Senior Director, Energy & Utilities

San Jose State University; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 223,000; Full time

Job summary

San José State University seeks a Senior Director of Energy and Utilities to lead the Energy and Utilities unit within Facilities Development & Operations, directing the central plant, cogeneration, and campus utility distribution across 52 buildings and six million gross square feet.

The role drives strategic energy planning, capital renewal, safety compliance, and operational resilience, while managing budgets, supervising staff, and partnering with campus and regulatory entities to advance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field; advanced education preferred.
• Proven leadership experience in utilities/infrastructure operations.
• Strong knowledge of central plant operations, energy systems, and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead administration, operations, and strategic direction of the Energy and Utilities unit.
• Direct maintenance of the central plant, cogeneration system, and campus utility distribution infrastructure.
• Oversee fire/life safety and campus security systems.
• Manage preventive, routine, and emergency maintenance programs.
• Administer operating budgets, recharge methodologies, and performance reporting.
• Lead energy planning, utilities master planning, capital renewal, and resilience initiatives.
• Establish unit policies, goals, service standards, performance metrics, and continuous improvement.
• Direct personnel management including hiring, training, and development.

Skills

Central plant

Co-generation

Utility distribution

Facility automation

Energy management

Fire alarm

Security systems

Building codes

Life safety

Regulations

Public-sector policies

Utility rates

Tariffs

Project economics

Funding

Risk mitigation

Preventive maintenance

Asset lifecycle

Capital renewal

Project management

Contract development

Oversight

Budget planning

Forecasting

Internal controls

Performance analysis

Decision reports

Personnel leadership

Performance management

Labor relations

Staff development

Team building

Inclusion

Problem solving

Strategic thinking

Communication

Presentations

Stakeholder management

Sustainability

Resiliency

Energy conservation

Carbon neutrality

Emerging technologies

Artificial intelligence

Data privacy

Ethics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Professional Engineer (Electrical/Mechanical) registration (preferred)

Equivalent experience through 10 years of supervisory leadership

Job description

Job Summary

Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President, the SeniorDirector of Energy and Utilities provides campuswide leadership,administration, and supervisory oversight for the Energy andUtilities unit within Facilities Development & Operations. Therole directs the reliable, safe, and efficient operation andmaintenance of the central energy plant, utility infrastructure,and fire/life safety and security systems serving five universitysites, more than 170 acres, 52 buildings, and over six milliongross square feet. Operating under general direction, the SeniorDirector independently establishes priorities, manages staff andassigned budgets, and leads strategic energy, utility masterplanning, capital renewal, and operational resiliency initiatives.The position has significant institutional impact throughregulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, resourcestewardship, customer service, and advancement of the university'scarbon neutrality goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the administration, operations, and strategic direction ofthe Energy and Utilities unit in alignment with departmental anduniversity priorities.
• Direct maintenance and operation of the central plant,co-generation system, and campus utility distributioninfrastructure to ensure reliable and efficient service.
• Oversee fire/life safety and campus security systems,establishing standards and processes that support a safe and secureenvironment.
• Manage preventive, routine, and emergency maintenance programsthrough effective work processes, computerized maintenancemanagement systems, and prioritized resource deployment.
• Administer assigned operating budgets, utility rechargemethodologies, resource forecasts, internal controls, andperformance reporting to ensure accountability and long-termfinancial sustainability.
• Lead strategic energy planning, utilities master planning,capital renewal, deferred maintenance, and energy efficiencyinvestment plans that strengthen resiliency and advance carbonneutrality.
• Establish unit policies, goals, service standards, performancemetrics, and continuous-improvement initiatives that optimize assetmanagement and customer service.
• Direct personnel management, including hiring, retention,performance management, labor relations, onboarding, training,professional development, and team engagement.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, codes, regulations,university policies, and safety requirements, and maintain businesscontinuity and emergency response plans.
• Represent the unit with campus partners, utility companies,regulatory agencies, consultants, contractors, and professionalassociations, and advise senior leadership on complex or sensitivematters.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of complex central plant, co-generation,utility distribution, facility automation, energy management, firealarm, and security systems.
• Knowledge of building and energy codes, life-safetyrequirements, environmental and operational regulations, andpublic-sector policies applicable to utility infrastructure.
• Knowledge of utility rates, tariffs, commodity pricing,recharge methodologies, project economics, funding mechanisms, andrisk mitigation strategies.
• Skill in preventive maintenance, asset lifecycle management,capital renewal planning, project management, contract development,and consultant or contractor oversight.
• Ability to plan and manage significant budgets, forecastresource needs, establish internal controls, analyze performance,and prepare decision-quality reports.
• Extensive personnel leadership skills, including performancemanagement, labor relations, dispute resolution, staff development,team building, and inclusive workplace practices.
• Ability to analyze complex technical and organizationalproblems, balance competing priorities, exercise sound judgment,and develop practical strategic solutions independently.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, consultation, andfacilitation skills, with the ability to build effectiverelationships across diverse internal and external stakeholdergroups.
• Ability to translate sustainability, resiliency, energyconservation, and carbon-neutrality objectives into operationalplans, standards, projects, and measurable results.
• Ability to evaluate and responsibly integrate emergingtechnologies, including artificial intelligence, while addressingdata privacy, bias, accessibility, ethics, and complianceconsiderations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, environmental management, ora related field OR which may be obtained through equivalentexperience such as might be attained through ten years ofsupervisory experience, of which a minimum of five years isassociated with progressively responsible senior levelexperience.
• Ten years of supervisory experience and five years of seniorleadership experience within the field of utilities andinfrastructure system maintenance, operation, and managementincluding operation of a cogeneration plant, boilers, andchillers.
• Demonstrated management experience leading and overseeingtechnical operations and services common to the field of centralplant, utilities, and infrastructure organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefer registration as a Professional Electrical or MechanicalEngineer
• Prefer certification as a Certified Energy Manager or relatedcredential
• Supervisory experience within a collective bargaining andrepresented staff environment
• Experience planning and implementing deferred maintenance,utility infrastructure, and energy efficiency projects includingdevelopment of multi-year investment plans
• Experience in maintenance and operational management of a Statefacility, College or University, or other largescale,multi-facility complex such as a corporate or other campus

