Utility Specialist

Job Description
This recruitment is for multiple positions within the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission across multiple divisions and bureaus.
The SFPUC is currently hiring for the permanent civil service (PCS) positions below:
Redevelopment Utility Specialist (Wastewater)
Under the direction of the Wastewater Redevelopment Manager, the Redevelopment Utility Specialist is responsible for reviewing planning, design, and construction submittals for new sewer systems in redevelopment areas in San Francisco. This position ensures that developer-designed and constructed sewer system infrastructure conforms with requirements of the San Francisco Subdivision Regulations, SFPUC Wastewater design and construction specifications, as well as industry standards. This is done through reviewing and commenting on infrastructure plans;
civil design and other technical drawings;
project specifications;
hydraulic and hydrology reports;
contractor submittals;
change orders;
RFIs;
and testing and inspection data. The Specialist also coordinates review inspections by other technical specialists throughout SFPUC Wastewater.
Floodwater Grant Program Lead (Wastewater)
With supervision from the Urban Watershed Planning Division Manager, this Utility Specialist will serve as Program Manager for the Floodwater Grant Program, administering a budget of up to $1.5M annually. The position will lead the Floodwater Grant Program team, which consists of two engineers and one administrative analyst, while closely collaborating with colleagues across various SFPUC divisions, bureaus, the City Attorney’s Office, and other city agencies. This coordination aims to ensure successful grant administration and clear communication with both the general public and specific Floodwater Grant Program grantees. Regular program updates and improvements will fall under this position, as well as coordination and alignment with process improvements and innovations taking place in other grant programs across the division.
Capital Planning and Partnership Lead (Wastewater)
With supervision from the Green Infrastructure Capital Planning &
Grants Manager, this Utility Specialist will be responsible for watershed planning, green infrastructure (GI) opportunity assessments, and partnership development focused on San Francisco’s Bayside Watersheds. The position will conduct agency-specific outreach presentations and workshops with partners at SFUSD, MTA, and RecPark;
find alignment on project goals with multiple partners;
complete regular assessments to identify spatial and funding alignment of SFPUC project opportunities with project opportunities being pursued by others;
identify maintenance roles and responsibilities among partners;
and develop and executeMOUs and other required contracts in partnership with SFPUC Infrastructure division and city agency partners.
Flood Resilience Planning Lead (Wastewater)
Reporting to the Urban Watershed Planning Division Manager, this 5602 Flood Resilience Planner will research, develop, and implement policies, plans, programs, and projects to make San Francisco more flood resilient. With supervision and support, this position will convene and lead city-wide flood resilience planning efforts;
participate in and represent SFPUC in multi-agency flood resilience efforts led by other city agencies, such as the Waterfront Resilience Program and ClimateSF;
work in multi-disciplinary, multi-agency teams on envisioning a flood resilient public realm;
and coordinate with teammates from across the SFPUC to align strategy and messaging across SFPUC’s flood resilience efforts, including StormWatch, RainReadySF, capital projects, watershed planning and green infrastructure, and regulatory compliance.
CleanPowerSF (Power)
Under direction of the CleanPowerSF Customer Solutions Supervisor, this Utility Specialist will be responsible for managing CleanPowerSF's third party meter data management, billing, and customer care management services, as well as the CCA Service Agreement with PG&
E. Principal tasks include closely coordinating with PG&
E and the third-party billing services contractor to resolve customer issues;
managing various monthly, bimonthly and annual reports reliant on customer data;
working with the Customer Service Bureau, Power Customer Engagement and other internal teams to coordinate customer enrollments and other projects;
and other projects related to customer data, billing and customer care management as needed.
Energy Scheduling and Settlements (Power)
Under the direction of the Energy Scheduling &
Settlements Manager, the 5602 Utility Specialist will perform a wide variety of duties related to energy trading, energy scheduling, and complex procurement planning analysis. This position will utilize scheduling software tools to submit day-ahead and real-time schedules, execute energy trades to maximize revenue and minimize costs, as well as perform complex modeling and analysis to develop short and long-term procurement plans.
Risk Management and Business Analysis (Power)
Under direction of the Risk Management and Business Analysis Manager, the 5602 Rate and Business Analystperforms complex quantitative and qualitative analyses and studies;
prepares and presents findings;
develops, implements, and documents analytical and predictive models;
supports cost of service analysis, rate policy development, customer interconnection and programs analysis;
coordinates with Power Enterprise subject matter experts and SFPUC Finance on rates and Power rates studies;
works with Regulatory and Legislation team on rate tracking and projections.
Federal Agreements and Public Power Expansion (Power)
This Utility Specialist provides analytical and policy support for issues pertaining to the City’s Federally regulated agreements for electric distribution and transmission services, and provides analytical support for litigation, negotiations and administration of these agreements and tariffs. This includes evaluating the risks and impacts of filings, proposals and disputes, as well as, providing support for the City’s on-going efforts to build out electric distribution and transmission assets, provide service to new customers and acquire the electric distribution grid in San Francisco.
