Interconnection Project Manager II

Department: Transmission Planning & Operations

Location:

Sacramento, CA, US, 95817-1899

Category:

Minimum Pay Rate: $128,481.60

Maximum Pay Rate: $170,144.00

Civil Service Status: Civil Service

Apply by Date: 05/12/2026

Application Preparation: As part of the application process, candidates will be required to answer four (4) questions when submitting their application. Please be advised, "Refer to resume" responses will not be accepted

The Interconnection Project Manager II in Transmission Planning & Operations manages medium- to high-complexity interconnection and grid infrastructure projects that support safe, reliable, and cost-effective electric service. This position is responsible for leading projects associated with transmission-connected generation, energy storage, large load, and other interconnection requests, while also supporting related sub-transmission projects as needed to meet system and customer demands.

The PM II works closely with internal and external stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle—including planning, engineering, system operations, construction, customers, developers, and particularly Energy Trading and Contracts—to align project execution with commercial, operational, and contractual requirements. This role also collaborates with a wide range of interconnection customers, including internal teams responsible for new generation resource integration, ensuring their needs are incorporated into project delivery.

A key aspect of this role includes drafting, reviewing, and supporting the negotiation of Large Generator Interconnection Agreements (LGIAs) and related interconnection contracts. The PM II helps ensure interconnection solutions are developed and delivered in a manner consistent with SMUD’s core operational guardrails of reliability and affordability, balancing customer needs, grid performance, risk, schedule, and cost.

This position serves as a primary point of coordination for assigned projects from intake and study through agreement development, design coordination, construction support, testing, energization, and closeout. Success in this role requires strong project management capabilities, sound technical judgment, effective cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to advance projects while supporting long-term system reliability, operational flexibility, and prudent cost management.

Purpose

Provides project management and professional skills and services in assigned area including to plan, organize, manage, coordinate, and execute activities related to assigned projects to ensure adequate, reliable, efficient, and cost effective systems and projects for SMUD.

Nature and Scope

Serves as an advanced journey level resource in a relevant professional discipline; works independently on projects of moderate complexity; exercises independent judgment and discretion; may serve in a Lead role and assist in planning, coordinating, prioritizing, monitoring and evaluating the work results in assigned area and in selecting, training, motivating, evaluating and developing lower-level personnel.

This role typically oversees or leads multiple small projects, or at least one large complex project. May manage a smaller portfolios of projects with budgets of up to $5,000,000.

Duties and Responsibilities

- Coordinates activities and projects in assigned area; develops necessary project plans, cost estimates, project budgets, work breakdowns and schedules, and project summary descriptions and justifications for department review.

- Coordinates project planning with other staff through meetings and shared written and oral reporting and communications.

- Ensures assigned work activities successfully contribute to the overall completion of assigned projects; plans, coordinates, prioritizes, monitors, guides, reviews, and conducts work activities associated with assigned projects in accordance with established task objectives and schedule as outlined in the project plans.

- Reviews the work of project team members; ensures work methods meet SMUD policies and quality standards; provides project guidance to project team; prepares employee performance evaluations, conducts one-on-one feedback sessions, and identifies and implements development actions to improve employee performance and skill base.

- Negotiate, prepare, and manage participation agreements and other contracts with outside contractors as needed; directs contractor activities in accordance with contract requirements.

- Develop and monitor project resources as necessary to complete project tasks ensuring proper and efficient use of SMUD and other participant resources and smooth coordination with external parties.

- Ensures the availability of timely and accurate project status and related information on assigned projects; collects, verifies, organizes, and maintains data; prepares and provides written summaries, reports, and recommendations for SMUD projects; responds verbally or in writing to inquiries on projects from SMUD management, Board of Directors, regulatory bodies, other utilities, public agencies, and other SMUD departments.

- Performs related duties as required.

Required Education

- A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a field directly related to area of assignment or equivalent experience. If no degree, nine (9) years of relevant work experience is required.

Required Experience Qualifications

- Five or more (5+) years of progressively responsible relevant project management work experience in one or more of the following technical areas: financial/economic analysis, marketing and customer research, technical and engineering analysis, or planning and business development to include at least one year in a responsible project leadership role.

Knowledge Of

Project management principles and practices; SMUD operations; SMUD policies, procedures, applicable MOUs, and other special agreements; federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations pertinent to area of assignment; cost control, scheduling, and budgeting principles and practices; performance measurement techniques; proposal preparation techniques; contractual mechanisms and common terms and conditions; accounting fundamentals; management reporting; management control system fundamentals; total quality management philosophies, tools and techniques; practices for reviewing work assignments; safety policies, practices, and procedures; standard operating procedures for modern office equipment including a computer and applicable software; English grammar, punctuation and vocabulary standards.

