Director of Utilities Distribution and Energy Management

Director of Utilities Distribution and Energy Management

Energy & Sustainability is comprised of three interactive teams: Campus Sustainability Office, Utilities Distribution and Energy Management and Utilities Production, which work together to provide mission-critical utilities to the Ithaca campus and manage the University's climate commitments.

The Utilities section of Energy and Sustainability operates the University district energy system, potable water system and wastewater systems on a 24-hour, 365 day per year basis. Production facilities include a combined heat and power plant, a hydroelectric plant, a water filtration plant, and multiple chilled water plants. This team also manages storm and sanitary conveyance systems.

The Energy Management team has two primary responsibilities. First is real-time metering and billing for each utility which serves as the funding source for the Department. Second, is the Energy Conservation Initiative which includes capital projects and maintenance activities to ensure building's use energy responsibly.

The department is vertically aligned along the energy system - from procurement, to production, to distribution, and all the way to the outlet. This maximizes optimization and decision authority which drives our success.

Position Summary

The Director of Utilities Distribution and Energy Management provides strategic, operational, and financial leadership for campus-wide utility distribution systems, energy management, and metering programs. This role ensures the safe, reliable, and compliant delivery of electric, thermal, water, and wastewater services while advancing energy efficiency, demand management, and decarbonization objectives. Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Energy and Sustainability, the position oversees daily operations, long-range planning, staff management, and significant capital and operating budgets, while serving as a key advisor to senior leadership on utility infrastructure, energy strategy, and climate action implementation.

The Director leads multidisciplinary teams responsible for utility system operations, energy conservation programs, and metering and data systems; directs master planning and forecasting for campus energy demand and infrastructure; and collaborates extensively with facilities leadership, production staff, finance, regulatory agencies, and external partners. The role also acts as the University's primary subject matter expert for utility distribution systems, represents the institution in regulatory and technical matters, and may serve in an acting capacity for the AVP as needed.

The role is expected to manage utility outage recovery and trouble calls 24/7.

All employees are accountable for supporting the organization's values of truth, respect, excellence, teamwork, integrity; and supporting inclusive and sustainable practices in carrying out everyday responsibilities. Facilities Services employees are required to attend staff training.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

We are a value-based organization where all employees are accountable for supporting the organization's values of truth, respect, excellence, teamwork, and integrity. Facilities and Campus Services employees are required to attend staff development trainings and participate in the performance evaluation process.

Required Qualifications

• BSME, BSEE, BSCE or related degree and at least 7 years of a broad spectrum of experience in a directly related field including industrial scale utility production equipment and systems, instrumentation and controls, building energy and HVAC systems, high level economic analysis, management of multi-million-dollar projects, managing consultants and contractors, and supervision of technical staff.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership, writing and presentation skills.
• Highly proficient in the use of personal computing tools and specialized data gathering software.
• Previous supervisory experience.
• Must successfully complete a background check.
• Professional Engineer License.
• Proven experience connecting inclusion, belonging and wellbeing practices to business goals.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced education and/or experience in an area directly related to business administration, central campus utilities and energy management.
• Certified Energy Manager certification.
• Experience with public approval processes, NYS SEQRA and local/state approvals, risk-based decision making, and public speaking.

Working Environment

-Typically lifts less than 10 lbs

-Normal concentration

-Limited exposure to hazards

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Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

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• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

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• Academic Discipline

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