📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Strategic Account Advisor III
🔹 Company: Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)
🔹 Location: Sacramento, California
🔹 Job Type: Hybrid (On-site 1 day/week)
🔹 Category: Utilities
🔹 Date Posted: June 19, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site (Hybrid)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Building and managing relationships within specific industry segments
- Acting as the primary point of contact for commercial and industrial customers
- Ensuring customer needs are met through personalized service and comprehensive energy solutions
- Collaborating with internal teams to meet or exceed customer expectations
- Supporting SMUD's 2030 Clean Energy Vision and generating carbon reduction projects with customers
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong focus on strategic account growth, customer satisfaction, and expansion of SMUD services provided.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Serve as a technical expert for both account management and comprehensive energy solutions for SMUD commercial/industrial customers within assigned industry segment
✅ Establish and maintain personalized business relationships with decision-making leaders and staff within customer's organization
✅ Coordinate activities and services in various areas to address customer needs and propose solution development efforts
✅ Resolve various customer-related policy and service issues and report through management as necessary
✅ Support SMUD efforts with respect to community involvement and participate in appropriate activities and organizations
✅ Provide insight and advice to lower level staff for resolution of complex issues or obstacles within energy account advising processes
✅ Serve as the lead for complex customer interactions, customized solutions, and ongoing service engagements
ASSUMPION: The successful candidate will have experience in strategic account management, energy efficiency, and customer relationship development.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: High School diploma or equivalent
Experience: Five (5+) or more years of progressively responsible customer account management or Energy Account Advisor experience
Required Skills:
- Customer account management principles and practices
- Customer relationship development strategies
- Marketing and sales techniques
- Knowledge of customers' business and decision-making processes
- Performance reporting methodologies and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Organizational performance and operational improvement
- Advanced Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint
Preferred Skills:
- 5+ years of strategic account management in manufacturing and industrial, hospitality and retail, or non-profit sectors
- Understanding of SMUD 2030 Vision and how to generate carbon reduction projects with customers
- Working knowledge of SAP, SalesCloud, IEE/itron, and Outage Management System (OMS)
- Experience performing facility site assessments, sales meetings, and presentations
- Experience in energy, sustainability, and economic development
- Knowledge of manufacturing and industrial, hospitality and retail, or non-profit sectors
ASSUMPTION: The preferred skills section highlights additional qualifications that would make a candidate stand out for this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $106,537.60 - $151,985.60 per year
Benefits:
- Equal pay for employees who perform substantially similar work
- Diverse and inclusive work environment
- Competitive benefits package
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours/week)
ASSUMPTION: The salary range is based on the provided minimum and maximum pay rates, and the benefits are inferred from the company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Utilities - Electric Power Generation and Transmission
Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees - Large organization with established processes and a significant customer base
Founded: 1946 - Long-standing history and reputation in the Sacramento region
Company Description:
- As the nation’s sixth-largest, community-owned, not-for-profit electric service provider, SMUD has been providing low-cost, reliable electricity to Sacramento County for more than 75 years
- Recognized industry leader and award winner for innovative energy efficiency programs, renewable power technologies, and sustainable solutions
- Power supply is on average about 50 percent carbon free, with a goal to reach zero carbon in its electricity production by 2030
Company Specialties:
- Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution
- Energy efficiency programs and services
- Renewable energy technologies
- Sustainable solutions and community involvement
Company Website: www.smud.org
ASSUMPTION: SMUD is a well-established, community-owned utility company with a strong focus on sustainability and innovation in the energy sector.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior (III) - Experienced professional with significant industry knowledge and expertise
Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Supervisor, Strategic Account Management, and may lead Journey (II) and Entry (I) level Strategic Account Advisors
Work Arrangement: Hybrid - On-site one day a week, with the possibility of more or less depending on business needs
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to lead complex customer interactions and customized solutions
- Opportunity to provide insight and advice to lower level staff
- Possibility to progress to a management role within the Strategic Account Management team
ASSUMPTION: The Strategic Account Advisor III role offers growth opportunities through leadership, mentoring, and potential career progression within the organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Hybrid - Combination of on-site and remote work
Office Location(s): 6301 S St, Sacramento, California 95817, US
Geographic Context:
- Sacramento, California - Capital of California and sixth-largest city in the state
- Part of the agriculturally-rich Central Valley, with a strong focus on the farm-to-fork food movement
- Home to several universities, hospitals, and shared services centers
- Close proximity to Northern California's top technology companies and startups
- Offers an affluent liberal arts community with various cultural attractions
Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours/week), with the possibility of additional on-site days depending on business needs
ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work arrangement allows for flexibility while maintaining a strong connection to the on-site team and customers.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission
- Phone or video screening
- In-person or virtual interview with hiring manager and/or team members
- Background check and reference check
- Job offer and onboarding
Key Assessment Areas:
- Customer relationship development strategies
- Sales techniques and negotiation skills
- Knowledge of customers' business and decision-making processes
- Performance reporting methodologies and KPIs
- Understanding of SMUD's 2030 Clean Energy Vision and carbon reduction projects
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role
- Address the supplemental questions thoroughly and honestly, providing specific examples of your experience and achievements
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your customer relationship management, sales, and problem-solving skills
- Research SMUD's 2030 Clean Energy Vision and be prepared to discuss how your experience aligns with the company's goals
ATS Keywords: Strategic Account Management, Customer Relationship Development, Sales Techniques, Negotiation, Performance Reporting, Energy Efficiency, Carbon Reduction, Utilities, Electric Power
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role is competitive, and applicants should be prepared to demonstrate their qualifications and fit for the position.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint)
- SAP, SalesCloud, IEE/itron, Outage Management System (OMS)
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
- Energy management and analysis tools
ASSUMPTION: The required tools and technologies for this role are industry-standard and widely used within the utilities sector.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Integrity and accountability
- Customer focus and responsiveness
- Innovation and continuous improvement
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Work Style:
- Customer-centric and solution-oriented
- Strategic and analytical thinking
- Strong communication and presentation skills
- Adaptable and responsive to changing customer needs
- Collaborative and team-focused
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do your personal values align with SMUD's company values?
- Describe a time when you had to adapt your work style to meet a customer's unique needs or preferences
- How do you approach building and maintaining successful customer relationships in a strategic account management role?
ASSUMPTION: Applicants should carefully consider their fit with SMUD's company values and work style, and be prepared to provide specific examples of their experiences and skills during the interview process.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing complex customer interactions and customized solutions
- Balancing on-site and remote work responsibilities
- Keeping up with industry trends and emerging technologies in the energy sector
- Addressing customer-related policy and service issues effectively and efficiently
ASSUMPTION: The Strategic Account Advisor III role presents unique challenges that require strong problem-solving skills, adaptability, and a customer-centric focus.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Strategic Account Manager vs. Strategic Account Advisor - Focus on customer relationship development and energy solutions vs. account management and advisory services
- Utilities industry vs. other sectors - Unique customer base and energy-specific challenges
- Senior (III) vs. Journey (II) or Entry (I) level - Increased responsibility, leadership, and mentoring opportunities
ASSUMPTION: The Strategic Account Advisor III role is distinct from other strategic account management positions and offers unique growth opportunities within the utilities industry.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing a comprehensive energy plan for a large manufacturing facility, including energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy integration
- Collaborating with a hospitality client to implement a demand response program, reducing energy consumption during peak hours
- Working with a non-profit organization to identify and implement energy-saving measures, lowering their operating costs
ASSUMPTION: The Strategic Account Advisor III role involves a wide range of projects, requiring strong analytical and problem-solving skills to meet customers' unique energy needs.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- How does the Strategic Account Advisor III role fit within the broader Strategic Account Management team and the organization as a whole?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the customers within my assigned industry segment, and how can this role address them?
- How does SMUD support the professional development and growth of its Strategic Account Advisors?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 90 days, and how can I contribute to their successful implementation?
- How does SMUD measure the success of its Strategic Account Advisors, and what are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this role?
ASSUMPTION: Asking thoughtful and insightful questions during the interview process demonstrates your interest in the role and commitment to success.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Prepare a document addressing the supplemental questions, highlighting your experience and qualifications for the role
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to emphasize your relevant skills and experience for this position
- Prepare for a phone or video screening and in-person or virtual interview with the hiring manager and/or team members
- Follow up with the hiring manager after your interview to express your interest in the role and reiterate your qualifications
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
