Utility Energy Manager (Johns Hopkins Facilities & Real Estate)

Utility Energy Manager

We are seeking a Utility Energy Manager who will manage the Energy Team and provides portfolio oversight of campus energy and utility systems. The role leads the development and implementation of the program for the Homewood Campus, optimizes energy performance and cost, oversees the procurement and payment of utilities, ensures compliance with energy and sustainability mandates, and collaborates across Facilities, Design and Construction, and Sustainability to deliver measurable outcomes. This management position requires integrated knowledge of utilities, building systems, and engineering-based energy management.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage a team of three: one Sustainability Engineer and two Energy Analysts.
• Oversee energy and utility systems including central plants, thermal and electrical distribution, metering/AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure), and BAS/controls to support reliability, efficiency, and cost optimization.
• Lead the campus decarbonization program in partnership with the Sustainability team, including interim milestones toward 2040 goals.
• Ensure identification and enforcement of compliance requirements for utilities and energy systems; maintain on-time filings and permits.
• Collaborate with Design and Construction to align projects with energy, metering, controls, and commissioning standards.
• Manage utility operating budgets and the energy/decarbonization program portfolio; report on KPIs and outcomes.
• Monitors energy market and recommends the outyear procurement of utilities to ensure future utility rate stability and budget alignment.

Team and Program Management

• Manage and develop staff: set objectives, assign work, coach, and conduct performance reviews.
• Establish annual and multi-year workplans for analytics, continuous commissioning, ECM (Energy Conservation Measure) development, and decarbonization initiatives.
• Build team capabilities in EMIS (Energy Management Information System), AMI, FDD (Fault Detection and Diagnostics) analytics, and measurement and verification practices.

Energy and Utilities Portfolio Oversight

• Oversee campus energy and utility systems to meet targets for reliability, efficiency, and cost.
• Direct EMIS, AMI, and FDD analytics to identify performance gaps and corrective actions.
• Verify savings using IPMVP (International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol) methods.
• Monitor and report KPIs including energy use intensity, utility cost per GSF, Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and reliability indices.

Decarbonization Program Delivery

• Coordinate development of the campus decarbonization roadmap with the Sustainability team, including interim milestones toward 2040 targets.
• Prioritize and sequence a project pipeline to maximize emissions reductions and co-benefits.
• Coordinate utility incentives, grants, and external programs with Procurement and Finance.
• Prepare business cases using lifecycle cost and investment analyses.
• Manage delivery from concept through handover and post-implementation measurement and verification.

Standards and Design Collaboration

• Contribute to development and upkeep of university engineering and design standards for utilities and energy systems.
• Assist the Engineering team in design reviews to ensure alignment with energy, metering, controls, and commissioning requirements.
• Provide recommendations and escalate deviations for resolution.
• Ensure commissioning and turnover requirements (as-builts, controls documentation, operator training) are integrated into projects with Design and Construction.

Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement

• Identify applicable codes, permits, and reporting obligations for utilities and energy systems including energy codes, boiler/pressure vessel requirements, refrigerant management, air permits, spill prevention/stormwater, backflow, energy benchmarking, and GHG reporting.
• Maintain a compliance register and calendar for permits, inspections, testing, and reporting.
• Assign owners, set controls, and track status to closure.
• Develop and enforce compliance policies and standard operating procedures.
• Integrate regulatory requirements into standards and projects.
• Oversee required filings and agency responses.
• Lead incident reviews and corrective actions for compliance deviations.
• Manage internal and third-party audits.

Financial Management and Governance

• Manage the annual utility operating budget of approximately $17 million.
• Oversee the energy/decarbonization program portfolio (once established).
• Track benefits, risks, and return on investment.
• Participate in cross-functional governance with Design and Construction, Facilities, Procurement, IT, and the Sustainability team to prioritize investments and track outcomes.
• Support energy procurement strategies including tariff optimization, demand response/ISO participation, and renewable energy credits/power purchase agreements as applicable.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with the Sustainability team on GHG inventories, reporting frameworks (STARS, GHG Protocol), and engagement initiatives.
• Align EMIS and measurement and verification data with emissions accounting.
• Serve as a point of contact to utilities, incentive programs, and peer institutions.
• Represent JHFRE in relevant working groups.
• Communicate program goals, progress, and results to stakeholders through reports, dashboards, and presentations.

This description is a general statement of required major duties and responsibilities performed on a regular and continuous basis. It does not exclude other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or closely related discipline) from an ABET-accredited program.
• Eight years of progressively responsible experience in campus or district energy and utilities management, including exposure to central plants, distribution systems, HVAC systems, BAS/SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), EMIS/FDD, commissioning or retro-commissioning, and program or project budget responsibility.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Required Experience and Competencies

• Deep knowledge of energy systems, efficiency technologies, and utility management principles.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate teams, manage personnel, and make timely, critical decisions.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, execution, scope and budget control, and delivery of multiple concurrent initiatives under deadline pressure.
• Excellent analytical capability to review data, identify root causes, and develop and implement effective solutions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for presenting findings, coordinating with cross-functional teams, and engaging stakeholders at all levels, including trades staff, suppliers, and vendors.
• Understanding of financial principles and budgeting, with the ability to align energy strategies with business goals and prepare sound business cases.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ability to use data and reporting tools for analysis and communication.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and specifications.
• Familiarity with energy management systems, BAS, EMIS, AMI, FDD, and related data analytics tools.
• Occasional after-hours work may be required for critical system events, commissioning, or cutovers.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to conduct site walks, climb ladders, and navigate mechanical, electrical, and utility spaces as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and LEED Accredited Professional (AP).
• Experience with GHG Protocol inventories, STARS, and/or ISO 50001 or 14064 frameworks.
• Experience with energy procurement, tariff analysis, demand response/ISO participation, and power purchase agreements or energy savings performance contracts.
• Experience in higher education or research campus environments.
• Evidence of continuous learning and professional development such as targeted certificates, industry courses, or vendor trainings.