Senior Project Manager, Renewable Generation

SMUD is seeking a Senior Project Manager for a two-year limited term position in Sacramento, CA, to lead utility-scale renewable energy projects. The role involves managing real estate, permitting, design, and construction of solar and wind projects, ensuring coordination with internal and external stakeholders. Candidates should have experience in utility-scale project management and contract oversight. This position contributes to SMUD's goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030.
This position intends to fill a two (2) year limited term position.

SMUD is a leader in clean energy and carbon reduction. This is an exciting time to join SMUD as member of the Project Development Team in our Power Generation Department helping reach our ambitious goal of zero carbon emissions in our power supply by 2030 - the most ambitious goal of any large utility in the United States.

Power Generation is seeking a strong, experienced Senior Project Manager to manage the real estate, permitting, design, installation, integration, interconnection, contracting for services, contract management, construction and commissioning of utility scale and utility interconnected renewable energy projects including solar, combined solar and energy storage, storage and wind projects at distribution and transmission interconnection voltages. In this role, you will manage fast-paced projects, planning, procuring, installing, integrating and interconnection for utility scale renewable energy projects.

The ideal candidate will have experience in management and development of utility scale renewable energy projects including management of matrixed teams of subject matter experts and consultants in real estate, community strategy, permitting at the federal, state and local level, utility interconnection, and management of EPC contracts, and procurement contracts for electrical power projects. Experience in siting of utility scale renewable energy is highly desired. This position requires a high degree of coordination with both internal and external parties to SMUD.

Purpose

Provides project management expertise and services in assigned area including to plan, organize, manage, coordinate, and execute activities and projects to ensure adequate, reliable, efficient, and cost effective systems and projects for SMUD.

Nature and Scope

Serves as a technical or functional expert or consultant providing expertise and/or direction in one or more areas of a professional discipline and assumes responsibility for resolving complex problems and overseeing complex projects. May also serve in a Lead role and assist in planning, coordinating, prioritizing, monitoring, and evaluating the work results in assigned area and in selecting, training, motivating, evaluating, and developing lower-level personnel.

This role typically oversees or leads one or more large, complex projects. Or supervise PMs and a team supporting portfolios. Substations, Data Co-Lo, Large Overhauls Power Generations. Manages enterprise/OAT projects with budgets in excess of $10,000,000.

Duties and Responsibilities
• Manages activities and projects in assigned area; develops necessary project plans, cost estimates, project budgets, work breakdowns and schedules, and project summary descriptions and justifications for department, SMUD, and/or multi-utility or agency review.
• Ensures integrated planning and cooperation by internal/external partners or stakeholders to support successful completion of assigned projects; coordinates project planning with other departments and entities through meetings and shared written and oral reporting and communications; provides leadership and coordination with other utilities and agencies as required.
• Ensures the availability of timely and accurate project planning information on SMUD projects; collects, verifies, organizes, and maintains data; prepares and provides written summaries, reports, and recommendations for SMUD projects; responds verbally or in writing to routine and time-critical inquiries on projects from SMUD Board, regulatory bodies, other utilities, public agencies, and other SMUD departments.
• Ensures assigned work activities successfully contribute to the overall completion of department projects; plans, coordinates, prioritizes, monitors, guides, reviews, and conducts work activities associated with department internal/external projects in accordance with established task objectives and schedule as outlined in the project plans.
• Ensures that project team members and contractors work methods, technical methodologies, and problem-solving methods meet SMUD policies and quality standards and contract terms; provides project guidance to project team members and contractors to develop unique solutions that address new or difficult problems on projects; directs preparation of verbal and written reports on technical problems.
• Represents SMUD’s positions, priorities, and interests on multi-agency projects and to various industry, government, interest groups, and regulatory bodies.
• Provides leadership and direction for assigned tasks in order to meet defined unit goals and schedules and comply with SMUD schedule, quality, quantity, safety, and performance standards; plans, coordinates, prioritizes, monitors, and guides work activities of project team members to meet established task objectives and deadlines by following established policies and precedents; communicates with team members and incorporates their input to processes and techniques; promotes safety and a safe work environment; assists in evaluating work performance results; participates as a team member in accomplishing objectives; refers problems to supervisory staff when solutions are not readily achievable.
• Performs related duties as required.

Required Education
• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a field directly related to area of assignment or equivalent experience. If no degree, eleven (11) years of relevant work experience is required.

Required Experience Qualifications
• Seven or more (7+) years of progressively responsible relevant project management work experience in the power industry that includes significant experience in project leadership, management and outside agency interface or inter-utility project involvement.

Skills To

Manage multiple projects including to plan, coordinate, and interpret diverse functions and activities within assigned projects; develop strategic, business, operational, and program plans; establish and maintain cooperation between work groups, contractors, and external agencies on the programs and within specific projects while working with a variety of staff and contractors to ensure that project goals and objectives will be met on schedule and within the approved budget; negotiate with internal and external representatives on behalf of SMUD; evaluate project progress and resolve complex technical issues; understand and resolve the technical, political, and corporate issues that are subject to change; interact with others to influence and motivate; compile and prepare technical, statistical, and analytical reports and presentations; develop and conduct oral presentations to internal/external audiences; work effectively with other utilities and outside agencies to manage joint projects; interpret, analyze, and apply pertinent policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements; identify significant organizational issues concerns and needs and develop strategies for rectifying them; accomplish tasks through teamwork; utilize a personal computer and/or computer terminal, systems and software relevant to the job; communicate effectively orally and in writing internally/externally; establish and maintain effective working relationships internally/externally.

Required Licenses/Certificates

Project Management Institute PMP Certification

Acceptable alternative education or certification include:
• Project Management Institute - ACP Agile Certified Practitioner
• Engineering Degree, and requisite experience
• Construction Mgmt Degree, and requisite experience
• Professional Engineer Certification, and requisite experience
• Construction Mgmt Certification, and requisite experience

Desirable Qualifications
• Experience managing complex project schedules in Microsoft Project.
• Experience with budget management for projects exceeding $100M
• Experience with development of strategies for and execution of land use and environmental permitting in California.
• Developing scope of work for contracts and for task orders, administering and managing external permitting and engineering contractors in support of wind, solar, and battery projects.
• Managing a design review process where contractor submittals are evaluated for compliance with project technical requirements.
• Experience preparing and delivering presentations to share and influence project stakeholders.

Hybrid Work

This position may be eligible for SMUD's hybrid (office/home) work employee benefit, the schedule of which will be determined by the successful candidate and the Hiring Manager. SMUD takes pride in powering the Sacramento region community where we live and work. We value the strong working relationships we develop with our colleagues. Our approach to hybrid work will continue to evolve. Please be aware that should SMUD’s business needs change, emergencies occur, or various other reasons arise, you may be required to report onsite on a part-time or full-time basis.