ASCEND Program Information:

Southern Company is committed to building the future of energy for the customers who depend on us, the communities we serve and the industry we lead. The ASCEND program will transform how we do business, helping us elevate the customer experience, adapt to industry changes, and implement technology that offers new capabilities with more agility. It will involve implementing multiple applications, including the replacement of our meter data management (MDM) and customer service systems (CSS) with a new, Oracle customer information system (CIS) called customer to meter (C2M). Additionally, it includes implementing an advanced analytics platform, customer experience (CX) and commercial engagement platform (CEP).

The new platform, to be rolled out to Alabama Power, Georgia Power and Mississippi Power, will be implemented in phases. Currently, we are building an ASCEND organization dedicated to helping the electric operating companies realize the vision for a modernized, efficient, digital customer experience to deeply engage with our customers and provide a more personalized experience. ASCEND will be one of the most comprehensive Customer Service and Marketing transformation initiatives in our company’s history.

The successful candidate will remain an employee of the operating company while reporting to the CIS/MDM Program Team and may report to a SCS or operating company leader for delivery. Positions within the CIS Program will be filled based on the job requirements and the business needs and overall project scope. Candidates should answer all applicable questions thoroughly as this information will be used to select the successful candidates.  

While these roles are expected to be hybrid work, approximately 25% travel is anticipated and for this reason, it is preferred that resources are located within the electric service territory. The successful candidate will remain an employee of the operating company while reporting to the CIS/MDM Project Team and may report to a Southern Company Services or operating company leader for delivery.

The location for this position is flexible between Atlanta, Birmingham, and Gulfport.

JOB SUMMARY – Technical Support Analyst 

We are seeking 3 technically skilled and detail-oriented Technical Support Analysts to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for providing technical support, monitoring, and troubleshooting for cloud-based applications and systems. You will play a key role in ensuring the reliability, performance, and security of our cloud solutions while collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement. The primary responsibility of the Technical Support Analyst is to work closely with Business Process Managers, Business Process Leads, Developers, and Business Subject Matter Experts to understand the technical requirements of the business processes that support remediation, on-going support and minor enhancements of the Oracle CX application Suite (Service, Sales, Eloqua, etc.). 

MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Technical Support and Troubleshooting: 
   • Provide Level 2/3 support for cloud-based applications and systems, diagnosing and resolving technical issues promptly. 
   • Work with end-users to troubleshoot application errors, system outages, and integration challenges. 
   • Learn and Innovate: Quickly adopt and experiment with new cloud technologies to design, develop, and deploy scalable and resilient solutions. 
   • Build Solutions: Participate in the development of cloud infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and application modernization projects. 
   • Collaborate: Work closely with cross-functional teams, including Business Process Leads, developers, architects, and business stakeholders, to align technology solutions with business goals. 
   • Automate and Optimize: Design scripts and tools to automate workflows, optimize performance, and improve cloud operations. 
   • Ensure Security: Implement best practices to ensure the security and compliance of cloud infrastructure and applications. 
   • Troubleshoot and Support: Analyze and resolve technical challenges in cloud environments while recommending continuous improvements. 
2. Cloud Application Monitoring and Maintenance: 
   • Monitor cloud environments (OCI – Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, OIC – Oracle Integration Cloud, Microsoft Azure) to ensure uptime, performance, and stability.
   • Utilize monitoring tools (e.g., DynaTrace, Oracle native tools) to identify and address potential issues proactively. 
3. System Configuration and Optimization:
   • Assist with configuring and managing cloud-based applications and services.
   • Collaborate with engineering and DevOps teams to implement system updates, upgrades, and patches (during and after normal business hours) 
4. Incident and Change Management:
   • Follow ITIL processes to manage incidents, service requests, and change management tasks.
   • Document incident reports, root cause analyses, and resolution steps for knowledge sharing.  
5. Collaboration and Communication:
   • Partner with development, DevOps, and security teams to resolve complex issues and implement best practices.
   • Communicate system changes and outages to stakeholders and end-users.
6. Security and Compliance:
   • Support cloud security policies, ensuring compliance with organizational and regulatory standards (e.g., SOC 2, GDPR).
   • Manage access controls, roles, and permissions within cloud environments. 
7. Automation and Improvement: 
   • Develop scripts and automation tools using PowerShell, Python, or similar technologies to streamline support processes. 
   • Identify opportunities to enhance system performance and operational efficiency.