What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Manager, Community Choice Energy Aggregation Program (Manager II, Grade M2) position at Montgomery County Government?
About The Position
Continued employment in this position is contingent upon renewal of term.
Who We Are
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is a nationally recognized and award-winning agency with the mission to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving Montgomery County's air, water, and land in a sustainable, innovative, inclusive, and industry-leading way while fostering smart growth, a thriving, more sustainable economy, and healthy communities. DEP is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and values diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures. DEP encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrants, women, LGBTQIA , individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply.
Who We Are Looking For
Montgomery County is launching a pilot Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program that will make the County the default electricity supplier for approximately 350,000 residential and small-business electricity accounts and create a foundation for providing a variety of innovative energy efficiency, distributed energy, and demand response programs. This flagship initiative—highlighted in the County’s Climate Action Plan —is one of the most impactful measures to help meet the County’s goal of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
As the first CCA in Maryland and the mid-Atlantic, the program will serve as a model for other jurisdictions, demonstrating how a well-governed, customer-centric CCA can lower electricity costs, increase deployment of distributed energy resources, improve grid resiliency, and reduce environmental impacts.
DEP is seeking a strategic, mission-driven energy leader to develop and grow the CCA program. As Senior Manager ( Manager II ) for the CCA program, you will provide expertise to ensure cost-effective electricity procurement, regulatory compliance, and customer-focused program development and operation as well as to build key partnerships, direct program policy, and communicate complex topics clearly to diverse audiences.
We welcome applicants who can demonstrate experience and the following knowledge, skills, and abilities.
This position will lead the development and launch of Montgomery County’s CCA program.
Key duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
A background check is required for this position. The selected candidate will undergo this check prior to appointment, and the results will be considered as part of the hiring decision.
This position requires the ability to attend meetings and perform work at locations outside the office, which includes traveling to various locations throughout Montgomery County and the region (e.g., Baltimore to attend Public Service Commission meetings or Annapolis to attend Maryland General Assembly meetings).
Occasional evening or weekend work outside of normal business hours may be required.
As a manager/supervisor of unionized employees, this position has a responsibility for fostering a positive labor relations environment based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation.
To ensure a positive workplace and to comply with federal, state, and County laws, the incumbent is responsible for completing mandatory trainings within the first three to six months or within the specified timeframe.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience related to electricity markets, energy programs, or utility operations, three (3) years of which were in a supervisory or executive capacity. Note: The term “executive” is further defined as a high echelon or high level position in an organization that is assigned technical research, management advisory services responsibilities, or policy-making duties and responsibilities that exerts considerable influence on organizational policy, plans, and operations through technical research, management advisory services, and/or policy-making duties and responsibilities (e.g., County positions at Grade 30 or above).
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Medical Exam: Medical History Review.
Financial Disclosure Statement: This position is designated as one that requires filing a Financial Disclosure Statement and you will be required to disclose information about your financial affairs.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
All Applicants will be reviewed by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) for minimum qualifications. Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated “Qualified,” placed on the Eligible List, and may be considered for an interview.
Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following. Please address this information in a separate section of the resume.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov . Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference .
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law : Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code . Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
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Continued employment in this position is contingent upon renewal of term.
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Who We Are
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is a nationally recognized and award-winning agency with the mission to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving Montgomery County's air, water, and land in a sustainable, innovative, inclusive, and industry-leading way while fostering smart growth, a thriving, more sustainable economy, and healthy communities. DEP is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and values diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures. DEP encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrants, women, LGBTQIA , individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply.
Who We Are Looking For
Montgomery County is launching a pilot Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program that will make the County the default electricity supplier for approximately 350,000 residential and small-business electricity accounts and create a foundation for providing a variety of innovative energy efficiency, distributed energy, and demand response programs. This flagship initiative—highlighted in the County’s Climate Action Plan —is one of the most impactful measures to help meet the County’s goal of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
As the first CCA in Maryland and the mid-Atlantic, the program will serve as a model for other jurisdictions, demonstrating how a well-governed, customer-centric CCA can lower electricity costs, increase deployment of distributed energy resources, improve grid resiliency, and reduce environmental impacts.
DEP is seeking a strategic, mission-driven energy leader to develop and grow the CCA program. As Senior Manager ( Manager II ) for the CCA program, you will provide expertise to ensure cost-effective electricity procurement, regulatory compliance, and customer-focused program development and operation as well as to build key partnerships, direct program policy, and communicate complex topics clearly to diverse audiences.
We welcome applicants who can demonstrate experience and the following knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- Ability to develop and lead all aspects of the CCA program, including designing program offerings, directing contractors, and hiring staff.
- Expertise in electricity markets and sourcing strategies to secure reliable, cost-effective, and renewable power, as well as designing and negotiating retail supply and aggregation agreements, power purchase agreements, and professional services contracts.
