Solar Project Manager

Through its partnership with the City of New York, CUNYs Building Performance Laboratory is hiring qualified energy management professionals to serve as on-site consultants and fill critical staffing capacity needs at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Division of Energy Management (DEM) and partner agencies. For background, DEM serves as the hub for energy management for City government operations. DEM develops the Citys annual Heat, Light, and Power Budget; manages the Citys electricity, natural gas, and steam accounts; helps agency partners identify and pursue energy-saving opportunities; does energy efficiency and clean power generation projects across the Citys portfolio; and implements operations and maintenance best practices. Specifically, DEM is tasked with leading the Citys efforts to reduce emissions from City government operations 40 percent by 2025, 50 percent by 2030, and 80 percent by 2050 from baseline.

New York City Public Schools Office of Energy and Sustainability leads a dynamic and diverse range of programs that support the City and public schools citywide to meet ambitious emissions reductions and sustainability goals, including the largest school solar program (NYC Solar Schools Program) in the country. NYC has committed to installing 100 megawatts of solar on City-owned buildings by 2030 in contribution to the overall goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. With the largest agency building portfolio, NYCPS currently comprises nearly 20 megawatts of the 24 total megawatts (or over 80%) of installed solar on City owned buildings to date across 90 existing sites and nearly 200 additional projects in various stages of delivery (analysis, design, construction).

The NYCPS Office of Energy & Sustainabilitys Solar Program Team oversees complex construction project work across numerous contracts and contractor teams, the delivery and management of solar installation projects, ongoing operations and maintenance plans/procedures, technical specifications, and coordination with key school-based stakeholders and school communities. The number and types of projects are increasing across various procurement mechanisms. Interest in resilient solar and green infrastructure is also on the rise and expected to further expand and diversify the NYCPS clean energy portfolio.

For this specific role, on behalf of New York City Public Schools, CUNY BPL seeks to hire a Solar Project Manager to help reduce emissions and energy consumption across the City by:

• Overseeing multiple solar PV construction projects from initiation to completion, including budget, timelines, communications, and contracts. Supports the Solar Program Manager and Chief Sustainability/Decarbonization Officer in the development of recommendations that inform the NYC Solar Schools Program strategy, procedures, and optimization based on analysis and monitoring.
• Maintaining close oversight of contractor teams necessary throughout the planning, design, construction, and ongoing maintenance phases, including solar installers, engineers, architects, electricians, construction project managers, maintenance and operations staff, roofers, and Supervisors of Mechanical Installation and Maintenance.
• Exercising administrative and technical responsibilities to directly manage the professional and technical staff engaged in overseeing the execution of capital construction projects within NYCPS facilities. Perform site visits, review site feasibility assessments, complete comprehensive solar project design reviews, ensure adherence to NYCPS protocols and specifications, ensure compliance with City and other applicable regulatory codes and permitting processes, make performance estimates, and make recommendations on strategy of construction schedules and project delivery.
• Making high-level decisions that impact the Citys capital budget and capital construction. Assists in developing policies and procedures to ensure timely, cost-effective program implementation and conformance to applicable rules, regulations, industry standards and contract specifications. Develops and recommends policies and procedures to install and repair solar photovoltaic arrays, including effective coordination amongst and between building trades and contractors. May develop and/or evaluate and approve cost estimates, contract and technical specifications, solar designs, change orders and scope of work. May authorize payments to contractors and vendors; or perform assignments equivalent to those described.
• Developing project requirements in conjunction with end users, specialized research and analysis, and managing all work streams associated with solar and other clean energy installations.

NYC residency may be required for continued employment. Immigration sponsorship is not available through this program. This is a hybrid position. Remote work arrangements are not a right or entitlement of employment and, as such, are discretionary and subject to operational needs unless otherwise provided by the CUNY Flexible Work Guidelines.

Reports to: Solar Program Manager

Key Relationships: DCAS Division of Energy Management, School Construction Authority, numerous vendor teams, key Division of School Facilities stakeholders (Custodian Engineers, Deputy Directors and Directors of Facilities, Maintenance, skilled trades), school administration and staff, nonprofit partner organizations, and other City agencies.

• Leads complex technical project management operations regarding solar PV equipment selection and installation along with the annual inspections of solar PV sites and the performance thereof.
• Directs the resolution of complex construction problems, ensuring final reviews and overseeing close-out processes to ensure that construction completion meets NYCPS requirements and standards.
• Represents the NYCPS on matters associated with clean energy and solar installations on behalf of the Office of Energy & Sustainability. Support broader Office efforts through participation/presentations in trainings, events, and development of outreach materials.
• Responsible for the management and administration of program agreements with delivery vendors as well as the development of delivery infrastructure in support of programs assigned. Identifies and develops opportunities for new, innovative, cost-effective products. Analyzes and develops positions on emerging technologies as well as provides input into program and technology strategy development. Evaluates cost effectiveness of engineering proposals, maintains compliance and program delivery of other identified solutions.
• Other duties as needed at the direction of the Program Manager and/or Chief.

The ideal candidate will bring the following skills and experience to this position:

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience managing multiple complex projects with diverse groups of stakeholders.
• Experience in the development, installation, and operation of solar PV projects including system design reviews, construction schedules, effective vendor and stakeholder management and coordination, and procedure development.
• Advanced Excel and project management skills.
• Excellent relationship management, customer service, and communication skills.
• Experience with solar PV data acquisition and performance tracking systems and analysis.
• Familiarity with energy cost, savings, and greenhouse gas calculation methodology.
• Well organized; detail oriented; strong written and verbal communication skills; excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• NABCEP Certification.
• Passion for sustainability and desire to work on a dynamic, highly collaborative team working on a variety of different programs to drive decarbonization and school sustainability.

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).

RFCUNY stands between CUNYs principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.