Assistant Director, Power Generation & Storage

As a leader in advancing New York's energy transition, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has remained a credible, objective and trusted partner in our State's energy planning as well as deploying new and innovative technologies to expand New York's economy. NYSERDA has worked for the past 50 years to protect the environment and help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, lower energy costs and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA engages with stakeholders including residents, business owners, developers, community leaders, local government officials, universities, utilities, investors, entrepreneurs, and more, to develop, invest, and foster conditions that:

• Attract the private sector capital investment needed to expand New York's clean energy economy.
• Overcome barriers to using clean energy at a large-scale in New York.
• Enable New York's communities and residents to benefit equitably in the clean energy transition.

Job Overview

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is seeking an experienced and visionary Assistant Director of Power Generation & Storage (PGS) with deep expertise in power generation and energy storage technologies and markets to lead and manage our R&D portfolio in this area. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for setting the strategic vision for NYSERDA's PGS Innovation Program, guiding research and development initiatives, and ensuring that the program aligns with New York State's ambitious clean energy goals.

As the Assistant Director of Power Generation & Storage, you will oversee and mentor PGS Program leaders, manage the entire PGS R&D portfolio, and ensure projects are delivering impactful, forward-looking solutions. The role requires a strong technical understanding of clean energy technologies, market dynamics, and emerging trends, enabling you to provide informed insights and strategic direction across the entire clean energy innovation spectrum. You will be tasked with ensuring that NYSERDA's investments in innovation remain cutting-edge and drive progress in key areas of the clean energy transition. Reporting directly to the Director of Innovation, this position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of New York's energy landscape while contributing to the development of transformative solutions that will accelerate the transition to a sustainable, resilient energy system.

Primary Responsibilities

• Development and implementation of a sector strategy designed to achieve sector level goals contributing toward NYSERDA's overarching goals.
• Management, planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of NYSERDA Innovation Unit involving research, development, and demonstration activities across a broad range of technical focus areas.
• Provide input to regulatory actions and market transformation programs.
• Direct the formulation and integration of the scientific, market factor, engineering and technical requirements necessary to structure an effective and impactful technology programs.
• Provide technical and scientific leadership to the building and building equipment industry and to the Innovation Unit. Work closely with U.S. industry, non-profit, advocacy groups, academia, and the National Laboratories to quickly identify technology, market and research needs required to create and grow a robust industry for the development, deployment, and adoption of (firm capacity, energy storage, and generation / energy efficiency and buildings / grid distribution, transmission, and management) technologies.
• Identify and interpret legislative requirements for their program areas and manage the implementing activities that satisfy these needs.
• Prepare and justify integrated R&D budgets across multiple state and federal offices and execute budget decisions. Serve in a similar role for NYSERDA initiatives and corporate crosscuts as necessary, on topics such as (low-GWP refrigerants), etc.
• Coordinate with other program areas to incorporate results of research projects, including renewable energy technologies, into their designated program areas. Coordinate with the appropriate state and federal stakeholders to demonstrate these technologies at sites and facilities.
• Manage the transfer of new technology to commercial and market stakeholders via public-private partnerships to which all parties contribute to the cycle of strategic input, technical concepts, funding for and participation in research and development projects, review, oversight, and feedback.
• Direct technology RD&D and analysis investments at the National Laboratories, with leadership responsibility for the production of high-quality, transformative research into critical technology areas.
• Direct analyses and reviews to ensure conformance of program execution within established NYSERDA policies and develop funding and guidance issued to field organizations and other recipients.
• Oversee the development of multi-year program plans, annual operating plans, Congressional budget requests, and guide strategic studies which influence and guide these plans. Develop annual program budget requirements, approve of, and manage the use of appropriated funds, and interpret guidance to all funded research.
• Serve as a leader for U.S. participation in matters and activities related to the international technologies' community, and the technologies aspects of the international community, including cooperative research and development, exchanges of technical information, conferences, workshops, and summit meetings. Maintain close contact and sensitivity to the technology base and decision makers of U.S. industry to keep abreast of their accomplishments, capabilities, trends and needs, and be the focal point for governmental organization of the state of the U.S. industrial base with respect to technologies.
• Provide strong and effective workforce management, including skills identification, training, hiring and performance management for NYSERDA. Anticipate personnel requirements and put necessary mechanisms in place to ensure effective operations and succession planning. Manage the deployment of assigned staff and ensure that sufficient contract and full-time staff are available to complete program tasks at a high-performance level.
• Provide expert technical and strategic input and respond to inquiries as needed to other government offices. Interface regularly with other government agencies to ensure consistency of approach, identify synergies and eliminate inefficiencies related to technologies.
• Perform other responsibilities as needed
• Perform all managerial and supervisory responsibilities with respect, fairness, consistency, and inclusion across the workforce.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 8 years of relevant experience with demonstrated success in setting strategy and delivering services at scale or scope within business or government operating environments including 3 years of supervisory experience
• Ability to perform all managerial and supervisory responsibilities with demonstrated experience fostering respect, diversity, equity, and inclusion across the workforce.
• self-starter in taking initiative to help manage the Innovation and Research (I&R) office and organization in keeping core materials organized and appropriately accessible to the team.
• work in close coordination with the multiple teams within I&R to ensure each team is continuously improving internal information sharing with the VP of Innovation and back to each of the teams.
• controlled correspondence management of documentation of key decision memos, presentations, etc. to manage internal sign offs and approvals in a systematic and organized way.
• ensuring critical materials (agenda, talking points, presentations, etc.) for scheduled activities are collected, organized, and circulated before the meeting, engagement, or activity.
• coordination of I&R wide training activities - from initial discussion, approval for training activities, and implementation of I&R specific training activities
• Assist with gatekeeping and prioritization of competing priorities.
• Lead the management of staff and contractor access and credentialing for all office, IT, computer, badge, corporate cards, etc.
• Lead travel training and compliance efforts for all staff travel and re-imbursement via the NYSERDA travel system.
• Assist with NYSERDA HR, Payroll, mandatory training, and other similar reminders for I&R compliance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree and 6 years' experience with demonstrated success in setting strategy and delivering services at scale or scope within business or government operating environments including 3 years of supervisory experience

Please submit two files, one for your cover letter and another for a resume.

NYSERDA is exclusively working with a recruitment partner who will be responsible for the initial screening of the resumes for this position.

Please note that during the application process, you may be prompted to opt-in to Artificial Intelligence ("AI") scoring. This is an automatic request in the ADP system but is not a feature that is used by NYSERDA in its recruiting and hiring process. Your response will have no impact on your application to NYSERDA.

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