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Job Description
Description
Career Opportunity
Do you want to be in a leadership role spearheading the City’s efforts toward a sustainable water supply and be the City’s representative at key water supply forums? Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for environmental sustainability and water supply planning? If you are eager to contribute your expertise to a forward-thinking, locally owned utility that is committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship, this is the perfect opportunity. Join the Resource Management Division at the City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) and help shape the future of water supply in our region.
As a Senior Resource Planner, you will be responsible for developing the long-term strategic vision for water supply planning, with a focus on addressing challenges such as droughts and climate change. An essential aspect of this role is representing Palo Alto in regional forums and advocacy groups, working closely with stakeholders to recommend, defend, and advance positions on key water policy issues. In this critical role, you will also oversee financial planning and rate-setting for the water utility, ensuring that water remains affordable for the Palo Alto community, even in the face of rising costs. You will have the chance to grow personally and professionally, not only in water supply management but also in the broader energy sector, as you help drive the City’s electrification and sustainability goals. This position reports to the Assistant Director of Utilities, Resource Management, and you will have the support of a talented team, including several experienced analysts, to help you achieve success in this high-impact role.
The Resource Management Division oversees a $200 million annual budget for electricity, gas, and water supply purchases, as well as customer efficiency and sustainability programs. We manage CPAU’s 100% carbon-neutral electric and gas portfolios and play a leading role in shaping water supply strategies that ensure a resilient, sustainable, and equitable future for our community.
In this leadership role, you will drive the strategic vision for water supply planning while working alongside a team of passionate water and energy professionals. Your responsibilities will include:- Being the City’s subject matter expert on water supply-related matters affecting the City, the region, and the state;
- Overseeing the City’s water supply portfolio and managing the water supply contract with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission;
- Assessing water supply reliability in response to evolving regulatory, environmental, and climate conditions, and leading the development and execution of key projects, including negotiating strategic partnerships and agreements;
- Representing Palo Alto in regional and state-level forums, advocating for the City’s positions on critical water supply and sustainability issues;
- Directing ratemaking functions for the Water Utility, including utility reserve analysis, cost of service evaluations, and long-range financial planning;
- Leading Palo Alto’s drought response efforts through collaboration with a multi-departmental water task force;
- Authoring and overseeing updates to the City’s Urban Water Management Plan; and,
- Co-leading with Public Works to advance water-related initiatives within the City’s innovative Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
The ideal candidate will possess the following attributes:- Expertise in Water Supply Management: Proven experience in water supply management including knowledge of alternative water supplies and One Water Planning.
- Water Industry Knowledge: Strong understanding of water rights, environmental and regulatory challenges facing water supply in California.
- Regional Water Knowledge: Understanding of San Francisco’s Regional Water System, the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, and Valley Water.
- Policy Acumen: Strong understanding of water-related and utility rates-related policies, regulations, and industry trends.
- Communication and Persuasion: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. Ability to articulate complex issues clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences.
- Analytical Skills: Proficiency in conducting policy research, analyzing data, and synthesizing information to formulate strategic recommendations.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with governmental bodies, community stakeholders, and industry partners.
- Financial Planning and Rate-setting: Proficiency in utility ratemaking, including utility reserve analysis and policies, long-range financial planning, new rate structure development, and detailed cost of service studies.
- Adaptability and Initiative: Proactive and adaptable in a dynamic regulatory environment. Ability to work independently and as part of a team, taking initiative to drive projects forward.
In this role, you will be at the forefront of addressing California’s most pressing water challenges. Join us at CPAU and play a vital part in preserving the unique benefits of locally owned utilities for the Palo Alto community, while making a lasting impact on regional sustainability and climate resilience!
Benefits: The City offers a fantastic benefits package that includes affordable healthcare plans, generous retirement packages, paid parental leave, convenient commuter programs and more !
Compensation (UMPAPA): Comprehensive compensation plan. To learn more, click here .
Schedule: Hybrid, 9/80 work schedule (with every other Friday off) and up to 2 remote days per week.
Essential Duties
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include but are not limited to following, depending on assigned operations and functional areas:- Facilitates strategic planning processes through data acquisition, analysis, decision process facilitation, report preparation, and critical activity analysis and tracking.
- Performs research and interprets utilities data related to assigned area of responsibility.
- Coordinates/leads development and implementation of short and long-term water, gas, electric portfolio management plans.
- Develops and evaluates recommendations for management and Council policy adoption.
- Devises methods and procedures to obtain, maintain, and update large sets of market-related data; provides leadership, participates in, and/or oversees the evaluation of data.
- Manages and oversees specialized studies in assigned area of responsibility.
To review the full job description, click here .
Minimum Qualifications
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities which would typically be acquired through:- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field and seven years of progressively responsible related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.
- Master's degree preferred.
Licensing Requirements:- Valid California Driver's License
Supplemental Information
The Selection Process:- Applicants will receive recruitment status notifications via email (governmentjobs.com account also has notification status updates).
- Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time.
- The screening process for this position typically may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.
Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.
The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
For more details visit our Careers Page, by clicking HERE.
Learn more about our Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) between the City and its bargaining units, by clicking HERE.
Closing Date/Time: 3/25/2025 11:59 PM Pacific -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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City of Palo Alto
Show morePalo Alto is located about 35 miles south of San Francisco; and 14 miles north of San Jose. Palo Alto, known as the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley” and global center of technology and innovation, is the corporate headquarters for many world-class companies and research facilities such as VMWare, Hewlett-Packard, IDEO, Tesla, and Skype. Home to Stanford University and a top-ranked public school system, Palo Alto also features beautiful and historic residential neighborhoods, vibrant shopping and retail districts.
Palo Alto has a highly educated and culturally sophisticated citizenry that is actively engaged in making a difference both locally and globally. Unique among city organizations, Palo Alto operates a full-array of services including its own gas, electric, water, sewer, refuse and storm drainage provided at very competitive rates for its customers.
The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. Many world-class businesses maintained or started offices here, including Amazon, Tesla, Hewlett Packard, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Rivian, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, SAP Ariba, Houzz, Varian Medical Systems, and VMware. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the startup capital of the world.
Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community’s dedication to life-long learning. Stanford’s cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City’s exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation.
Home to picturesque tree-lined streets, bike lanes, and historic buildings that reflect its California heritage, Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy with premium shopping and dining options. Excellent health care facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are just some of this incredibly desirable community’s cherished amenities.
Join an Award Winning Team
Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government.
We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.
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