Requisition ID # 105371 

Job Category : Business Operations / Strategy 

Job Level : Individual Contributor

Business Unit: Engineering, Planning & Strategy

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Energy Strategy & Innovation team has a unique calling as a bridge from strategy to execution. Our mission is to lead utility-level strategy ideation, strategy selection, strategic pilots, and initial implementation of cross-organizational and/or cross-departmental strategic initiatives for issues with significant impacts to PG&E in the 2025-2050 timeframe.

The Energy Strategy & Innovation team designs, tests, and integrates innovative solutions to accelerate PG&E’s transition to the sustainable utility of the future. This includes researching key industry trends with strategic impact, creating pilots and projects to test the feasibility of “utility of the future” concepts and to learn by doing, and developing long term strategic initiatives for the company.

Current areas of focus include:

• Strategic innovation
  • Scan the internal and external landscapes for new ideas, innovative technologies, and pilot opportunities that inform key strategies
  • Ideation, selection, and prioritization of key strategic issues
• Decarbonization strategies
  • Develop strategies to facilitate the future of the gas business in response to California’s decarbonization objectives
  • Identify building decarbonization strategies to facilitate PG&E’s readiness for growth of building electrification
  • Develop strategies for transportation electrification to support PG&E’s role in accelerating electric vehicle adoption and system readiness for new load
• Market frameworks and innovation
  • Prepare PG&E to evolve its business model in response to external energy market drivers, such as peer-to-peer transactions and blockchain developments
  • Develop scenario planning to prioritize key emerging issues for strategy development
  • Develop PG&E’s strategy and respond to municipalization efforts
  • Execute analyses needed for data-driven decision making
• Microgrid strategies
  • Support evolution of microgrids as part of PG&E’s grid infrastructure, developing strategy, policy, analysis, tariffs, and programs; and transition to execution
  • Reduce the scope and scale of public safety power shutoffs (PSPS)
  • Promote community-utility resilience partnerships
  • Develop industry leading programs such as the Community Microgrid Enablement Program, Microgrid Incentive Program, Remote Grid, etc.

New areas of strategic importance may be added as new critical topics are identified.

The Energy Strategy & Innovation team works cross-functionally to bring various PG&E lines of business together to:

• Identify and prioritize key strategic issues for the utility
• Research key strategic issues and develop strategy materials for executives
• Coordinate and execute pilots, demonstration projects and proof-of-concepts
• Engage and influence relevant regulatory and policy proceedings
• Conduct market scans and technology assessments
• Manage cross-functional learning and decision-making groups with participants from across PG&E
• Act as PG&E’s liaison to external discussions, such as industry working groups and community initiatives

Energy Strategy & Innovation utilizes effective project management, strong written communication and facilitation skills, and breadth of scope to bring together a broad set of goals and objectives.

OUR CULTURE

• We put safety first.
• We are accountable. We act with integrity, transparency and humility.
• We are here to serve our customers.
• We embrace change, innovation and continuous improvement.
• We value diversity and inclusion. We speak up, listen up, and follow up. 
• We succeed through collaboration and partnership. We are one team.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Microgrid Policy and Pricing Strategies team within Energy Strategy & Innovation organization is seeking a new team member with a drive to develop innovative ideas into exciting new solutions that help PG&E become the sustainable utility of the future.

We are looking for someone who is interested in working on subjects such as:

• How could future technological and other socioeconomic developments impact and/or be integrated into PG&E’s business operations?
• How could microgrids evolve in California, and how might commercial relationships, retail tariffs, energy transactions and operational requirements be shaped?
• What role can PG&E play in partnering with communities and industry to promote viable PG&E and third-party microgrid business models?
• What service offerings and programs should PG&E make available to promote customer-driven resiliency?
• How can PG&E partner with local communities to help achieve energy objectives (resilience, microgrids, decarbonization, sustainability)?
• Development of PG&E’s regulatory, customer and business strategy for industry first microgrid and resilience programs

The Senior Strategic Analyst will be responsible for supporting several work streams or pilots within the team’s scope. The successful candidate will play both leading and supporting roles in developing strategies, programs and products to further PG&E’s microgrid and resiliency objectives. This role will require interfacing with various internal & external stakeholders in establishing, leading & managing key projects supporting key ESI and PG&E goals.  The ideal candidate is someone who: wakes up every day wanting to learn something new; embraces opportunities to push outside of their comfort zone; wants to contribute their thoughts and perspectives regardless of who is in the room; enjoys independence and steering their work when appropriate; is humble enough to seek help when necessary; and wants to play their part in the ongoing evolution of the utility’s role and offerings. 

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

The Microgrid Policy and Pricing Strategies (MPPS) team designs strategies, policies, pricing structures, pilots, and programs aimed to help PG&E further the sustainable deployment of microgrids to equitably advance microgrids and other resilience options. Hence, this role requires close collaboration between many internal and external stakeholders. PG&E and the MPPS team is at the forefront of an innovative and fast-paced resiliency and microgrids space, thus the successful candidate will be exposed to a wide range of activities and responsibilities that will evolve with the space. 

Key responsibilities will include:

• Provide supporting policy, regulatory, strategic and technical analysis to support the development and articulation of PG&E policies and strategies regarding microgrids
• Serve as a thought leader on the development of new tariffs and pricing strategies related to microgrids
• Assist in the development of proof-of-concepts & pilots associated with cutting edge microgrid and resiliency solutions
• Provide supporting policy, regulatory, strategic and technical analysis to support the design, test and evaluation of pilots and projects
• Coordinate meetings and engage stakeholders – drive project execution across internal stakeholders, key partners, end-users, and vendors
• Partner with internal/external stakeholders to review/execute strategy
• Help develop communications materials to engage PG&E leadership, internal program management teams and external stakeholders in pilot objectives and learnings
• Attend to requests from external parties regarding microgrids
• Manage lessons learned process and develop an iterative feedback loop to ensure pilot teams are nimble and adaptable

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Mathematics, Business, Finance, Sociology, Engineering, Physics or other related fields or equivalent work experience
• Six or more years of relevant experience

Desired Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in a relevant discipline.
• Familiarity with electric utility regulations and regulatory process
• Knowledge of energy markets & competitive landscape
• Previous experience with policy and technical structure of microgrids
• Previous experience developing or evaluating tariffs
• Previous experience working in regulatory or policy-oriented organizations
• Understanding of electric system operations and engineering principles
• Performing project management, product development or analytic work related to electric or natural gas policy, pilots, planning, regulation, or wholesale markets
• At least three years working at electric or natural gas utilities, independent power producers, wholesale energy market participants, regulatory agencies, consulting firms, or similar organizations
• Ability to distill and explain complex business and technical concepts