Senior Manager Demand Side Strategy

Date: August 27, 2026

Location: Toronto, ON – Hybrid/On-site

Requisition ID: 21201

Status: Regular

Business Unit: Power System Development

Grade/Band: Band 4

Shift Work: No

Annual Pay Range: For standard 35-hour work week

$155,010 - $193,770

The successful placement within the range will depend on qualifications, relevant work experience, and other applicable considerations.

Why join us?

The IESO is committed to ensuring Ontario’s electricity system meets the province’s needs today and into the future. We are charged with purpose, delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity for homes, businesses, and communities across the province. We are energized to grow, embracing opportunities to shape the future of a dynamic and evolving energy sector while advancing our careers. We are powered by teamwork, supported by diverse and passionate colleagues who foster respect, celebrate successes, and thrive on shared achievements. At the IESO, it’s not just what we do—it’s who we are! 

Who we are

Our central role includes managing the provincial power grid in real-time, overseeing and evolving Ontario’s electricity market, engaging with government, municipalities and Indigenous communities, and planning for Ontario’s future electricity needs. Our employees play a key role in driving grid innovation, protecting the system from threats, advancing the province’s energy conservation programs, and forecasting and procuring the electricity resources we’ll need in the decades to come. 

This is a non-unionized that falls within the Demand Side Management Division of the Power System Development Business Unit.

What makes this role exciting

The energy sector is rapidly evolving, offering exciting new opportunities for those who want to make a difference.

• The Senior Manager, Demand Side Strategy plays a pivotal leadership role in shaping the future of demand-side management across Ontario’s electricity sector. Reporting to the Director, DSM Portfolio Readiness & Excellence, this role leads the development and execution of strategic initiatives that position demand side management as a key resource in maintaining a reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity system.
• Leading a high-performing team, the Senior Manager drives strategies that enhance the value proposition of demand side management programs, strengthen capabilities across Local Distribution Companies (LDCs) and channel partners, and leverage market research and data insights to improve customer engagement and program outcomes. As a visible leader within the IESO, this role influences strategic direction across the organization, builds alignment among diverse stakeholders, and serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on DSM priorities and opportunities. This is an exciting opportunity to influence energy policy and market transformation, collaborate with industry stakeholders, and help accelerate Ontario’s transition to a more sustainable energy future.
• The role also provides full people leadership accountability, including staff development, performance management, workforce planning, and the successful delivery of strategic priorities that support the IESO’s objectives. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong executive presence, strategic influence, and the ability to lead beyond direct authority to drive organization-wide impact.

What you’ll do

In this role, you’ll make a meaningful impact by contributing to the IESO team and supporting the electricity needs of the province through:

• Strategic Thinking: Establish team strategy for research, data analytics, capability building and training strategies to enhance DSM programs and increase program participation in Ontario.  Champion an enterprise-wide perspective, ensuring strategies align with broader organizational priorities, system needs, and long-term business objectives.
• Accountability:
  1. Lead the team to develop, implement, and champion research and data analytics initiatives to identify, assess, and evaluate new and emerging energy efficiency technologies.
  2. Foster market transformation and the adoption of these technologies into IESO DSM programs
  3. Manage and expand awareness and understanding of the Save on Energy brand and the associated DSM programs
  4. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to integrate market research and data analytics insights to enhance DSM programs and processes
  5. Influence the culture of conservation internally and externally
  6. Lead and support stakeholder sessions and IESO/partner working group meetings and proactively manage stakeholder expectations by keeping them informed of significant DSM issues, changes and impacts
  7. Provide thought leadership across the organization and sector, identifying emerging trends, risks, and opportunities that influence DSM strategy and program evolution.
• Customer Focus: Lead customer-focused research, data analytics, training, and capability-building initiatives to drive market transformation and increase participation in IESO DSM programs; manage escalated customer and stakeholder inquiries.
• Relationships: Develop and maintain strong relationships with LDCs, channel partners, and third-party delivery agents to ensure ratepayer value and to advance Ontario’s culture of conservation. 
• Coordination: Develop and maintain strong relationships with peers and senior leaders across the IESO to support cost-effective and sustainable system reliability through the advancement of DSM in Ontario as a resource to meet system and customer needs.  Act as a collaborative enterprise leader, driving alignment and execution across multiple business functions and organizational priorities.
• Expert Advice: Provide technical expertise to IESO’s leadership team, governments at all levels, and industry associations across North America on IESO DSM programs.  Represent the IESO on internal and external cross-functional teams including relevant sector associations and government task forces to ensure positive outcomes for the IESO and OntarioStart each bullet with a non-repeating verb in the same tense

