Senior Director, Energy Transition

University of Massachusetts Medical School•Worcester, MA

About The Position

The Senior Director of Energy Transition Analytics will lead the development, integration, and communication of comprehensive financial and operational modeling to support the Institution’s transition from a fossil‑fuel–based combined heat and power (CHP) generation system to a non‑fossil‑fuel–based CHP system. This role will play a critical part in guiding executive‑level decision-making across the University system by synthesizing technical, financial, temporal, regulatory, and social dimensions into clear, actionable insights. The Senior Director will collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders—including technical experts, regulatory bodies, community partners, and University executives—to ensure that transition scenarios are rigorously analyzed, risk‑informed, and aligned with institutional priorities for safety, operational continuity, environmental responsibility, and fiscal stewardship.

Requirements

Master’s degree in engineering, finance, economics, energy systems, environmental science, public policy, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
10+ years of progressively responsible experience in energy systems analysis, utility infrastructure planning, financial modeling, or large‑scale capital project evaluation.
Demonstrated expertise in financial modeling, including life‑cycle cost analysis, capital expenditure planning, scenario analysis, and risk modeling.
Strong understanding of state, local, and federal permitting, regulatory frameworks, and legislative processes relevant to energy infrastructure.
Proven ability to communicate complex technical and financial concepts clearly to executive‑level leadership and diverse stakeholder groups.
Demonstrated experience with risk mitigation, safety considerations, and operational continuity planning in highly regulated environments.
Experience collaborating with engineering teams, financial analysts, regulatory bodies, and community stakeholders.
Ability to lead and manage grant development, funding strategy, or public–private partnership (PPP) structuring.
Strong quantitative, analytical, and strategic problem‑solving skills, with the ability to synthesize large volumes of data into decision‑ready insights.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with energy generation technologies, utility interconnection processes, or combined heat and power (CHP) systems—preferably within large campuses, medical centers, or research institutions.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain sophisticated financial models reflecting technical pathways identified by the Institution for transitioning to non‑fossil‑fuel energy generation.
Integrate financial, temporal, operational, and social considerations into a comprehensive matrix of risks, opportunities, and merits to support executive decision processes.
Evaluate life‑cycle costs, capital expenditures, financing structures, generation revenues, and operating models (e.g., owner‑operated, public–private partnership, energy‑as‑a‑service).
Assess and model risk‑mitigation requirements to ensure environmental safety and compliance.
Support planning for uninterrupted operations of clinical and academic facilities throughout transition and implementation phases.
Analyze insurance requirements, workforce development needs (including licensed operator competencies), and other operational dependencies.
Coordinate modeling inputs related to state, local, and federal permitting, including NRC and other regulatory pathways.
Incorporate community engagement, entitlement considerations, and associated risk‑mitigation strategies into scenario analyses.
Track and model potential impacts of legislative actions affecting local and state permitting processes.
Evaluate total project cost requirements, capital phasing, cash‑flow strategies, and financing options.
Lead or support grant application development, administration, and integration of grant scenarios into financial modeling.
Analyze exposure related to unrelated business income tax (UBIT) and other tax‑related considerations.
Model the utility interconnection pathways, approval processes, cost impacts, and timeline risks.
Ensure technical–financial modeling alignment with engineering teams and external consultants.