- Thorough knowledge of, and the ability to navigate, the complex energy regulatory landscape, including public service commission and County government processes.
- Strong financial stewardship to oversee the design and maintenance of sustainable rate-funded CCA operations.
- Expertise in the collection and analysis of data to optimize program offerings, measure program performance, and drive continuous improvement, while protecting sensitive program and customer information.
- Ability to collaborate and build durable, productive relationships with utilities, suppliers, regulators, legislators, community organizations, consultants, and County leadership.
- Excellent public communication and customer education skills to engage audiences in complex energy topics and support customers' understanding of the CCA program and their program options.
- Strong organizational leadership skills to build a high-performing, innovative team and the ability to manage workforce planning, hiring, coaching, performance management, and succession planning.
- A commitment to racial equity and social justice, incorporating these principles into planning, policies, and daily operations.
This position will lead the development and launch of Montgomery County’s CCA program.
Key duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
- Designing the vision and structure of the CCA program in alignment with the Climate Action Plan goals and in accordance with State and County laws and regulations.
- Partnering with leading CCAs and subject - matter experts to incorporate “best - in - class” practices into Montgomery County’s program.
- Serving as the primary liaison with regulators and policymakers, engaging the Maryland Public Service Commission, Maryland General Assembly, and other authorities to ensure program compliance and long-term viability.
- Leading the hiring and coaching of a multidisciplinary team in a customer - centric, innovative culture.
- Identifying and managing consultant services.
- Developing short - and long - term electricity procurement policies and strategies that deliver competitive, stable rates and sustained customer participation.
- Overseeing the selection of aggregation supplier(s) and negotiating Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and other instruments to secure reliable, long - term electricity supply.
- Designing and delivering opt - in customer programs (energy efficiency, renewable energy, demand response) that lower costs, enhance resiliency, and reduce environmental impacts.
- Leading inclusive customer communications and outreach, ensuring materials and channels effectively reach Montgomery County’s diverse communities.
- Establishing rigorous data collection and analytics to evaluate and improve program offerings and performance, customer experience, and cost - savings.
- Providing first - class customer service, ensuring timely, accurate resolution of billing and program inquiries and continuous improvement of service processes.
- Safeguarding customer data through secure data practices.
A background check is required for this position. The selected candidate will undergo this check prior to appointment, and the results will be considered as part of the hiring decision.
This position requires the ability to attend meetings and perform work at locations outside the office, which includes traveling to various locations throughout Montgomery County and the region (e.g., Baltimore to attend Public Service Commission meetings or Annapolis to attend Maryland General Assembly meetings).
Occasional evening or weekend work outside of normal business hours may be required.
As a manager/supervisor of unionized employees, this position has a responsibility for fostering a positive labor relations environment based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation.
To ensure a positive workplace and to comply with federal, state, and County laws, the incumbent is responsible for completing mandatory trainings within the first three to six months or within the specified timeframe.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience related to electricity markets, energy programs, or utility operations, three (3) years of which were in a supervisory or executive capacity. Note: The term “executive” is further defined as a high echelon or high level position in an organization that is assigned technical research, management advisory services responsibilities, or policy-making duties and responsibilities that exerts considerable influence on organizational policy, plans, and operations through technical research, management advisory services, and/or policy-making duties and responsibilities (e.g., County positions at Grade 30 or above).
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Medical Exam: Medical History Review.
Financial Disclosure Statement: This position is designated as one that requires filing a Financial Disclosure Statement and you will be required to disclose information about your financial affairs.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
All Applicants will be reviewed by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) for minimum qualifications. Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated “Qualified,” placed on the Eligible List, and may be considered for an interview.
Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following. Please address this information in a separate section of the resume.
- Direct experience leading a Community Choice Aggregation program (or similar municipal aggregation/utility program) with filings before a state commission and serving 100,000 customer accounts.
- Experience building a multi-disciplinary team, including workforce planning, classification selection, coaching, and establishing a customer-centric, innovative culture.
- Experience developing and managing a rate-funded budget, with demonstrated ability to maintain rate competitiveness and program solvency while growing operations.
- Experience leading and executing complex multi - year electricity supply procurements and negotiating with licensed electricity suppliers to deliver renewable energy while maintaining rate stability.
- Experience leading public outreach and education campaigns during major energy transitions; and/or facilitating effective collaboration with utilities, suppliers, community-based organizations, and government leadership.
- Experience managing a diverse workforce, supervising professional staff, and overseeing key human resources functions, coordinating work programs, developing performance plans, conducting evaluations, and leading recruitment and hiring processes to build high-performing teams aligned with organizational goals.
- Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree or advanced degree in Energy Policy, Public Policy, Economics, Engineering, Business, Environmental Management, or related field.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov . Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference .
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law : Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code . Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Salary : $113,715 - $195,476