Job Description

PIDC is Philadelphia’s public-private economic development corporation. Our mission is to spur investment, business growth, and development that creates jobs, revitalizes neighborhoods, and drives growth to every corner of Philadelphia. We offer flexible financing, real estate, and decades of Philadelphia-based knowledge, to help our clients invest, develop, and grow throughout the City of Philadelphia. You can learn more about PIDC at 

Since acquiring the 1,200-acre former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in 2000, PIDC has managed its transformation into a thriving mixed-use campus on the Delaware River. The Navy Yard features an eclectic mix of historic buildings and new, LEED-certified construction oriented around world-class open space. The Navy Yard is now home to 150 companies with 15,000 employees.

PIDC’s Navy Yard team is responsible for making the Navy Yard a great place to work, visit, invest, and develop. Specifically, the team is responsible for commercial leasing, development planning and partnerships, campus programming, transit, electric utility operation, and infrastructure. development. You can learn more about the Navy Yard, its history, current activity and plans for growth at 

NAVY YARD ELECTRIC UTILITY DESCRIPTION:

As part of its Navy Yard activities, PIDC owns a 64MW private, unregulated electric grid that serves 200+ customer accounts. The grid provides reliable, affordable power to Navy Yard businesses through traditional distribution infrastructure (which delivers power from the Navy Yard boundaries to customers), a community solar array, a 6.2MW battery storage system, and an 8MW natural gas-fired peaking plant that helps manage periods of high demand and price volatility. The unregulated grid provides a unique opportunity to test new technologies and PIDC has partnered with academic institutions, researchers, and the private sector for over two decades to drive energy innovation.

PIDC manages a contracted utility operations company that delivers day-to-day grid operations, maintenance and repairs, and customer billing, along with planning and execution of select capital projects. PIDC maintains close partnerships with PECO, PJM, the U.S. Navy, and key stakeholders, and manages a multi-disciplinary consultant team to facilitate design, engineering, and construction of select capital projects, as well as technical, financial, market, and advanced grid operations services and advisory support.

In 2022, PIDC released the Navy Yard Plan Update, an 8.9M SF plan for new, mixed-use development that will support over 12,000 quality jobs and $6B in new investment for the City of Philadelphia. The electric grid requires significant additional capacity to support this new development and increasing power demands from current customers. Technical and financial planning for the grid expansion is underway.

POSITION OVERVIEW AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

PIDC seeks an experienced and versatile assistant utility manager with strong business acumen to assist with the Navy Yard Electric Utility, delivering strong financial performance, operational oversight, and a robust capital program. The successful candidate will work closely with the Navy Yard’s General Manager, Electric Utility, real estate, and site operations teams to deliver integrated solutions that support the growth of existing customers and execution of the 2022 Navy Yard Plan. This position reports to PIDC’s General Manager, Navy Yard Electric Utility and has no direct reports.

The ideal candidate will have knowledge of utility tariffs, commodities, and distribution systems. Exceptional project and program management abilities, as well as strong interpersonal skills, are critical to effectively manage relationships with key stakeholders such as PECO and PJM, as well as the power needs of Navy Yard businesses, development partners, and the U.S. Navy. This position will also identify and advance sustainability and resiliency solutions, particularly as they support high-quality new development, investment, and job creation at the Navy Yard.  Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following :

Operations

• Assist with the management of third-party utility operator
• Assist with the procurement and management of electricity and natural gas commodity supply and cost
• Optimize generation/storage assets to maintain competitive rates, provide resilience for critical customers, and maximize revenue by participating in PJM ancillary markets
• Coordinate with key customers to manage significant/unique power needs

Capital Projects

• Assist in the development and management of a fiscally sustainable, phased capital program in close coordination with the third-party utility operator, GM, Electric Utility, Executive Vice President (EVP), Navy Yard, and consultant team
• Coordinate with select customers, third-party utility operator, GM, Electric Utility, and EVP, Navy Yard to plan, fund, and execute capital projects (including Navy contract management)
• Assist with management of multi-disciplinary consultant teams (e.g., electrical design/engineering, construction management, financial advisory)

Financial Planning & Performance

• Assist with management of the utility’s operating and capital budgets, including monthly reports
• Oversight of customer billing, tariffs, contracts, payables, accounting, and reporting

Strategic Planning

• Review and adjust the grid expansion plan to align with the development schedule
• Integrate sustainability/resilience into the expansion plan, subject to available resources
• Collaborate with the Navy Yard team to execute the Navy Yard’s Smart Cities plan
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities to advance the capital program

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a relevant field  and  3 years of utility experience
• Demonstrated project management, financial management, budgeting, and reporting experience
• Experience managing consultant teams and large-scale capital projects
• Excellent judgment, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills
• Commitment to PIDC’s mission to attract investment, support equitable business growth, and create quality jobs for Philadelphia
• A valid driver’s license
• City of Philadelphia resident or commitment to relocate within 6 months after hire.

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