Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Utilities Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The Utilities Specialist is a cross-functional professional responsible for managing utility accounts, analyzing energy and water usage, administering utility billing and payments, ensuring regulatory compliance, coordinating meter and infrastructure programs, and supporting sustainability and cost-reduction initiatives. This role partners with operations, finance, engineering and external vendors to optimize utility costs, implement conservation projects, and maintain accurate utility records and reporting.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Facilities Technician / Facilities Coordinator
Energy Analyst / Energy Technician
Maintenance Technician (Mechanical/Electrical)

Advancement To:

Utilities Manager / Utilities Supervisor
Director of Facilities or Director of Utilities
Energy Program Manager / Sustainability Manager

Lateral Moves:

Sustainability Coordinator / Energy Conservation Specialist
Asset Manager / Capital Projects Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage all utility account activities including meter setup, billing disputes, account reconciliation, monthly bill review and timely payment processing to prevent service interruptions and late fees.
Conduct comprehensive utility rate analysis and modeling to identify billing errors, optimize rate schedules, and recommend changes that reduce cost and improve contract terms.
Develop, maintain and analyze utility usage and cost databases (electricity, natural gas, water, sewer, steam) to identify trends, anomalies, and opportunities for efficiency and cost avoidance.
Lead procurement and contract management for utility services and commodity purchases (electricity, natural gas) including RFP development, bid evaluation, supplier selection and negotiation of terms and tariffs.
Coordinate installation, testing, maintenance and troubleshooting of metering infrastructure (AMI/AMR, submeters) and ensure accurate meter reads, data collection and validation for billing and energy management systems.
Perform energy audits and site assessments to quantify savings opportunities, prepare ROI and payback analyses, and prioritize capital and operational improvement projects.
Administer incentive and rebate programs with utilities and third-party providers by preparing applications, tracking approvals, and ensuring receipt of rebates and incentives tied to efficiency projects.
Ensure compliance with local, state and federal utility regulations, reporting requirements, franchise agreements and easements; prepare and submit required regulatory filings and documentation.
Maintain accurate utility account documentation, maps, service agreements and asset inventories using GIS, CMMS, or asset management systems to support planning and emergency response.
Lead outage coordination and emergency utility response activities, acting as a liaison between operations, utilities providers and contractors to restore service and mitigate impacts on facilities and operations.
Manage vendor and contractor relationships for utility-related projects including scopes of work, contract administration, performance monitoring and quality assurance inspections.
Develop and maintain monthly and annual utility budgets and forecasts; track consumption baselines, demand charges, and implement controls to meet budgetary targets.
Design and implement energy conservation measures (ECMs) including lighting, HVAC optimization, controls, and process improvements, and project-manage capital upgrades from concept through commissioning.
Prepare detailed cost benefit and lifecycle analyses to support capital requests, grant applications, and board/management presentations for utility and energy projects.
Lead cross-functional teams to implement demand response and load management programs, coordinate participation with grid operators and evaluate incentive and revenue opportunities.
Maintain and validate utility consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data for sustainability reporting, CDP, and corporate ESG disclosures; recommend measures to reduce carbon footprint.
Conduct regular utility bill audits and recover credits for billing mistakes, rate misapplications, and meter inaccuracies; document recoveries and process improvements.
Implement and maintain utility rate tariffs, load profiles, and demand charge mitigation strategies to optimize monthly bills and reduce peak demand penalties.
Provide technical guidance and training to facilities staff on utility meter operation, data interpretation, conservation best practices, and new technology deployments.
Coordinate capital planning and lifecycle replacement schedules for utility-related assets, including budgeting, procurement, and scheduling to minimize operational disruption.
Support permit applications and coordination for water, wastewater, stormwater, natural gas and electric service work; ensure project compliance with environmental and permitting requirements.
Develop, monitor and report on KPIs for utility consumption, cost per square foot, energy use intensity (EUI), demand peaks, and project ROI, delivering actionable insights to stakeholders.
Participate in corporate procurement, rate forecasting and hedging strategies for energy commodities, collaborating closely with finance teams to mitigate volatility and protect budgets.
Oversee implementation of utility-focused IT systems (meter data management, billing portals, analytics platforms) and ensure data integrity and integration with financial and building systems.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced utility billing and account management expertise including bill auditing, rate analysis and dispute resolution.
Proficiency with utility billing systems and CMMS platforms (examples: SAP IS-U, Oracle Utilities, EnergyCAP, Maximo) and comfortable integrating data between systems.
Strong Excel modeling skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, advanced formulas, macros) for billing reconciliation and forecasting.
Experience with meter data management (MDM), AMI/AMR systems and submetering hardware and protocols.
Familiarity with GIS mapping and spatial analysis for utility assets and service territories.
Knowledge of energy procurement, supplier RFP processes, commodity hedging basics, and contract negotiation for utility agreements.
Ability to perform energy audits, building systems diagnostics and develop ECMs, with familiarity with ASHRAE principles and energy benchmarking.
Experience with data analytics and visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau) for consumption dashboards and KPI reporting.
Working knowledge of regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements (state public utility commissions, FERC, local utility tariffs and franchise agreements).
Experience with rate modeling, demand charge analysis and load profiling to optimize monthly utility costs.
Basic scripting or query skills (SQL, Python or R) to extract, clean and analyze large meter datasets are highly desirable.
Project management skills (scheduling, budgeting, contractor coordination) and familiarity with capital planning processes.
Understanding of environmental reporting and GHG accounting boundaries for scope 1 and 2 emissions.

Soft Skills

Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset with attention to detail and accuracy.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills for stakeholder presentations, vendor negotiations and regulatory submissions.
Proven ability to work cross-functionally and influence peers and vendors without direct authority.
Time management and prioritization skills in a fast-paced environment with competing deadlines.
Customer service orientation and conflict resolution skills when managing internal account owners and external utility providers.
Adaptability and continuous learning mindset to keep up with evolving utility technologies and regulations.
Strategic thinking with an ability to translate technical findings into business value and executive-level recommendations.
High ethical standards and accountability in financial transactions, contract negotiations and data integrity.
Team leadership and mentoring skills when coordinating site technicians, contractors and cross-departmental project teams.
Strong organizational skills to maintain comprehensive records, permits and compliance documentation.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED with 3+ years of progressive experience in utility management, facilities, or energy operations; OR an Associate degree in a technical field plus relevant experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Energy Management, Environmental Science, Facilities Management, Business Administration, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Mechanical / Electrical Engineering
Energy Management / Sustainability
Environmental Science / Environmental Engineering
Facilities Management / Construction Management
Business Administration / Finance

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of hands-on experience managing utility accounts, metering programs, billing audits, or energy projects; utilities-heavy organizations may prefer 5+ years.

Preferred:

5+ years of experience in utility billing and analysis, energy procurement, meter infrastructure programs, and regulatory reporting; experience in a multi-site or municipal utility environment is a strong plus. Certifications such as Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Utility Billing Specialist (CUBS), PMP, or relevant state certifications are desirable.