Deputy Director - Energy Department

About the Department

San José Clean Energy, or SJCE, is San José’s local, not-for-profit electricity supplier operated by the City of San José’s Energy Department. Since 2019, our dedicated and motivated team has provided clean energy for residents and businesses at competitive rates, while also offering community programs, local benefits, and increased transparency and accessibility. SJCE serves more than 350,000 customer accounts and has contracted for more than 1 GW of power.

Joining our team means that you will be making a big impact on the fight against climate change. SJCE plays an important role in meeting San José’s ambitious goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 and in implementing the City’s climate action plan, Climate Smart San José.

Thanks to SJCE, San Jose has one of the cleanest energy mixes of any large city and offers a 60% renewable product and a 100% renewable product.

Serving our community with respect and integrity is at the core of what we do. We center equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in our work. The department also hosts active, staff- led Culture and Racial Equity committees and has won awards for its education and outreach work with Spanish and Vietnamese-speaking communities.

San Jose Clean Energy is composed of eight different divisions:

- Account Management, Marketing and Public Affairs

- Budget, Financial Planning and Human Resources

- Climate Smart

- Customer Programs

- Legislative Affairs

- Power Resources

- Regulatory Compliance and Policy

- Risk Management and Contracts Administration

For more information about San José Clean Energy, please visit: www.sanjosecleanenergy.org.

Position Duties

The City of San Jose is seeking an experienced Deputy Director to provide strategic direction and day-to-day leadership for the Account Management, Marketing, & Public Affairs Division and Customer Programs Division within the Department. The Energy Department launched clean energy services to most residents and commercial customers in early 2019.

This position reports to the Assistant Director. It is responsible for customer relations, account and billing services, business development, community engagement, marketing and communications, and design and implementation of customer energy programs. The Deputy Director is an integral part of the Energy Department executive team and will have the following responsibilities:

- Forecast SJCE's annual revenue plan and achieve targets. Track electricity usage, revenue, and cash collections by customer class.

- Lead SJCE rate-making recommendations, implementation and communication of new rates.

- Lead SJCE's account services function, developing and maintaining relationships with key customers including large load customers such as data centers.

- Develop custom rates for large load customers as needed.

- Coach the team to provide high quality customer service optimizing the User Experience (UX).

- Oversee internal and contracted services for data management, billing services, and the customer call center. Liaise with PG&E and customers to resolve issues and optimize the Customer Experience (CX).

- Direct the development and execution of comprehensive marketing, outreach, and communications strategies that promote SJCE programs, rates, and brand identity. Oversee all department communications including print, social media, e-newsletters, and the department's website. Conduct mandatory noticing activities.

- Ensure clear, accessible, and multilingual communications for diverse community audiences.

- Manage press releases and external relations. Serve as a liaison with the media and community groups to ensure SJCE is responsive to concerns. Schedule and deliver public and community presentations.

- Provide direction, guidance, and review of community outreach and business development plans to increase customer participation, support customer retention, and improve cost-effectiveness.

- Lead the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of customer energy programs, including energy efficiency, demand response, electrification, and distributed energy resource initiatives.

- Ensure programs align with state policy, regulatory requirements, and community priorities.

- Foster partnerships with community organizations, technology providers, and regional agencies to expand program reach and impact.

- Provide leadership and collaborate with staff across the department, the City Manager's Office, Finance Department, the City Attorney's Office, Planning Department, and economic Development as well as other Departments to achieve SJCE and City objectives.

- Collaborate and build contacts with external stakeholders, including CalCCA, regulatory agencies, community organizations, and the public to ensure programs and services meet objectives, the needs of customers and community.

- Seek out additional funding opportunities, innovative programs and new product offerings to advance mutually beneficial goals.

Click here to view the recruitment brochure.

How to apply

The position will close on January 26, 2026. To be considered, candidates must submit their application online at s.kirby@pipermaddox.com, or at pipermaddox.com including the following materials including the following materials:

- A cover letter

- A resume

- List of at least three (3) work-related references (who will not be contacted without prior notice)

Applications will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in this brochure. Candidates deemed to have the most relevant qualifications will be invited to proceed in the selection process.

Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews. A final selection will be made upon completion of comprehensive reference and background checks.

Consultant Recruiter Name – Sam Kirby

Consulting Agency Name - Piper Maddox

Phone: +1 424 644 6163

Email: s.kirby@pipermaddox.com

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state, or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities.

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $161,513.30 - $260,737.36 per year

Benefits:

- Dental insurance

- Employee discount

- Flexible spending account

- Health insurance

- Health savings account

- Life insurance

- Paid jury duty

- Paid parental leave

- Paid time off

- Parental leave

- Professional development assistance

- Referral program

- Retirement plan

- Tuition reimbursement

- Vision insurance

Work Location: In person