Interconnection Project Manager II

SMUD•Sacramento, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Interconnection Project Manager II in Transmission Planning & Operations manages medium- to high-complexity interconnection and grid infrastructure projects that support safe, reliable, and cost-effective electric service. This position is responsible for leading projects associated with transmission-connected generation, energy storage, large load, and other interconnection requests, while also supporting related sub-transmission projects as needed to meet system and customer demands. The PM II works closely with internal and external stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle—including planning, engineering, system operations, construction, customers, developers, and particularly Energy Trading and Contracts—to align project execution with commercial, operational, and contractual requirements. This role also collaborates with a wide range of interconnection customers, including internal teams responsible for new generation resource integration, ensuring their needs are incorporated into project delivery. A key aspect of this role includes drafting, reviewing, and supporting the negotiation of Large Generator Interconnection Agreements (LGIAs) and related interconnection contracts. The PM II helps ensure interconnection solutions are developed and delivered in a manner consistent with SMUD’s core operational guardrails of reliability and affordability, balancing customer needs, grid performance, risk, schedule, and cost. This position serves as a primary point of coordination for assigned projects from intake and study through agreement development, design coordination, construction support, testing, energization, and closeout. Success in this role requires strong project management capabilities, sound technical judgment, effective cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to advance projects while supporting long-term system reliability, operational flexibility, and prudent cost management.

Requirements

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, nine (9) years of relevant work experience is required.
Five or more (5+) years of progressively responsible relevant project management work experience in one or more of the following technical areas: financial/economic analysis, marketing and customer research, technical and engineering analysis, or planning and business development to include at least one year in a responsible project leadership role.
Project management principles and practices; SMUD operations; SMUD policies, procedures, applicable MOUs, and other special agreements; federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations pertinent to area of assignment; cost control, scheduling, and budgeting principles and practices; performance measurement techniques; proposal preparation techniques; contractual mechanisms and common terms and conditions; accounting fundamentals; management reporting; management control system fundamentals; total quality management philosophies, tools and techniques; practices for reviewing work assignments; safety policies, practices, and procedures; standard operating procedures for modern office equipment including a computer and applicable software; English grammar, punctuation and vocabulary standards.
Manage, plan, and coordinate diverse functions within assigned projects; provide effective reporting to executive management including written and oral communications, presentations, and reports; evaluate and resolve complex technical or management issues within a project; develop funding for projects; maintain adherence to budget and schedule using a matrix organization; negotiate with internal management personnel; identifying multiple solutions and objectively assess advantages and disadvantages of each; provide coaching, motivation, and skills development to assigned staff; set project goals/objectives and define activities that must be performed to accomplish them; 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.
Incumbent must obtain a Project Management Institute PMP Certification - within 12 months of appointment to this classification

Nice To Haves

Experience managing electric utility projects involving transmission, sub-transmission, substations, generation, energy storage, or large load interconnections.
Working knowledge of transmission planning, system operations, outage coordination, and utility engineering/design practices.
Familiarity with generator interconnection, load interconnection, energy storage integration, or network upgrade processes.
Experience working across multiple internal functions such as planning, operations, engineering, construction, environmental, real estate, legal, procurement, and customer/account teams.
Experience with capital project controls, including schedule development, cost tracking, forecasting, risk management, and status reporting.
Ability to interpret and work with technical studies, one-line diagrams, operating requirements, engineering drawings, and project agreements.
PMP certification or equivalent project management training is preferred.
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, construction management, project management, or a related field; an engineering background is preferred for highly technical project portfolios.
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

Responsibilities

Coordinates 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 review.
Coordinates project planning with other staff through meetings and shared written and oral reporting and communications.
Ensures assigned work activities successfully contribute to the overall completion of assigned projects; plans, coordinates, prioritizes, monitors, guides, reviews, and conducts work activities associated with assigned projects in accordance with established task objectives and schedule as outlined in the project plans.
Reviews the work of project team members; ensures work methods meet SMUD policies and quality standards; provides project guidance to project team; prepares employee performance evaluations, conducts one-on-one feedback sessions, and identifies and implements development actions to improve employee performance and skill base.
Negotiate, prepare, and manage participation agreements and other contracts with outside contractors as needed; directs contractor activities in accordance with contract requirements.
Develop and monitor project resources as necessary to complete project tasks ensuring proper and efficient use of SMUD and other participant resources and smooth coordination with external parties.
Ensures the availability of timely and accurate project status and related information on assigned projects; collects, verifies, organizes, and maintains data; prepares and provides written summaries, reports, and recommendations for SMUD projects; responds verbally or in writing to inquiries on projects from SMUD management, Board of Directors, regulatory bodies, other utilities, public agencies, and other SMUD departments.
Performs related duties as required.