Advanced Technology Program Manager (Distribution Reliability)

City of Austin

1d•$112,600 - $144,700•Hybrid

About The Position

The Program Manager of Advanced Grid Technologies Distribution Reliability Manager is responsible for ensuring the reliability, resilience, and overall performance of the electric distribution system. The manager plays a critical role in advancing the Electric System Resilience Plan (ESRP) and supporting system performance, customer service, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence. This role manages circuit‑hardening efforts, coordinates with cross‑functional teams, and provides engineering support during operational events. The manager responds to customer and executive escalations, supports power quality investigations, and contributes to root cause analyses and regulatory requirements. Additional responsibilities include assisting with emergency management activities, supporting planning and field operations, coordinating material and budget needs, and ensuring effective use of tools and applications that support outage analysis and distribution performance. Under general direction, this position manages and technically leads specific Smart Grid, Grid Modernization, and other Austin Energy (AE) advanced program(s).

Requirements

Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Business or Engineering related to the job, plus five (5) years of experience in a related field, two (2) years of which were in a program or project management capacity.
Knowledge of electric utility operations: generation, transmission, distribution, or other related fields.
Knowledge of advanced analytical, mathematical, or programming techniques.
Knowledge of fiscal planning and budget preparation.
Knowledge of applicable processes, engineering principles, data analysis, and application design.
Knowledge of regulatory requirements and applicable Federal, State, and Local laws and ordinances.
Skill in leading and directing personnel in a project and program capacity.
Skill in determining needs and gathering, analyzing and presenting data to provide accurate information for management's use.
Skill in oral and written business and technical communication including preparation of written reports.
Skill in handling and prioritizing multiple tasks and planning and organizing a program.
Skill in using computers and related software applications.
Skill in data analysis and problem solving.
Skill in negotiations, program monitoring, and conflict resolution.
Skill in conducting presentations on behalf of a public entity.
Skill in projecting needs for equipment and personnel and formulating operating budgets.
Ability to perform complex analysis, calculations, and problem solving.
Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
Ability to direct the timely production of project proposals and agreements.
Ability to prepare and evaluate business cases.

Nice To Haves

Electrical Engineering degree, PE preferred.
Strong understanding of reliability engineering principles and statistical analysis.
Experience supporting legal teams with technical or engineering documentation for case‑related matters.
Experience with the evaluation or implementation of new technologies, applications, and equipment.
Experience responding to executive‑level, key account, and customer escalations.
Experience analyzing outage data and preparing clear, professional reports and presentation materials for executive internal and external stakeholders.
Ability to identify potential issues and develop effective solutions.
Demonstrated experience managing employees, including assigning work, monitoring performance, providing feedback, and ensuring program goals are met.

Responsibilities

Leads planning activities to develop short- and long-term strategic plans, roadmaps, and objectives for advanced technologies and programs.
Creates and manages operational budgets for short and long term technology projects and contracts.
Leads cross functional teams to achieve technology initiatives.
Manages existing and future contracts with vendors.
Leads market research activities to identify market trends in technologies and programs.
Produces periodic metrics to measure and improve: systems, projects, vendors, and service provider performance.
Manages assigned matrix resources.
Leverages functionality to identify operational efficiencies to improve customer satisfaction and reduce operational costs.
Produces business cases, including cost versus benefit analysis and Request for Proposal (RFP’s) to support related technologies and initiatives and programs.
Facilitates and leads periodic executive round table and steering committees on related technologies and programs.
Facilitates internal communication, education, and training to staff, and internal and external stakeholders on technologies and programs.
May be responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.