We’re looking for a Utility Engagement Specialist to manage utility relationships, and the submission and follow-up of grid-related applications with municipalities and utility providers. This field-based role is critical to ensuring project progress and compliance and will suit someone with integrity, initiative, and experience in navigating municipal processes.
Position of the job in the organisation: the Utility Engagement Specialist will report directly to The Grid Engineer
Principal responsibilities:
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders, including municipal officials, Eskom representatives, and other regulatory bodies.
- Build credibility and trust through consistent, transparent, and professional engagement.
- Navigate bureaucratic and political environments with tact, patience, and persistence to ensure project approvals and alignment.
- Act as the bridge between technical teams and external stakeholders, ensuring collaboration and shared understanding
- Submit and track all energy applications (including Use of System Agreements, Small-Scale Embedded Generation, Embedded Generation, and Grid Connection) in person and online with relevant municipal or utility departments.
- Liaise directly and regularly with municipalities, utility representatives, and local government officials to build trust and ensure application processes are transparent and on track.
- Track and update application statuses on Monday.com project boards to ensure internal teams have up-to-date visibility on all submissions.
- Maintain and organise all related documentation (application forms, correspondence, approvals, permits) on SharePoint for easy access and audit-readiness.
- Schedule meetings, inspections, or networking sessions with municipal and utility stakeholders to facilitate better communication and faster approvals.
- Identify delays, risks, and recurring issues in specific municipalities, documenting patterns and escalating critical items to the Grid Engineer or senior leadership.
- Support internal reporting by compiling progress updates, flagging risks, and recommending corrective actions based on field observations.
- Represent the organisation in a professional and dependable manner when interacting with public officials and external stakeholders.
- Stay informed on municipal processes, updates, or policy changes that may impact project timelines or application requirements.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, project development, and compliance teams to align external application processes with internal project timelines.
- Assist in designing and maintaining a municipal engagement database for knowledge continuity and future project efficiency.
- Offer support and guidance to the Grid Engineer, particularly in areas related to internal systems, tracking, or field communication gaps.
- Contribute to internal process improvements, suggesting better ways to standardise and speed up municipal and utility engagement.
- Any other job duties associated with this role
PERSON DESCRIPTION
Experience:
- 1–3 years of experience coordinating with electricity utilities, especially for solar or renewable energy projects 3+ years of proven experience in a municipal-facing or energy applications role
- Proven track record engaging with South African municipalities, Eskom or other government/regulatory stakeholders.
- Demonstrated success navigating complex approval processes, compliance requirements, and bureaucratic systems.
- Hands-on experience with project registration, grid interconnection applications, and net metering processes
- Familiarity with UoSA processes or similar application types
- Valid driver's license and willing to travel
Specific attributes:
- Strong interpersonal skills: empathetic listener, persuasive communicator, patient negotiator.
- Ability to handle pushback, conflicting requirements without losing momentum.
- Excellent communication skills for continuous follow-ups with utility personnel and internal teams
- Comfortable working independently and remotely
Desirable attributes:
- Prior Utility Engagement Specialist or similar role or grid permit experience
- Political and cultural awareness: able to adapt style for different municipalities and stakeholders.
- Exposure to project development in the energy sector
- Ability to interpret technical drawings and grid connection layouts is an advantage
What Does Success Look Like?
By Month 3:
I will have:
- Built solid working relationships with at least 5 key municipal and utility contacts.
- Shadowed the Grid Engineer in stakeholder interactions and internal reporting.
- Familiarised myself with municipality-specific application requirements and submission processes.
By Month 6:
I will be:
- Independently managing the full lifecycle of multiple application submissions from start to resolution.
- Updating and maintaining SharePoint and Monday.com trackers with 100% accuracy.
- Routinely following up with municipalities and escalating unresolved delays to the Grid Engineer.
- Flagging trends or bottlenecks within specific municipalities and offering potential mitigation strategies.
- Supporting weekly or monthly reporting on progress, risks, and turnaround performance.
- Proactively scheduling meetings with external stakeholders to keep timelines on track.
By Month 12:
I can:
- Confidently represent the company in external stakeholder meetings and municipal workshops.
- Anticipate application risks early and implement process improvements to avoid delays.
- Deliver clear reports that summarise municipal trends, turnaround times, and systemic inefficiencies.
- Train or onboard new Utility Engagement Specialist or junior support staff in the organisation’s processes.
- Lead efforts to standardise municipal engagement strategies across the business.
- Serve as a trusted field advisor to the Grid Engineer and broader Engineering or Project Delivery teams.
Core Values:
We hire, reward, and recognise our team against these values. It is imperative that you believe in these values and demonstrate them consistently.
- We are passionate and proud of what we do.
- We communicate candidly, especially when it is difficult.
- We take the initiative, share our mistakes, and grow together.
- We are dependable and take accountability.
- No one person is bigger than the solution - no egos.