Skills To

Manage, plan, and coordinate diverse functions within assigned projects; provide effective reporting to executive management including written and oral communications, presentations, and reports; evaluate and resolve complex technical or management issues within a project; develop funding for projects; maintain adherence to budget and schedule using a matrix organization; negotiate with internal management personnel; identifying multiple solutions and objectively assess advantages and disadvantages of each; provide coaching, motivation, and skills development to assigned staff; set project goals/objectives and define activities that must be performed to accomplish them; utilize a personal computer and/or computer terminal, systems and software relevant to the job; communicate effectively orally and in writing internally/externally; establish and maintain effective working relationships internally/externally.

Desirable Qualifications

- Experience managing electric utility projects involving transmission, sub-transmission, substations, generation, energy storage, or large load interconnections.

- Working knowledge of transmission planning, system operations, outage coordination, and utility engineering/design practices.

- Familiarity with generator interconnection, load interconnection, energy storage integration, or network upgrade processes.

- Experience working across multiple internal functions such as planning, operations, engineering, construction, environmental, real estate, legal, procurement, and customer/account teams.

- Experience with capital project controls, including schedule development, cost tracking, forecasting, risk management, and status reporting.

- Ability to interpret and work with technical studies, one-line diagrams, operating requirements, engineering drawings, and project agreements.

- PMP certification or equivalent project management training is preferred.

- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, construction management, project management, or a related field; an engineering background is preferred for highly technical project portfolios.

Required Licenses/Certificates

Incumbent must obtain a Project Management Institute PMP Certification - within 12 months of appointment to this classification

Acceptable alternative education or certification include:

- Project Management Institute - ACP Agile Certified Practitioner

- Engineering Degree, and requisite experience

- Construction Mgmt Degree, and requisite experience

- Professional Engineer Certification, and requisite experience

- Construction Mgmt Certification, and requisite experience

Physical Requirements

Applicants must be able to perform the essential job functions with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) - Who We Are

As the nation's sixth-largest community-owned electric service provider, we're proud of our reputation as one of the best places to work in Sacramento. Our employees tell us in our engagement surveys they're "Happy, satisfied and engaged" which helps create a workplace that best serves our customers. Sacramento was named as the 2nd happiest place to work in America by Forbes Magazine. Lake Tahoe, San Francisco and the world-renowned Napa Valley are within easy driving distance of our locations.

Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

SMUD celebrates diversity, and inspires an inclusive culture based on trust and respect to create belonging and connection among our employees, customers, and communities. By working together, we are powering positive, equitable opportunities for all. We aspire to be a workplace where you can be yourself, achieve your best, and thrive together.

An example of our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is when SMUD signed the California Equal Pay Pledge in 2020. This requires equal pay for employees who perform “substantially similar work,” when viewed as a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility at the time those employees started within that classification. As such, initial hiring salary range is not subject to negotiation and salaries will vary over time based on performance.

SMUD is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, veteran status, or any other applicable legally protected characteristic. All employment decisions are made on the basis of individual qualifications, merit, and business needs and interests.

Why Sacramento, California?

The capitol of California, Sacramento is the state's sixth-largest city, and the 35th largest in the U.S. Local universities include California State University, University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law, and the University of California, Davis and several competitive community colleges. The UC Davis Medical Center, a world-renowned research hospital, is one of more than a dozen hospitals and shared services centers in the Sacramento region. Part of the agriculturally-rich Central Valley, Sacramento is at the forefront of the farm-to-fork food movement. Northern California is home to some of the country's top technology companies, including Google and LinkedIn, and a multitude of startups in many industries. Sacramento is home to the NBA Kings, the River Cats (AAA baseball), the Republic FC (soccer) and the San Francisco Giants, NBA Warriors and NFL 49er's aren't far away. Sacramento offers an affluent liberal arts community with Broadway, Mondavi Center, Crocker Museum and summer musical theater to name a few.

Hybrid Work

This position may be eligible for SMUD's hybrid (office/home) work employee benefit, the schedule of which will be determined by the successful candidate and the Hiring Manager. SMUD takes pride in powering the Sacramento region community where we live and work. We value the strong working relationships we develop with our colleagues. Our approach to hybrid work will continue to evolve. Please be aware that should SMUD’s business needs change, emergencies occur, or various other reasons arise, you may be required to report onsite on a part-time or full-time basis.

CalPERS

SMUD is a CalPERS agency. As a member of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), SMUD offers eligible employees access to a defined benefit pension plan along with other valuable retirement and health benefits. This program helps provide financial security both during your career and after retirement. To learn more about CalPERS and the benefits it offers, please visit www.calpers.ca.gov.

SMUD provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. SMUD complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

SMUD expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of SMUD employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.

Req ID: 2847