Principal Energy Manager

Stanford Health Care•Menlo Park, CA

8d•$77 - $102•Onsite

About The Position

The Principal Energy Manager (also described in the posting as Principal – Sustainability Energy) serves as Stanford Health Care’s expert in sustainability-related energy and water management. The role leads development, governance, and execution of enterprise-wide energy, carbon-emissions, and water strategies through programs, audits, capital projects, infrastructure modernization, and operational initiatives. It partners with Facilities Services departments, Supply Chain, Technology & Digital Solutions, clinical stakeholders, utilities, and other teams to advance decarbonization, utility optimization, resilience, regulatory compliance, and continuous performance improvement. The position develops long-term strategies and implementation plans, evaluates energy and water performance, manages project portfolios, develops business cases and funding requests, and provides technical leadership for capital projects and design decisions. It also advances energy conservation, building-system optimization, operator engagement, and sustainability practices across existing buildings and new construction. The role independently evaluates complex and ambiguously defined problems and provides analyses and recommendations that inform enterprise planning, technology selection, and program evolution. This is a full-time, salaried, 100% onsite position at 3700 Haven Court. The stated general schedule is 8 a.m.–5 p.m., with some nights and weekends depending on emergencies. The base pay scale generally starts at $76.97–$102.01 per hour; the final salary depends on factors including internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering (electrical, mechanical, or related) or a work-related discipline or field from an accredited college or university.
Eight years of progressively responsible and related work experience.
Expert-level knowledge of energy management, sustainability engineering, and decarbonization strategies in complex healthcare environments, including emerging practices and regulatory frameworks.
Proficiency in energy and sustainability analytics, including metering strategies, data integrity, normalization, trend analysis, and executive-ready performance dashboards.
Demonstrated ability to lead and facilitate cross-functional teams, influence without direct authority, and drive alignment, decisions, and execution.
Knowledge of utility rate structures, tariffs, demand-side management programs, rebates, and incentives, and ability to work effectively with utility providers and finance stakeholders.
Ability to develop business cases and funding requests incorporating lifecycle cost analysis, operational risk, and benefit-realization plans.
Strong project and portfolio management skills, including planning, scoping, budgeting, scheduling, risk management, change control, and stakeholder communications.
Vendor and consultant selection and oversight skills, including RFPs, scope development, deliverable quality assurance, and contract and relationship management.
Ability to read and interpret MEP drawings and technical documentation and translate findings into actionable scopes.
Ability to perform and validate energy and water calculations and develop and review spreadsheets and models used for decision-making.
Technical report-writing and executive communication skills, including clear documentation of scope, methodologies, assumptions, findings, and recommendations.
Working knowledge of Environment of Care standards and applicable healthcare facility requirements.
Working knowledge of HCAI standards, codes, and regulations applicable to healthcare facility projects and infrastructure changes.
Change-management capability to promote energy and water conservation practices through operator training, communications, and engagement programs.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, for quantitative analyses and executive presentations.
Strong interpersonal skills and professional judgment, with the ability to balance operational needs, regulatory requirements, and strategic goals.
Ability to conceptualize, design, and refine enterprise-scale systems, processes, and tools supporting long-term energy and sustainability objectives.
Ability to solve ambiguous, multi-variable problems through advanced interpretation, analysis, and synthesis of technical and operational information.
Ability to independently develop innovative solutions and adapt methods when established procedures or precedents do not exist.
Advanced ability to serve as a departmental or functional sustainability expert and interpret complex engineering, utility, and regulatory data to inform strategic decisions.
Ability to influence cross-functional leaders and external stakeholders through high-impact analyses, recommendations, and risk assessments.

Nice To Haves

Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) certification.
Certified Energy Manager (CEM) certification.
Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Responsibilities

Lead execution and continuous improvement of a multi-year energy and water strategy, translating organizational goals into a prioritized portfolio of initiatives and projects.
Establish program governance, success metrics, and reporting cadence for enterprise-wide energy, water, and carbon performance.
Develop and maintain the Strategic Energy Management Plan (SEMP) and implementation roadmap with Facilities Systems Engineering and Facilities Field Services.
Conduct periodic ASHRAE energy and water audits or equivalent assessments and prioritize opportunities based on operational risk, savings potential, and decarbonization impact.
Identify and advance decarbonization strategies, including electrification, reducing or eliminating combustion sources, renewable energy evaluation, and low-carbon technology adoption.
Facilitate multi-departmental energy and water governance groups, defining charters, aligning stakeholders, assigning accountabilities, and driving workgroup priorities.
Promote enterprise change through operator engagement, leader communications, and integration of sustainability practices into standard work.
Manage energy and water projects from concept through scoping, budgeting, scheduling, design support, implementation, measurement and verification, and executive reporting.
Develop business cases and funding requests that address projected costs, savings, lifecycle value, and operational impacts; provide leadership with status, risk, and decision updates.
Maintain relationships with utility providers and pursue applicable rebates, incentives, and demand-side programs while aligning them with the project pipeline and compliance requirements.
Track, analyze, and report energy and water consumption and costs; reconcile billing and usage irregularities and quantify program impacts.
Develop and maintain databases and analytics systems for utility, metering, energy consumption, water supply and hydrologic data, and related datasets.
Oversee energy modeling and performance analysis for new construction and existing buildings, providing actionable analyses of systems, buildings, and campus performance.
Partner with Facilities Field Services to implement energy conservation measures, optimize Building Management System sequences, and train building operators in conservation practices.
Provide technical leadership in capital funding requests, project reviews, and design decisions for new construction, major renovations, and infrastructure upgrades.
Consult project teams on sustainable design, operational strategies, and commissioning and performance-verification approaches.
Lead vendor selection, including RFPs, support contract negotiations, and oversee consultants to ensure deliverables meet scope, schedule, and quality standards.
Evaluate complex, ambiguously defined problems and ensure analyses, calculations, and work products are technically sound.
Monitor applicable legislation, codes, and standards and translate requirements into compliant practices, documentation, and operational controls.
Support power resiliency strategies, infrastructure upgrade planning, and risk-informed prioritization to protect continuity of patient care.
Support the Executive Director with sustainability communications, education, and engagement campaigns that encourage measurable energy and water conservation.