Position Summary

The manager of Strategic Research & Development is responsible for leading the charge to identify and assess new technologies for the advancement of electric reliability, resilience, and affordable integration of distributed energy resources onto the CPS Energy electric system. The manager will lead and develop strategic team efforts around advanced technologies (i.e. Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, DG, and Microgrids), and execution of departmental goals and objectives, management of projects and deliverables, including communication plans, and process oversight.

The manager will be responsible for managing relationships among cross functional internal stakeholders, external stakeholders and management with a focus on strategy, planning and oversight. Manages external contract resources and oversees joint relationships (i.e. universities, national labs, governmental agencies, and utilities) on research programs.

The manager will establish collaborative and strong relationships with operational leaders and decision makers throughout the organization to promote the discovery and assessment regarding emerging technologies and innovative infrastructure methods and processes that enable the business unit to develop strategies and support initiatives to transform from a conventional utility grid to a grid focused on sustainable resources and economically and operationally efficient programs that enable long-term growth.

GRADE: 18

DEADLINE TO APPLY: March 22, 2023

**The 12-month service requirement for CPS Energy employees has been waived for this role. Those interested may apply regardless of time in service with CPS Energy.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Responsible for the research and implementation of new advanced technologies (i.e. Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage and Microgrids) that transform the CPS Energy grid.
• Responsible for the management of projects and deliverables which include communication plans, process oversight, reporting project status, scope of project requirements, cost/budget/receivable adherence, risk evaluation/mitigation, and quality management.
• Manage external contract resources and oversees joint relationships on research programs such as EPRI, UTSA, national labs, governmental agencies, utilities, etc.
• Responsible for managing the Strategic Research & Development direct reports along with managing relationships with cross functional internal/external stakeholders with a focus on strategy, planning and oversight.
• Responsible for managing the policy design, process design, system implementation, and testing of new/upgraded systems, applications, and interfaces.
• Establish collaborative and strong relationships with operational leaders and decision makers throughout the organization to promote the discovery and assessment regarding emerging technologies and innovative infrastructure methods.
• Responsible for developing, producing, publishing and overseeing an approved strategy roadmap for the Grid Transformation Initiative that is in alignment with the corporate strategy.
• Responsible for conducting and documenting benchmarking of market trends to determine best practices with industry leaders.
• Responsible for managing Capital and Operations budgets to include developing cost estimates, benefit analysis and preparing business cases.
• Participates as a primary research team member with 3rd party research entities and shared responsibility for Charter and scope creation/approval, management of the selection of activities and vendors, and to be the liaison with EDS functional areas to ensure visibility of team plans and activities.
• Prepare and deliver presentations on research findings and related corporate strategies to diverse audiences at local, state, or national venues.
• Supports development and documentation of business processes within applicable divisions in support of the implementation process.
• Maintains communication with sponsor, stakeholders, team members and all project constituencies to ensure cohesive coordination of effort to effectively meet project goals and requirements.
• Provide thoughts, ideas, and analysis on emerging market trends and technology, to include developing proposals to support continued research and demonstrate benefit to company operations.
• Verifies final project deliverable acceptance, conducts lessons learned, closes financial accounts, releases project resources, completes and archives final project records and recognizes and celebrates outstanding project work.
• Provides feedback, coaching, and advice to all direct report team members of Strategic Research & Development team including peer group.
• Mentoring and Talent Development through effective sharing of ideas, knowledge, or experience by means of mentoring, training, and other collaboration.
• Drives team engagement & action planning.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Skills

Minimum Knowledge and Abilities

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in science, engineering, mathematics, information technology or related field from an accredited university
• Extensive experience in the development and implementation of new technologies to include: business and technical assessment of products, project management or process design and implementation
• Experience with change management communication or communications planning

Competencies

Minimum Education

Required Certifications

Working Environment

Physical Demands