture isn’t something we declare—it’s something we live. We are rooted in a Culture for Everyone: a workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive, grow, and contribute to a mission that matters. SEPA prioritizes inclusion and excellence within its workforce and across the energy industry. We recognize that a diverse and inclusive workforce drives innovation, creativity, and better decision-making.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Alignment

• Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, contributing to the organization’s long-term strategic vision and high-level decision-making.
• Translate SEPA’s strategic goals and priorities (Grid, Growth, Globe) into high-impact programs and learning experiences that address the most critical challenges facing industry leaders.
• Champion SEPA’s global strategy under the ‘Globe’ pillar—integrating international insights into programming and elevating SEPA’s visibility abroad.
• Drive cross-functional alignment by partnering with Membership, Research & Industry Strategy, Development, and Communications to ensure every convening and product delivers market impact and member value.
• Provide strategic, up-to-date, and actionable insights to the Board of Directors on portfolio performance, emerging industry trends, and executive engagement strategies.
• Collaborate with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Communications Officer (CCO), and Chief Experience Officer (CXO) to identify and secure global speaking engagements that will enhance SEPA’s presence and representation on the international stage.
• Develop and nurture strategic alliances with peer organizations and global partners to amplify SEPA’s impact across the Grid, Growth, and Globe priorities.

Programs & Events Strategy and Execution

• Own the strategy, design, and performance of SEPA’s full portfolio of executive convenings, conferences, learning products, and event-related strategic partnerships.
• Ensure SEPA convenings are recognized as the places where the energy industry gathers to tackle critical issues, share innovations, and forge partnerships.
• Provide strategic leadership for RE+ in collaboration with partner associations to strengthen programming, audience value, and growth in alignment with SEPA’s strategic priorities.
• Identify emerging market opportunities and launch new strategic offerings that strengthen SEPA’s industry leadership and diversify revenue.
• Drive the strategic vision for the SEPA Academy’s online course portfolio, ensuring timely and crucial learning content for energy industry professionals.
• Establish and track programs, education, and events metrics that reflect progress toward SEPA’s strategic goals (e.g., member engagement, impact, external recognition, revenue diversification).

External Engagement & Partnerships

• Build trusted relationships with CEOs, utility executives, regulators, policymakers, advocates, and technology leaders to ensure SEPA convenes the conversations that matter most.
• Partner with the Development team to strengthen collaborations with funders, sponsors, and peer associations to expand resources and amplify impact.
• Partner with Communications, Brand, and Marketing to position SEPA events as platforms that elevate member innovation and accelerate policy, technology, and program adoption.

Team Leadership & Development

• Direct, coach, and inspire the team, with a focus on strategic vision, operational excellence, and cross-functional integration.
• Champion a high-performance culture grounded in accountability, continuous innovation, and collaborative problem-solving.

Qualifications

• Fifteen or more years of experience leading and growing a portfolio of events, programs, and education with direct responsibility for developing and commercializing new offerings.
• Demonstrated ability to identify unmet market needs and translate them into new revenue-generating products, programs, and events.
• Demonstrated success in designing and leading high-profile convenings and programs, with the ability to engage influential industry leaders and cultivate strong relationships across complex stakeholder ecosystems.
• Strong financial acumen, with experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets and developing business cases and financial models to assess new products, programs, and events, including market demand, pricing, costs, and ROI.
• Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to communicate complex strategies clearly, facilitate high-level conversations, and build trust with members and non-members across all levels of the energy industry, from senior executives to technical leaders.
• Proven leadership in mentoring, developing, and empowering high-performance teams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of the energy industry (e.g., utilities, distributed energy resources, grid modernization, regulatory dynamics, and clean energy markets) is a plus.

About SEPA

The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to accelerating the transformation of the electric power system to deliver clean, affordable, and resilient energy for all. Operating at the intersection of technology, policy, and programs, SEPA convenes, educates, and collaborates with a diverse community of utilities, regulators, policymakers, technology providers, and advocates to address the most pressing challenges in the clean energy transition.