Director of Energy Transformation

Overview

Brief Job Description:

As part of Mayor Wu’s vision for a Green New Deal for Boston, the City of Boston is seeking a Director of Energy Transformation. The Director of Energy Transformation is a newly created role that reflects the Wu Administration’s commitment to Boston playing a greater role in advancing the policy and technical innovation necessary to meet the City and region’s 2050 climate goals. The Director is responsible for guiding City policies, programs, and partnerships that advance the equitable transition to a carbon-free, resilient energy system.

The Director will serve as the City’s lead point person on energy transition and transformation, with cross-functional roles: Senior Advisor on energy to Mayor Wu’s Climate Council and Chief Climate Officer; Senior Staff responsible for energy policy and programs in the Environment Department; lead interdepartmental coordinator for energy utility and regulatory affairs City-wide. As an advisor, the Director will be responsible for generating and executing the City’s policy agenda on topics including grid modernization and equitable grid resilience. As Environment Department senior staff, the Director will guide and provide as-needed technical support to the teams responsible for ongoing programs in the Municipal Energy Unit, including municipal facility decarbonization through the Renew Boston Trust, the City’s municipal aggregation program, Boston Community Choice Electricity, and renewable energy procurement. The Director will play a leading role in developing Boston’s first Climate Action Plan update since 2019. As utility coordination lead, the Director is responsible for maintaining relationships with and forming partnerships with energy utilities and regulators, as well as developing partnerships across the City, particularly with infrastructure and energy planners in the Planning Department, as part of an all-of-government approach to equitable climate action. The Director’s work will support the Environment Department’s focus on climate justice, designing priority programs and policies to address past patterns of injustice.

The Director of Energy Transformation reports to the Commissioner of the Environment Department and additionally serves as an Advisor to the Chief Climate Officer. As part of the management team of the Environment Department, the Director will work closely with other members of the management team and have important administrative responsibilities.

• Leads and manages relationships with energy utilities and regulators.
• Advises Climate Council on energy transformation planning, policy, and regulation. Develops the City’s knowledge base on this topic and increases baseline awareness among City staff who are executing on components of the City’s Climate Action Plan related to energy.
• Provides guidance and oversight, as needed, to the Municipal Energy Unit on ongoing initiatives, including the Boston Community Choice Electricity (BCCE) Program outreach and renewable energy procurement.
• Solarize programs for residential solar/storage installations.
• Strategize for future municipal building decarbonization and electrification, including evaluation of the City’s performance contracting program and determination whether the City will undertake other models offered by Energy Service Companies for the City’s municipal building work.
• Coordinates with the Planning Department’s infrastructure and energy planners on grid planning, including transmission, distribution system upgrades, and non-wire alternatives with utilities; and on thermal decarbonization initiatives, including the future of the natural gas system; the steam system; and geothermal and sewer heat recovery planning.
• Develops and executes new energy transformation portfolio consisting of policy agenda (e.g., energy facilities siting) and programs/projects (e.g., PPAs).
• Co-chairs Boston Smart Utilities Steering Committee with Planning’s Sr. Infrastructure and Energy Planner.
• Co-chairs Energy and Infrastructure Working Group with Planning’s Sr. Infrastructure and Energy Planner.
• Stays current with important related scientific and policy developments and conveys them in practical terms to Boston stakeholders.
• Works with partner departments and agencies and external partners to implement community energy resilience projects and programs across the City, including the Planning Department, the Department of Emergency Preparedness, the Boston Housing Authority, the Mayor’s Office of Housing, and other key sector stakeholders on community energy resilience work.
• Represents the City of Boston in local, national, and global forums around climate action and energy resilience strategies and initiatives.
• Identifies obstacles to improving community energy resilience by residents and businesses, small and large, and institutions and develops strategies to reduce those obstacles.
• Partners with Environment Dept senior staff to develop the City’s climate and environmental legislative agenda. Works and maintains relationships with advocacy and legislative partners to advance agenda.
• Builds strong, collaborative partnerships with utility, business, institutional, non-profit, neighborhood groups, and resident associations to ensure that all parts of the Boston community, and especially the most vulnerable members of the community, have the support and resources necessary to develop community-driven resilience solutions and to improve their access to renewable energy and other distributed energy resources.
• Establish and manage partnerships and strategic alliances with key local and regional government stakeholders across diverse sectors, professional disciplines, and communities.
• Performs related duties as required.

• Five (5) to seven (7) of full-time or equivalent part-time experience in energy, climate, urban planning, law, engineering, or a related field and at least three (3) years of management experience. Additional experience preferred.
• A bachelor's degree is required.
• A J.D. or master's degree in energy, environmental science, urban planning, engineering, policy, or a related field is strongly preferred and may be substituted for three (3) years of the required experience. Management experience may not be substituted.
• Experience working for or directly with investor-owned energy utilities is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of relevant Federal and State laws (e.g., regional operation of the grid, state oversight of utilities and energy efficiency), federal, state, and local energy policies.
• Demonstrate experience and commitment to environmental justice and the needs of diverse urban communities.
• Demonstrate passion and commitment to public leadership on environmental justice and commitment to city leadership on climate and equity.
• Demonstrate experience tackling complex problems with creative, effective solutions in a fast-paced work environment.
• Highly organized, with the ability to simultaneously handle many tasks, organize complex projects, and meet deadlines;
• Excellent oral & written communication & organizational skills, with the ability to write about and present complex policies, research, and ideas in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully within a team and share credit for high-impact work.
• Willingness to practice accessible, responsive, community-engaged leadership for residents of the City of Boston.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong commitment to integrity and inclusivity in the workplace.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to work with diverse interests and backgrounds.
• Energy, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and focus on detail as required by the job.
• Proficiency with Microsoft applications and Google Suite.

BOSTON RESIDENCY REQUIRED

Terms:

Union/Salary Plan/Grade: Non-Union/MM2-11/Full-time

Hours per week: 35