Compensation

Classification: Administrator III

Anticipated Hiring Range: $16,997/month - $20,000/month

CSU Salary Range: $6,891 /month - $22,119/month

The final hiring salary will be commensurate with experience.

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefitspackage typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For moreinformation on programs available, please see the EmployeeBenefits Summary .

CSU Vaccination Policy

The CSU strongly recommends that all individuals who access anyin-person program or activity (on- or off-campus) operated orcontrolled by the University follow COVID-19 vaccinerecommendations adopted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health(CDPH) applicable to their age, medical condition, and otherrelevant indications and comply with other safety measuresestablished by each campus. The system wide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/and questions may be sent to [e-mail] .

Additional Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminalrecords check) is required for employment. SJSU will issue acontingent offer of employment to the selected candidate, which maybe rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifyinginformation, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowinglywithheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorilycomplete the background check may affect the continued employmentof a current CSU employee who was offered the position on acontingent basis.

The standard background check includes: criminal check, employment,and education verification. Depending on the position, a motorvehicle and/or credit check may be required. All background checksare conducted through the university's third-party vendor, AccurateBackground. Some positions may also require fingerprinting. SJSUwill pay all costs associated with this procedure. Evidence ofrequired degree(s) or certification(s) will be required at time ofhire.

SJSU IS NOT A SPONSORING AGENCY FOR STAFF OR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS.(e.g. H1-B VISAS)

All San José State University employees are considered mandatedreporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect ReportingAct and are required to comply with the requirements set forth inCSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Incumbent isalso required to promptly report any knowledge of a possible TitleIX related incident to the Title IX Office or report anydiscrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation to the Office ofEqual Opportunity.

Education Code 89521 Requirements

Applicants will berequired to disclose whether they have received a finaladministrative decision or final judicial decision determining thatthey have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years onlyafter a determination is made that they meet the minimumqualifications for the position, and before an offer of employmentis extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of theapplication process must also sign a release form that authorizesthe release of information by the applicant’s current and/or formeremployers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations ofmisconduct.

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and CrimeStatistics Act and Campus Housing Fire Safety Notification:

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policyand Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR)is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policystatements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information,crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, andinformation about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASRalso contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José StateUniversity locations for the three most recent calendar years. Apaper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting theOffice of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by emailat [e-mail] .

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual FireSafety Report (AFSR) is also available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for firesthat occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for thethree most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safetypolicies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. Apaper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting theHousing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at [e-mail] .

Campus Security Authority - In accordance with the Jeanne CleryDisclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime StatisticsAct (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, this position is subjectto ongoing review for designation as a Campus Security Authority.Individuals that are designated as Campus Security Authorities arerequired to immediately report Clery incidents to the institutionand complete Clery Act training as determined by the universityClery Director.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University is an equal opportunity employer. Theuniversity prohibits discrimination based on age, ancestry, caste,color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, genderidentity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition,military status, nationality, race, religion, religious creed, sex,sexual orientation, sex stereotype, and veteran status. This policyapplies to all San José State University students, faculty, andstaff, as well as university programs and activities. Title IX ofthe Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal andstate laws, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in alleducation programs and activities operated by the university (bothon and off campus). Reasonable accommodation is made for applicantswith disabilities who self-disclose. San José State Universityemployees are considered mandated reporters under the CaliforniaChild Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to complywith the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as acondition of employment.

Advertised:

August 27, 2026 (9:00 AM) Pacific DaylightTime