Origination and Power Supply (Power)
Under general administrative direction of the Origination and Power Supply Manager, this position will develop and negotiate long-term Power Purchase Agreements with energy suppliers. The utility specialist will work collaboratively with Hetch Hetchy Power and CleanPowerSF program staff to analyze supply needs and strategies, assist with Integrated Resource Planning, executing short-term energy contracts and assist with professional service and other contracting needs.
Program Control (Infrastructure)
Under direction, this 5602 Utility Specialist will perform a number of duties in support of the Infrastructure Program Controls Group, including but not limited to independently conducting complex studies and analyses, and developing analytical models and systems. This position will work with other program controls staff in developing cost, schedule, and technical tracking systems for new projects, collecting data on project/program's risks and their impacts to overall project budget and schedule, and developing and implementing seasonal and long-term operating, financial and capital plans. This position will manage and administer wholesale and retail contracts, projects, and programs, analyze project performance and prepare monthly and quarterly reports, as well as work closely with project managers to develop and update budgets and schedules. This position will also serve as a technical expert providing training to analysts and technical personnel.
Water Resources Planning Division (Multiple Positions)
Under the Water Resources Division of the SFPUC, the 5602 Utility Specialist will lead efforts to implement various Local and Regional Projects. The Utility Specialist will act as a project manager and lead efforts to plan, design and support the implementation of water supply capital projects that may include recycled water, potable reuse (purified water), non-potable reuse, groundwater, and/or desalination, stormwater diversion, local surface water recharge and related resource management. Essential duties include scope, schedule and budget management, project planning and analysis, contract management, report writing, regulatory negotiating and developing various inter-agency agreements. The Utility Specialist also performs or oversees complex studies and analyses and develops analytical models to support specific projects or program objectives.
Asset Management Services (City Distribution Division)
Under the direction of the Asset Management Services Manager of the SFPUC's City Distribution Division (CDD), the 5602 Utility Specialist will work directly with Asset Management Services, the Construction and Operations Support Team (COST), Facilities Operations, Construction and Maintenance, Engineering, and associated groups to support planning and scheduling operations and maintenance of facilities, buildings and grounds, water distribution systems, and associated systems to create vertical asset management best practices and procedures to meet division goals of strategic vertical asset management efforts.
Construction Operations Support Team (COST) (CDD)
Under the direction of the Construction and Operations Support Team (COST) Manager, the 5602 Utility Specialist will directly work with the Construction and Operations Support Team (COST), Construction and Maintenance sections, and associated groups to support planning and scheduling operations,technical tracking systems for new projects, collecting data on the cost, schedule, and technical progress of those projects;
develops and implementsseasonal and long-term operating, financial and capital plans;
develops and implementsoperational goals and procedures, ensuring regulatory compliance and provide timely analytical and policy support and strategic planning matters. water distribution systems, and associated systems to create linear asset management best practices and procedures to meet division goals of strategic asset management efforts.
Essential Duties for all Listed Positions (will include some or all):
Monitor Compliance:
Ensures operations align with policy directives, laws, regulations, and contractual constraints.
Analytical Models Development:
Creates predictive models, performs technical and economic feasibility studies for capital projects, and integrates findings into cost/benefit assessments. Conducts advanced studies on operational effectiveness, financial and market risks, price sensitivity, and other related topics.
Planning and Scheduling:
Develops seasonal, monthly, and multi-year financial and operational plans. Manages and optimizes Critical Path Method (CPM) and Precedence Diagram Method (PDM) schedules. Enhances cost control systems for budget and schedule adherence and maintains a cost estimate database.
Contract Negotiation:
Manages negotiations for large seasonal and annual contracts, supports division-wide multi-year contract negotiations, and sets rate policies for transactions.
Operational Improvement:
Identifies operational bottlenecks and recommends policies to enhance efficiency, mitigate risks, boost revenues, and cut costs.
Training Development:
Designs and delivers training on new policies and compliance procedures to analysts, technicians, and other personnel.
Documentation and Reporting:
Writes various documents including reports, work plans, marketing plans, program descriptions, and operational procedures. Documents forecasting methodologies, legal interpretations, and provides analyses of schedule and cost variances to support contract negotiations.
Database Management:
Implements and manages databases for hydrology, water supply, power operations, energy consumption, and other related areas.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Oversees Utility Analysts and technical staff, manages section budgets, forecasts revenues and expenses, and reports variances.
Miscellaneous Duties:
Performs additional tasks as needed.
Additionally, the candidate pool resulting from this recruitment may be used to fill non-permanent, Temporary Exempt (TEX) and Permanent Exempt (PEX) positions. These positions are excluded from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointment Officer. The duration of the appointment shall not exceed 36 months or 24 months depending on the type of appointment/category.