In a typical day, you will

• Team Leadership: Manage a specialized team of staff consisting of 2 to 3 direct supervisors and 10 to 15 indirect staff.  Foster a high-performance culture by inspiring excellence, building leadership capability, and creating opportunities for growth and succession development.
• Problem Solving: Provide strategic advice and ensure a risk-based focus view to problem situations where conflict may arise. Navigate complex and highly visible issues with confidence, balanceing competing interests while influencing outcomes at senior levels of the organization
• Project Management: Manage processes, timelines, budgets, and staff to deliver projects and initiatives on schedule and within approved budget, while ensuring compliance to IESO policies
• Communication: Lead discussions with senior leaders, prepare and deliver reports and presentations to senior executives, board of directors, and government officials, translating complex information into clear strategic recommendations that drive decision-making.

Role Requirements

Our team consists of experts from diverse backgrounds, each bringing their unique perspectives and skills. 

To succeed in this role, you’ll need: 

• Minimum 15 years of experience in energy and/or energy conservation, marketing and communications, or a related field.
• Post-secondary degree or diploma in energy, business, environmental studies or a technical discipline is preferred; a post graduate degree is an asset.  Individuals without post-secondary education but with the prerequisite experience will be considered
• Professional Engineer (P.Eng), MBA, Master degree in engineering and industry certifications such as Certified Measurement & Verification Professional (CMVP) or Certified Energy Manager (CEM) are considered asset
• Strong understanding of the IESO’s mandate, structure, and role within Ontario’s electricity system, including knowledge of the North American electricity sector.
• Strong awareness and understanding of political factors that influence the direction of Demand Side Management initiatives
• Proven experience building project business cases and successfully appropriating capital for funding projects
• Demonstrated ability to influence and lead across an organization, building alignment and achieving results through collaboration rather than direct authority.
• Experience engaging, advising, and presenting to senior executives, boards, government representatives, and external stakeholders.
• Proven track record of leading high-performing teams and developing future leaders through coaching, mentorship, and succession planning.
• Strong strategic thinking, business acumen, and ability to translate complex market and policy considerations into actionable recommendations.

How We Support You

From a comprehensive total rewards program to dynamic learning and development opportunities—including job rotations to broaden your expertise—we empower you to define and shape your own success. When you join the IESO, here’s what you can expect:

• Best-in-class benefits and long-term support in the form of a defined benefit pension plan. 
• Work in a dynamic and evolving sector that offers exciting opportunities and the chance to explore new career paths.
• Leadership that values meaningful discussions, welcomes feedback, and prioritizes career development. 
• A strong, inclusive culture and a collaborative team environment with a shared passion for impactful work.
• Compensation packages that are regularly reviewed to remain competitive and to best accommodate the diverse needs of our employees. 

Deadline: September 10, 2026 at 11:59PM

For future reference, please save a copy of the job posting as it will no longer be available once the posting closes.

Thank you for your interest in a career at the IESO. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note that the successful candidate must be legally eligible to work in Canada and will be subject to applicable background checks. 

IESO will not conduct interviews or offer positions via online, text, chat or social media platforms. We will not gather personal information directly from candidates or potential candidates. Selected candidates will work with our Talent Acquisition team to ensure their application is processed.

The IESO currently has a 3-day in-office work week for applicable roles. Over the course of 2026, the IESO will advance plans to acquire additional office space to accommodate more in-office time. While the timeline for moving to a full 5-day in-office model has not yet been established, we are committed to keeping employees and candidates informed as plans progress and give them as much advance notice as possible to prepare for any changes. 

We believe in opportunities for everyone. 

At the IESO, we know that achieving great results depends on embracing diversity by attracting, developing, and retaining people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We do this by ensuring our recruitment and advancement policies are fair and equitable, and by creating an accessible and inclusive environment—one that values every team member’s unique skills and experiences and ensures they have the support they need to achieve their potential. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know. We’re proud to say we’ve been recognized as a supportive, inclusive employer. 

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