Utilities Senior Resource Planner

City of Palo Alto • Palo Alto, CA

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

The City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) is seeking a Senior Resource Planner for its Resource Management Division (RMD). CPAU provides five municipal utility services: electricity, natural gas, water, wastewater, and fiber optics. This role is integral to a locally-owned utility focused on delivering cost-effective, dependable, and safe utility services. The position offers opportunities for personal and professional growth and involves collaboration with energy professionals. The Senior Resource Planner supervises one or more Resource Planners, Associate Resource Planners, Assistant Resource Planners, or interns. The primary focus is on electric, gas, and wastewater utility financial planning, including long-term financial forecasting, cost of service analysis, and rate design. Depending on experience and organizational needs, the role may also contribute to water utility financial planning and water supply portfolio planning.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field and seven years of progressively responsible related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.
• Expertise in Utility Financial Planning and Analysis: Proven experience developing and maintaining long-range financial forecasts, including revenue requirements, reserve analysis and policies, load forecasting, and scenario analysis for electric and gas utilities.
• Cost of Service and Rate Design: Demonstrated expertise in cost-of-service studies, rate design, and rate implementation for utilities particularly electric and gas utilities.
• Energy Industry Knowledge: Strong understanding of the electric and natural gas utility sectors, including regulatory frameworks, market dynamics and key cost drivers.
• Policy Acumen: Familiarity with utility ratemaking principles, regulatory processes, and policies affecting utilities, including experience supporting rate cases or regulatory filings.
• Communication and Persuasion: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. Ability to articulate complex issues clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences.
• Analytical and Modeling Skills: Proficiency in analyzing complex financial, operational and customer data, with strong proficiency in financial modeling tools (e.g., Excel or similar platforms). Strong ability to synthesize information to formulate strategic recommendations.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with governmental bodies, community stakeholders, and industry partners.
• Financial Planning and Rate-setting: Proficiency in utility ratemaking, including utility reserve analysis and policies, long-range financial planning, new rate structure development, and detailed cost-of-service studies.
• Adaptability and Initiative: Proactive and adaptable in a dynamic regulatory environment with the ability to manage multiple priorities and drive projects forward both independently and collaboratively.
• Valid California Driver's License.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with water and wastewater utilities is highly desirable.
• Experience in water and wastewater cost of service and rate design is a plus.
• Broader utility experience, including water and wastewater systems is valued.
• Master's degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• May supervise technical, clerical, and lead staff to include: prioritizing and assigning work; conducting performance evaluations; ensuring staff is trained; and making hiring, termination and disciplinary recommendations.
• Facilitates strategic planning processes through data acquisition, analysis, decision process facilitation, report preparation, and critical activity analysis and tracking.
• Performs research and interprets utilities data related to assigned area of responsibility.
• Coordinates/leads development and implementation of short and long-term water, gas, electric portfolio management plans.
• Develops and evaluates recommendations for management and Council policy adoption.
• Devises methods and procedures to obtain, maintain, and update large sets of market-related data; provides leadership, participates in, and/or oversees the evaluation of data.
• Manages and oversees specialized studies in assigned area of responsibility.
• Identifies and analyzes operational problems; works with applicable internal staff and/or external agencies to evaluate alternatives and implement effective solutions.
• Develops and recommends revisions to applicable municipal codes, ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and/or procedures.
• Coordinating the planning and management activities associated with electricity, natural gas, and/or water supply portfolios.
• Overseeing and participating in ratemaking functions, including utility reserve analysis and policies, long-range financial planning, new rate structure development, and detailed cost of service studies.
• Assisting in the management of utility supply resource portfolios by performing resource planning, acquisitions, management, and contract administration activities, including structuring and origination of energy products and deal.

Benefits

• Option of a 9/80 work schedule with every other Friday off
• Ability to work remotely and onsite (current policy allows for 2 days/week remote and 3 days/week on-site)
• Tuition reimbursement, leadership training, and career growth opportunities
• Potential enrollment for dependents in the Palo Alto Unified School District (pilot program, subject to change)
• $10,000 in childcare subsidies (pilot program, subject to change)
• Incentives for walking, biking and taking transit to work. The City of Palo Alto participates in the Clipper Bay Pass program (Employee Cost: $5 per month).
• Defined-Benefit Retirement Plan: with competitive pension benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior