Director Economic Forecasting

American Electric Power Co.; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 160,000 - 209,000; Full time

Job summary

American Electric Power Co. seeks a Director of Economic & Large Load Forecasting to coordinate governance and provide strategic forecasting leadership for data center and large-load opportunities.

The role requires exceptional communication to influence stakeholders, deliver enterprise-wide reporting, and support executive decision-making with robust economic analyses and forecast methodologies across the organization. The position is based in Columbus, Ohio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in economics or business administration.
• Significant experience in utility operations, forecasting, regulatory affairs, or related disciplines.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience with data center initiatives or economic development.

Responsibilities

• Lead governance for large-load forecasting and executive communications.
• Coordinate with stakeholders across operating companies.
• Translate forecast data into concise business recommendations.
• Support regulatory testimony and enterprise decision-making.

Skills

Strategic communication

Stakeholder management

Executive reporting

Forecasting

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Economics, Finance, Engineering, Business, Energy Management, Public Policy, or related field

Bachelor's degree in economics or business administration

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Power BI

Data visualization tools

Job description

Job Summary

The Director of Economic & Large Load Forecasting serves as the primary coordinator and strategic advisor for AEP's growing portfolio of large-load opportunities, including data centers, advanced manufacturing, and other economic development projects.

To succeed in the role, the Director will need to be an exceptional communicator with the ability to influence and align stakeholders across all levels of the organization.

They will own the governance processes used to track and communicate large-load opportunities while ensuring leaders have the information necessary to make timely decisions and maintain speed-to-power. They will also provide leadership for economic and large-load forecasting activities while partnering with other stakeholders to ensure a clear understanding of emerging demand trends, customer commitments, infrastructure requirements, and associated business risks.

Job Description

What You'll Do:

Large Load Governance

• Own the process of tracking and communicating large-load growth across AEP's various operating companies.
• Act as a strategic business partner with operating company leadership around large loads and the planning and risks associated with those loads.
• Partner with stakeholders throughout AEP to ensure consistent application of governance standards and decision frameworks.
• Identify emerging issues and escalated risks that could impact customer commitments, capital plans, resource requirements, or regulatory outcomes.

Executive Communications & Strategic Reporting

• Own enterprise-wide communications around the outlook for large loads at AEP. This means working closely with and communicating regularly to RTOs, regulatory audiences, investors, and internal stakeholders.
• Translate highly technical forecasting, engineering, commercial, and financial information into concise business recommendations.
• Lead development of recurring and ad hoc large-load reporting for executive leadership, business plan updates, board materials, and enterprise scorecards.
• Potentially serving as a witness in front of state regulatory bodies and supporting other witnesses as they do the same.
• Ensure messaging remains consistent across organizations and reflects AEP's mission of putting the customer first.

Economic & Large Load Forecasting Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for AEP's economic and large-load forecasting activities, including economic impact analyses, forecast methodologies, and data governance policies.
• Partner with load forecasting, planning, and strategy teams to ensure consistent integration of economic and large-load growth expectations.
• Communicate forecast implications to executive leadership and support key enterprise decision-making processes.
• Support scenario analysis and strategic planning activities associated with emerging large-load demand.

What We're Looking For:

Education Requirements

Bachelor's in economics or business administration.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years' relevant experience in load or fundamental forecast experience at a utility or for a consultant or association that does the same for the electric or gas utility industry as a whole.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Economics, Finance, Engineering, Business, Energy Management, Public Policy, or related field preferred.
• Significant experience in utility operations, strategic planning, forecasting, regulatory affairs, economic development, finance, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
• Strong executive presentation and communication skills.
• Experience preparing materials for senior leadership or board-level audiences.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Knowledge of electric utility planning, resource adequacy, transmission planning, load forecasting, and capital investment processes. Experience working with RTOs or utility regulators is especially preferred.
• Experience with economic development, or data center initiatives.
• Experience developing and communicating forecasts used for strategic, financial, operational, or regulatory decision-making
• Background in enterprise governance, portfolio management, strategic planning, or business performance management.
• Proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel, Power BI, and data visualization tools.
• Experience developing and communicating forecasts used for strategic, financial, operational, or regulatory decision-making.

Success Profile

• A strong communicator capable of translating complexity into clear executive messages.
• Highly organized and able to coordinate work across multiple organizations.
• Comfortable interacting with vice presidents and senior executives.
• Able to connect forecasting, regulatory, operational, customer, and financial perspectives into a single enterprise story.
• Focused on execution, governance discipline, and decision quality.
• Capable of balancing analytical rigor with practical business judgment in a rapidly evolving growth environment.

Leadership Impact

The Director of Economic & Large Load Forecasting plays a critical role in helping AEP anticipate, evaluate, and respond to evolving economic conditions and unprecedented large-load growth opportunities. Success in this role will be measured by the effectiveness of enterprise governance, strength of executive decision support, and the organization's ability to proactively plan for and capture customer growth while maintaining reliability, affordability, and operational excellence.

Why This Role Matters

This position sits at the intersection of forecasting, growth strategy, executive decision-making, and enterprise execution. As AEP experiences increasing demand from data centers, advanced manufacturing, and other large-load customers, the Director will help ensure the organization has a single source of truth regarding growth expectations while providing leaders with the governance, communications, and strategic insights necessary to make informed investment and operational decisions.

What You'll Get:

In addition to a competitive compensation, AEP offers a unique comprehensive benefits package that aims to support and enhance the overall well-being of our employees.

Where Putting the Customer First Powers Everything We Do

At AEP, we’re more than just an energy company — we’re a team of dedicated professionals committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions. Guided by our mission to put the customer first, we strive to exceed expectations by listening, responding, and continuously improving the way we serve our communities. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact and being part of a forward-thinking organization, this is the company for you!

Compensation

$160,434.00 - $208,565.50

Physical Demands

The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is hereby reaffirmed that it is the policy of American Electric Power (AEP) to provide Equal Employment Opportunity in all respects of the employer-employee relationship including recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company sponsored training programs, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs and termination of employment to all employees and applicants without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. When required by law, we might record certain information or applicants for employment may be invited to voluntarily disclose protected characteristics.

“AEP offers an outstanding group of people to be a part of. The AEP culture values your integrity and awards your hard work.”

Responsible for performing settlement activities under the guidance of others. Settlement activities could include preparing invoices, communicating with counterparties, reconciling transactional data and settlement results, monitoring and executing contractual and regulatory commitments, properly documenting settlement activities and procedures, and supporting the information needs of other groups within AEP. Responsible for understanding settlement requirements and procedures for execution. Complies with all guidelines and standards, including Sarbanes-Oxley and regulatory accounting policies.

Supports the O&M and Capital budgeting process, reprojections, variance/other standard/ad-hoc reporting and analysis, and the improvement requisition process for a business unit(s), corporate group(s), operating company(ies) and/or for AEP Consolidated. Includes providing support of the related planning, budgeting and reporting applications and the billing/allocation processes. Note: A Sr. budget analyst will be required to support all activities and will typically support multiple groups.

Direct all activities pertaining to the Risk and Insurance Management Department, including all insurance procurement and risk financing, captive insurance oversight, risk control of physical hazard risks, property insurance claims, public liability claims and recovery/subrogation claims. Develop and maintain risk management, risk financing, claim and risk control policies and procedures for the effective and efficient financial protection of corporate assets. Supervise a department of 15 people and multiple external vendors including brokers, actuaries, loss control consultants and others.

AEP offers generous time off, competitive pay, and educational opportunities to help employees advance their careers.

Our culture is purpose-driven and team-oriented: we combine innovation with a customer-first focus to deliver reliable energy and brighter futures.