Director of Energy Management & Decarbonization

University at Buffalo seeks a dynamic Director of Energy Management & Decarbonization to drive operational efficiency, energy conservation, clean energy adoption and aggressive emission reduction to accelerate the university’s pace in achieving greater resilience, sustainability, and climate neutrality.

Drawing on best practices in energy management and clean‑energy, the Director will develop and implement procedures, manage energy focused projects, and operational improvements aimed at reducing energy consumption, cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, and meeting New York State climate mandates (e.g., CLCPA).

Key responsibilities of this role include but are not limited to:

• Lead the development, maintenance, and evaluation of campus wide policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines related to energy use, utilities management, electrification, building performance, carbon accounting, and decarbonization strategies. Ensure policies align with SUNY, New York State mandates (including CLCPA), and UB’s Climate Action Plan, while balancing operational feasibility, financial impacts, and long-term institutional risk. Recommend policy changes to senior Facilities leadership and the Chief Sustainability Officer and participate in governance and compliance discussions affecting university operations. Serve on the University at Buffalo Climate Action Leadership Counsel with other senior leaders across the institution.
• Provide Strategic Collaboration on Energy‑Focused Capital and Operational Projects - Consult closely with design, planning, operations, and sustainability teams to incorporate energy efficiency, electrification, and decarbonization strategies into new construction and major renovation projects. Assess energy savings / decarbonization potential to ensure measurable energy performance improvements.
• Utility Account Management - Oversee utility billing, cost allocations, budget development and procurement of energy resources for the University.
• Manage Campus‑Wide Energy Metering and Performance Monitoring - Oversee metering infrastructure, data collection, and analytics for all campus utilities. Track and report progress on energy‑use intensity, utility cost performance, and carbon‑emission reductions driven by capital renewal, maintenance activities, and operational improvements.
• Oversee Utility KPI Development / Reporting - Oversee all internal and external utility related KPI development, and reporting. Examples include but are not limited to SUNY and New York State reporting under Executive Order 22, the Climate Leadership Community Protection Act, and other regulatory agencies.
• Identify, Secure, and Manage Energy Incentives and Grants - Proactively identify projects eligible for financial incentives; prepare business cases, coordinate applications with the Chief Sustainability Officer and Associate Vice President of Facilities, and cultivate relationships with utilities, state agencies, and other funding entities. Partner with faculty and staff in collaboration with the Chief Sustainability Officer to pursue competitive grant opportunities that advance UB’s energy and climate priorities.
• Advance Building Performance and Commissioning Efforts - Drive continuous improvement in building operations through collaboration with Facilities partners. Support commissioning and retro‑commissioning efforts to optimize system performance, extend asset life, and enhance occupant comfort and reliability.
• Advance Decarbonization Initiatives Across the Facilities Enterprise - Serve as a key driver of carbon‑reduction strategies and climate‑action implementation, ensuring alignment with the University’s Climate Action Plan, state mandates, and UB’s long‑term decarbonization goals.
• Partner with Sustainability and Communications Teams - Collaborate with UB Sustainability and University Communications teams to highlight progress, document successes, and promote awareness of UB’s energy and climate initiatives across the university community.
• Assess, Build, and Lead an Energy Management Team -Evaluate the operational, technical, and analytical needs of UB’s energy and decarbonization portfolio to determine the appropriate structure, size, and skill sets for an energy management team. Develop role definitions, participate in hiring, and provide ongoing leadership and supervision as the team is established. Foster a collaborative, high‑performance environment that supports UB’s strategic energy, utility, and carbon‑reduction goals.
  
  

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About The University At Buffalo

The University at Buffalo (UB) #ubuffalo is one of America’s leading public research universities and a flagship of the State University of New York system, recognized for our excellence and our impact. UB is a premier, research-intensive public university dedicated to academic excellence. Our research, creative activity and people positively impact the world. Like the city we call home, UB is distinguished by a culture of resilient optimism, resourceful thinking and pragmatic dreaming that enables us to reach others every day. Visit our website to learn more about the University at Buffalo.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States by their start date. The University at Buffalo does not guarantee that it will sponsor, support, or otherwise assist with obtaining work authorization.