Advanced Meter Infrastructure Principal Advisor

Requisition ID # 169411 

Job Category: Project / Program Management 

Job Level: Manager/Principal

Business Unit: Customer & Enterprise Solutions

Work Type: Hybrid

Job Location: Oakland

Department Overview

Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Customer & Enterprise Solutions consists of a diverse portfolio of programs, products, and services including customer experience, contact centers, meter-to-cash, PGE.com, marketing & communications, local customer engagement, as well as the Lean Operating System for PG&E and Customer Technology transformation. 

Position Summary

We are looking for an Advanced Meter Infrastructure Principal Advisor to provide technical advisory on a broad array of cross-functional and technical areas for PG&E’s future Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI 2.0). This position will also provide program management leadership, collaboration and support.

Nearly 2 decades ago, PG&E was a leading pioneer and amongst the first utilities to roll-out AMI at such a large scale. The deployment included head-end systems, network communication equipment and several million Electric & Gas SmartMeters that laid a foundation for the Company’s automated meter-to-cash processes, demand response, operational features, and customer programs (aka AMI 1.0).

This position requires strong technical understanding and experience with AMI & Grid Technologies, Utility Operations, Regulatory Engagement, Technology Innovation & Evaluation, Procurement, Supplier Management, and Product Certification. The ability to work effectively across organizational boundaries and engage with a diverse set of internal & external stakeholders and asset owners is critical. In this role, the successful candidate will utilize his or her previous experience and knowledge to lead and advise all functional areas of the Company.

The candidate will collaborate cross-functionally with key leaders and subject matter experts across PG&E that includes Customer & Enterprise Solutions, Utility Partnership & Innovation, Electric Ops,  Information Technology, Meter Engineering, Procurement, Law, Regulatory, Finance, and support. Programs include but is not limited to: Customer, Demand Response, Energy Efficiency, Electrification, Decarbonization, Grid Management, Distributed Energy Resources, Wildfire Mitigation, & Operations.

The candidate will be responsible for providing technical advisory, consulting, and support on various aspects of the Company’s AMI 2.0 planning and implementation, including but not limited to:

• PG&E’s transition from its AMI 1.0 to the future 2.0 system.
• Use Cases: Ideation, demonstrations, evaluations, recommendations, reports (EPIC, CEC, DOE, etc.)
• Business cases including costs, internal/external quantifiable benefits, and risk impact assessments
• Feasibility of implementing and realizing advanced AMI and grid modernization capabilities
• Business impact assessment, continuity plans, disaster recovery, functional area service levels
• Regulatory engagement, applications, rate cases, and various cross-functional proceedings
• Review & maintain an understanding of new/emerging technologies, industry standards and trends
• Project planning and implementation with back-office, field, and customer facing teams
• Developing or improving strategic business relationships with existing or new vendors    
• Metering, grid equipment, software, and product certification with existing or new vendors
• Procurement strategies and contracting activities with the Sourcing and Legal Departments
• Technical studies including but not limited to lifespan evaluation, network propagation models, etc.
• Technical capabilities of current and new technologies (metering, grid equipment, software, etc.)
• Data analytics from various sources including but not limited to CC&B, SAP, GIS, Palantir, other
• Develop and implement operational efficiencies, waste elimination, and benefits realization
• Customer Focus: Advise various aspects of customer channel to ensure a 10 out of 10 experience

This position is hybrid, working from your remote office and your assigned work location. The position is preferred to be headquartered in the Oakland General Office and the current expectation is to report in person approximately 2 days per week but may vary based on business need.

PG&E is providing the salary range that can reasonably be expected for this position at the time of the job posting. This salary range is specific to the locality of the job. The actual salary paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, internal equity, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, and geographic location. The decision will be made on a case-by-case basis related to these factors. This job is also eligible to participate in PG&E’s discretionary incentive compensation programs.   

Pay Range display:

Bay Area Minimum: $140,000

Bay Area Mid: $133,000

Bay Area Maximum: $180,000 

Background Qualifications

Minimum

• Bachelor’s Degree, or equivalent experience
• Ten (10) years of relevant, job-related experience in a regulated environment

Desired

• Master’s degree in job-related discipline
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Customer Focus

• Experience with all aspects of the Customer and Enterprise Solutions organization

Project Management, Business Case, and Contracts

• Project management certified and related training; Demonstrated project management experience
• Experience in business cases, cost forecasting, benefits calculations & realization, metrics, and KPIs
• Experience in contract negotiations and procurement strategies

Technology, Demonstration Projections, and Standards

• Experience in AMI 1.0 and 2.X technologies, software applications, features, and capabilities
• Experience with the Electric Program Investment Charge and related Smart Grid programs
• Experience in ideating, demonstrating, evaluating, reporting use cases (EPIC, DOE, CEC, other)
• Experience in product certification & technical standards (metering, grid equipment, software, etc.)
• Experience in technology roadmap development and implementation

Utility Operations, Grid Management, and Data Analytics

• Experience in utility operations & work processes across the Company
• Experience in developing, implementing, and realizing cross-functional efficiency opportunities
• Experience with Enterprise IT infrastructure planning, development, and implementation
• Experience in advanced data analytics using various internal or external data sources 
• Experience with grid planning, grid management, and grid modernization efforts
• Experience with Distributed Energy Resource Management (DERM)
• Experience with Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS)
• Experience with Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMP)

Regulatory Expertise and Witness Responsibilities

• Experience in regulatory arena: witness, proceedings, rate cases, advice letters, and procedures
• Experience in advanced meter infrastructure and related cross-functional dependent proceedings 
• Experience with governing safety, environmental, work standards and related regulations

Cross-Functional with all Channels of the Company

• Experience in advising, consulting, and supporting various levels of employees in the company
• Experience in collaborating with people of diverse experiences, disciplines, and backgrounds
• Experience in developing, implementing, and realizing measurable cross-functional benefits

Professional Affiliations and Industry Connections

• Member of reputable professional affiliations such Edison Institute, IEE, AMI, or other boards
• Experience in preparing and presenting presentations in public forums and industry conferences