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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for an Energy Director

💰 $150,000 - $250,000+

EnergySustainabilityLeadershipFacilities ManagementOperations

🎯 Role Definition

As an Energy Director, you are the strategic leader responsible for an organization's entire energy portfolio. This executive role involves shaping the future of our energy consumption, driving cost savings, and spearheading sustainability initiatives that have a global impact. You will develop and execute a comprehensive strategy that encompasses energy procurement, demand-side management, renewable energy integration, and efficiency projects across a diverse portfolio of facilities. This is a highly visible role that requires a blend of deep technical expertise, financial acumen, and exceptional leadership to influence stakeholders from the boiler room to the boardroom, ensuring our operations are both economically and environmentally sustainable.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Energy Manager
  • Sustainability Manager / Director
  • Senior Project Manager (Energy or Construction)
  • Facilities or Operations Director with a strong energy focus

Advancement To:

  • Vice President of Sustainability / ESG
  • Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
  • Vice President of Operations
  • Senior Director of Global Facilities

Lateral Moves:

  • Director of Sustainability
  • Director of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
  • Director of Facilities Management

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop and execute a comprehensive, long-range enterprise energy and sustainability strategy aligned with corporate financial goals and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) commitments.
  • Oversee the procurement of all utilities (electricity, natural gas, water, etc.) for a multi-site portfolio, employing sophisticated purchasing strategies, risk management, and contract negotiation to optimize cost and supply security.
  • Lead the identification, financial modeling (ROI, NPV, IRR), and implementation of large-scale energy efficiency and conservation projects, including HVAC upgrades, building automation system (BAS) optimization, and LED lighting retrofits.
  • Direct the organization's transition to renewable energy by evaluating and executing on-site generation projects (e.g., solar, geothermal) and off-site Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs).
  • Manage the multi-million dollar annual energy and utilities budget, including meticulous forecasting, variance analysis, accruals, and reporting to senior leadership and finance departments.
  • Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for energy consumption, cost, and carbon emissions, utilizing energy management information systems (EMIS) to track progress against reduction targets.
  • Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal energy and environmental regulations, staying abreast of evolving policy, carbon pricing, and renewable portfolio standards that impact the organization.
  • Serve as the company's subject matter expert on energy markets, tariff structures, and deregulation issues, providing strategic guidance to leadership on potential risks and opportunities.
  • Lead cross-functional teams comprised of facilities, operations, finance, and legal to champion and implement energy-related initiatives across the entire organization.
  • Develop and manage relationships with external partners, including utility providers, energy service companies (ESCOs), consultants, and technology vendors to drive innovation and project execution.
  • Oversee the collection, validation, and analysis of utility data to identify anomalies, optimize performance, and provide accurate data for internal and external sustainability reporting (e.g., CDP, GRESB).
  • Champion a culture of energy awareness and conservation throughout the organization by developing communication campaigns, training programs, and employee engagement initiatives.
  • Evaluate and integrate emerging technologies, such as battery storage, microgrids, and advanced IoT sensors, into the long-term energy strategy to enhance resilience and reduce costs.
  • Direct facility energy audits and retro-commissioning efforts to identify low-cost/no-cost operational improvements and capital-intensive deep energy retrofits.
  • Prepare and present compelling business cases, financial analyses, and progress reports on energy and sustainability initiatives to the executive leadership team and Board of Directors.
  • Collaborate with real estate and development teams to embed energy efficiency and sustainable design principles into new construction and major renovation projects.
  • Manage demand response programs and other grid-interactive initiatives to generate revenue and support grid stability in key operating regions.
  • Lead the strategy and data collection for the energy and carbon sections of corporate ESG and sustainability reports, ensuring accuracy and alignment with global reporting frameworks.
  • Negotiate and manage complex energy contracts, including master supply agreements, PPAs, and performance contracts, in partnership with the legal department.
  • Provide leadership and mentorship to a team of energy managers, analysts, and engineers, fostering their professional development and building a high-performance culture.
  • Develop and oversee the corporate decarbonization roadmap, setting science-based targets and outlining the capital and operational pathways to achieve carbon neutrality.
  • Act as the primary liaison with utility companies for all matters including new service connections, infrastructure upgrades, tariff negotiations, and outage coordination.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the Communications team with content and data for public-facing sustainability announcements and reports.
  • Contribute to the organization's overall risk management strategy by identifying energy-related market and physical risks.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate their operational needs into energy infrastructure requirements.
  • Represent the company at industry conferences, policy workshops, and stakeholder forums to stay on the cutting edge of energy trends.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Energy Procurement & Risk Management: Deep expertise in sourcing energy in regulated and deregulated markets, including hedging strategies and contract negotiation.
  • Financial Modeling & Analysis: Ability to build and interpret complex financial models for energy projects, including ROI, NPV, LCOE, and payback period analysis.
  • Utility Tariff and Rate Structure Analysis: Proficient in dissecting complex utility bills and tariff structures to identify cost-saving opportunities.
  • Energy Project Management: Proven track record of managing large-scale energy efficiency and renewable energy projects from conception through commissioning.
  • Building & Energy Management Systems (BMS/EMS): Strong understanding of building automation, controls, and software platforms used to monitor and manage energy consumption.
  • Renewable Energy Contracts (PPA/VPPA): Expertise in the structure, negotiation, and management of physical and virtual Power Purchase Agreements.
  • Regulatory and Policy Analysis: In-depth knowledge of federal and state energy policies, incentives, and regulatory frameworks.
  • Carbon Accounting & ESG Reporting: Familiarity with GHG Protocol, TCFD, CDP, and other major environmental reporting standards.

Soft Skills

  • Strategic & Visionary Leadership: Ability to set a long-term vision and inspire a cross-functional team to achieve ambitious energy and sustainability goals.
  • Advanced Negotiation & Influence: Superior skill in negotiating high-value contracts and influencing key stakeholders without direct authority.
  • Stakeholder Management: Adept at building consensus and collaborating effectively with internal departments (Finance, Legal, Operations) and external partners (utilities, vendors).
  • Executive Communication: Excellent ability to distill complex technical and financial information into clear, concise presentations for senior leadership.
  • Complex Problem-Solving: A creative and analytical mindset to solve multifaceted energy challenges.
  • Change Management: Experience leading organizational change and fostering a corporate culture of sustainability and efficiency.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's Degree (e.g., MBA, MS in Engineering, MS in Environmental Management).
  • Professional certifications such as Certified Energy Manager (CEM) or Project Management Professional (PMP).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial)
  • Environmental Science or Sustainability
  • Business Administration or Finance
  • Energy Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 10-15+ years of progressive experience in energy management, utility procurement, or corporate sustainability.

Preferred:

  • Experience managing the energy portfolio for a large, multi-site organization.
  • Proven track record of successfully executing multi-million dollar energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
  • Direct experience negotiating complex energy contracts and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
  • Experience leading and developing a team of energy professionals.
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