Account Director, Power

ERM; Walnut Creek (CA); On-site; USD 174,000 - 223,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

401(k) plan

Job summary

ERM seeks a Key Client Account Director (Electric Utility) in California to own a major western US account (> $20M annual revenue) and drive growth. You will shape strategy, lead cross-functional teams, and build senior-level client relationships as a trusted advisor.

The role demands 10+ years in commercial/key account management, deep West Coast utility knowledge, and strong CRM/networking capabilities to expand ERM’s footprint across multiple buyers.

Qualifications

• Significant account management experience with large, complex client relationships.
• Strong commercial acumen and growth mindset.
• Experience with cross-functional, multi-buyers and stakeholder maps.
• Proficient in CRM and networking tools to build client networks.
• Bachelor's or master's degree in a technical or business field.

Responsibilities

• Own the account end-to-end, with full accountability for commercial performance, growth, and delivery outcomes.
• Develop and maintain a three-year account strategy and translate it into annual delivery plans.
• Lead cross-functional teams, expand relationships across buying centers, and drive recurring and new opportunities.
• Monitor performance, optimize strategies, and manage stakeholder maps and client expectations.

Skills

Account management

Sales leadership

CRM tools

Relationship building

Strategic thinking

Education

BSc/MSc degree

Tools

Salesforce

LinkedIn

IntroHive

Job description

ERM is looking for a Key Client Account Director (Electric Utility) to join us and take ownership of one of ERM’s most strategically important utility relationships in the western United States—an account generating over $20M in annual revenue with significant growth potential in the next 2–3 years. Location: California, preferably, or West Coast.

What Your Impact Is

The Account Director owns the account end-to-end, with full accountability for commercial performance, growth, and delivery outcomes. This role is responsible for shaping and executing an ambition-led growth strategy aligned with both market opportunity and the client’s evolving priorities, while proactively anticipating and addressing delivery or resource constraints through close coordination across operations, service lines, and support functions. Bringing a strong commercial mindset, the Account Director balances competitiveness and innovation with a clear alignment to the client’s strategy and investment agenda. As a senior market-facing leader, they represent ERM with credibility externally, while internally demonstrating strong commercial acumen, leadership capability, and the ability to navigate complex, multi-disciplinary environments to drive sustained success.

What You’ll Bring

This role will require significant account management experience, where you will have demonstrated your sales management skills and ability to handle global client relationships and account teams expertly. Additionally:

• BSc/MSc degree or equivalent technical expertise.
• 10+ years of commercial and key account management experience, including managing large, complex client relationships.
• Deep understanding of California and West Coast utility clients and power sector dynamics, including competitors and market drivers.
• Proven ability to expand relationships across multiple buying centers and functions.
• Action-oriented, assertive, and solutions-focused approach.
• Strong use of CRM and networking tools (e.g., Salesforce, LinkedIn, IntroHive) to build and activate client networks.
• Demonstrated ability to connect ERM capabilities to client needs, orchestrating cross-service teams to deliver integrated solutions.

Account Strategy & Planning

• Develop and maintain a three-year account strategy covering client priorities, growth opportunities, relationship mapping, and target portfolio mix.
• Translate strategy into an annual delivery plan with clear revenue pathways (recurring, follow-on, and new opportunities).
• Define priority buying centers and maintain accurate stakeholder maps aligned to key market drivers.
• Build a strong personal presence with senior client stakeholders as a trusted advisor.

Account Performance & Growth

• Deliver against annual sales and revenue targets and drive sustained account growth.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the competitive landscape and ERM differentiators to inform winning strategies.
• Expand ERM’s footprint by growing relationships, increasing service line penetration, and accessing new buyers.
• Lead cross-selling and integrated service delivery across existing and new client stakeholders.
• Identify and pursue new opportunities, personally engaging in key pursuits and conversions.
• Monitor account performance, track progress against plan, and intervene proactively where needed.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Aligning regional, industry, and service line teams to support account priorities and growth initiatives.
• Build and lead an engaged account team with clear ownership of goals and relationships.
• Foster a community of practitioners across ERM who are invested in the account’s success.
• Support senior-level project delivery as needed, particularly in stakeholder management and client engagement.
• Develop and activate strategic partnerships that enhance account outcomes.

Compensation & Benefits

For the Account Director, Power position, the anticipated annual base pay is $174,480 - $223,469 (USD). Actual pay will depend on factors such as education, experience, skills, location, performance, and business needs. In some cases, pay may fall outside this range. This role may be eligible for bonus pay (casual and fixed term/flex force employees are not bonus eligible).

• We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including paid time off, parental leave, medical, dental, vision, life, disability, AD&D insurance, 401(k) or RRSP/DPSP, and other applicable benefits to eligible employees.

Note:Bonuses, commissions, and other forms of additional compensation are not guaranteed and subject to the sole discretion of ERM and its policies and procedures.

Who We Are

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.

At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world-class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues.

We call this capability our “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

At ERM, sustainability is our business. We are the world’s largest advisory firm focused solely on sustainability, offering unparalleled expertise across business and finance. ERM partners with clients to operationalize sustainability at pace and scale, through our unique combination of strategic transformation and technical delivery capabilities.

Our diverse global team of experts works with the world’s leading organizations to help them set clear sustainability targets, measure progress and operationalize strategy through deep implementation and business transformation. With more than 50 years of experience, our ability to integrate sustainability solutions and our depth and breadth of technical knowledge are why organizations choose to partner with us as their trusted advisor.

Every one of us firmly believes in the potential to create value for our clients through an integrated approach to sustainability (because we have personally seen it and professionally achieved it). Our team members are passionate about client service. We work closely with our clients to help them operationalize their sustainability goals and meet their environmental, health and safety objectives while advancing ERM’s purpose through delivering tangible progress in what the United Nations coined The Decade of Action.

Organizing our people across globally integrated communities of technical and strategic talent positions ERM to be a “boots to boardroom” leader in bringing that value creation to our clients, partners, and the world. We recruit exceptional professionals with a personal and professional passion for sustainability and nurture them to even greater success as specialists. We prepare our consultants to bring integrated, innovative and sustainable solutions to our clients and provide opportunities for ongoing development across a variety of subject areas related to technical, business, and personal growth. At ERM, effort pays off and becomes career defining work that leaves a positive imprint on our planet.

Thank you for your interest in ERM!

Thank you for your interest in ERM!

Equal Opportunity Employer

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.