Director

Director, Consulting and Advisory Services

About Opinion Dynamics

Opinion Dynamics mission is to advance knowledge to address emerging energy and social issues through sound and insightful research. Our interdisciplinary team of consultants develops actionable and insightful research to support an array of clients, including electric and gas utilities, regulators, and stakeholders. Our research supports planning, assessment, and optimizing energy efficiency, demand flexibility, decarbonization, and transportation electrification programs. Our team uses a customized approach leveraging innovative methodologies to answer our clients questions. Our company fosters innovative thought, collegiality, and growth opportunities for our employees.

Position Summary

We seek an experienced Director to lead project teams in the design and execution of research and evaluation studies related to the clean energy transition. The Director is responsible for crafting research and analytical solutions for clients in collaboration with subject matter experts and technical and consulting staff. The Director will leverage their problem-solving, communications, team leadership, and technical skills to support innovation in service delivery for our clients as well as internal process improvements. The Director will also contribute to the development and implementation of company strategy by working in close collaboration with senior leadership.

This position reports to the Senior Vice President of Consulting and Advisory Services (CAS).

Essential Responsibilities

Our ideal candidate for this role is a demonstrated leader in the energy industry who can thrive in a fast-paced and collaborative consulting environment. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Owning and managing client relationships with the goal of identifying and understanding client needs, risks, and opportunities and developing strategies and solutions to meet those needs.
• Developing strategic research and evaluation solutions that adhere to industry best practices, as well as leverage recent innovations in research methodology.
• Managing and contributing to the execution of large and/or complex research, evaluation, and advising projects with the goal of ensuring client satisfaction with existing work:
• Ensuring the successful execution of project scopes, schedules, and budgets to meet client needs and contract
• Leveraging multi-disciplinary teams to execute project tasks in line with project objectives and client expectations.
• Communicating complex technical content, including research methodology and findings, effectively to multiple audiences.
• Ensuring the quality of client deliverables by establishing processes and staffing solutions for quality assurance.
• Conducting quality control of work products (e.g., analysis, reports, presentations, memos,) to ensure findings are clear, logical, and cohesive.
• Serving as the lead author of memos, reports, and presentations for clients and other external audiences.
• Providing subject matter expertise and advising clients.
• Supervising up to four direct reports and associated indirect reports.
• Supporting overall CAS coordination and cohesion by working closely with peers on staff development, staffing, and various internal initiatives as needed.
• Mentoring mid-level consulting staff to support their development and advancement within the organization.
• Providing thought leadership internally and externally on industry trends in Opinion Dynamics key business areas through presentations, papers, and participation in company and industry events.
• Understanding business needs and goals and helping turn them into concrete projects and proposals.
• Supporting the companys business development efforts by:
• Leading and/or contributing to proposals for new project opportunities.
• Presenting at best and final meetings to secure new projects.
• Cultivating relationships with potential clients in key areas of business.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in the social sciences, engineering, or a related field.
• Extensive experience designing and implementing energy research and evaluation projects related to energy efficiency, demand response, building decarbonization, and/or transportation electrification (approximately 10+ years of professional experience with a minimum of 8 years in this area).
• Demonstrated management excellence in a matrixed organization that requires managing staff across teams and locations.
• An established leader in the industry with the ability to establish credibility and relationships internally and with current and potential clients, as well as other external stakeholders.
• Effective problem-solver who can develop strategies to help clients meet evolving efficiency, electrification, decarbonization, and grid management needs.
• Demonstrated experience developing business and client relationships and networks; experience leading proposals and developing technical scopes of work.
• Strong situational awareness, critical thinking, decision-making capabilities, and ability to synthesize ideas and experiences succinctly to clients.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $140,000 $175,000 based on experience.