Agency Chief Decarbonization Officer

New York, NY

New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services

JVN 868-2023-591680

Salary: $160,000.00 – $170,000.00 (Annually)

The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Division of Energy Management (DEM) serves as the hub for emissions reduction and energy management for the City government portfolio.

Pursuant to Executive Order 89 of 2021 (Increased Accountability and Transparency to Support Climate Change Mitigation within City Government Operations), DEM on behalf of the City of New York is seeking to hire eight Agency Chief Decarbonization Officers (ACDO) to serve in multiple agencies.

The ACDO will be accountable for directing all efforts to reach their agency’s decarbonization targets established under LL97 of 2019, which mandates that the City achieve 40% emissions reductions by 2025 and 50% reductions by 2030. The ACDO will serve as an executive-level strategist, partnering with agency leadership and staff to fully embed energy efficiency and decarbonization considerations into agency policy, operations, and capital planning. The ACDO will foster within the agency a highly skilled, cohesive, and empowered group of professionals managing (1) the agency’s energy portfolio and (2) the agency’s compliance with LL97.

Important note: These positions will sit in one of the following agencies: Department of Citywide Administrative Services, Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of Correction, Department of Parks and Recreation, Department of Sanitation, New York City Health and Hospitals, New York City Public Schools, and New York City Police Department. Agency descriptions can be accessed by copying and pasting the following link in your browser: bit.ly/NYC-gov-ACDO

Applicants should indicate the agency(s) they are applying for in their cover letter. Applications without an agency selection in their cover letters will not be considered.

The ACDO will report directly to the leadership team of the agency, with wide latitude for independent judgment.

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Leadership of agency decarbonization Lead execution of the agency’s strategy for delivering on its portfolio- wide 40x25 and 50x30 emissions reductions targets. Track emissions metrics and be accountable to agency and City leadership on progress. Advise agency leadership about strategic opportunities, critical issues and risks impacting the decarbonization efforts on agency operations. Represent the agency in interactions with partners in the areas of energy management and decarbonization, including local, state and federal agencies, DCAS Energy Management (DEM), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ).
Oversight of agency-wide energy project implementation. Oversee the agency’s efforts to deliver energy efficiency retrofit, building optimization, and clean energy Ensure all projects remain on schedule, costs are controlled and within budget, and that staff are meeting project milestones and executing against project goals.
Budget allocation and management, including integrated capital planning. Working closely with the agency’s finance team, ensure emissions reduction considerations are integrated into all capital project planning work, and report the carbon impact project information through carbon capital budgeting (in compliance with EO 89 and Local Law 101 of 2021: amendment to the administrative code in relation to reductions in and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions). Guide budget allocation decisions and diversify energy efficiency funding by (1) managing allocated funding resources in partnership with DEM and OMB, and (2) expanding access to funding beyond City sources (via federal grants and utility incentives).
Energy-related contracting and procurement resource Improve the use of existing energy contracts and develop new contracting and procurement resources to expand the agency’s ability to implement decarbonization initiatives. As appropriate, work closely with the Agency Chief Contracting Officer (ACCO), interagency contracting working group, Mayor’s Office of Contracting Services (MOCS) and the DCAS’ Office of Citywide Procurement to build out and optimize innovative project delivery mechanisms.
Oversight of agency participation in energy / utility Working closely with DEM, develop agency-wide heat, light, and power budget. Support essential utility account and meter management, address energy billing concerns, and advance demand response participation.
Lead staff, workforce, and organizational development, and craft and implement change management. Convene disparate agency business units (e.g., planning, procurement, legal, operations and budget) to facilitate more collaborative and transparent decision-making. Drive both adaptive and transformational culture change to integrate emissions reduction priorities into the agency’s mission, policy and operations. Ensure agency has the appropriate structure and necessary allocation of energy and sustainability staff, by leading the hiring, training, and professional development of new and relevant In partnership with DEM, drive agency participation within a community of energy management, decarbonization, and sustainability professionals through training, internal programs and events.
Implement agency-specific and portfolio-specific decarbonization, energy management, and sustainability For example, implementation of a decarbonization strategy for cultural institution groups, integration of sustainability and energy conservation education into the school curriculum, or development of a climate resilience plan for continuous hospital operations especially for communities at risk of climate-related harm.

Preferred Skills

A master's degree from an accredited college in Engineering, Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, Political Science, Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Policy, Urban Planning, or a closely related field.
At least 15 years of full-time, relevant professional and managerial
Acknowledged achievements in the energy and sustainability field and a strong commitment to energy efficiency and GHG emissions reductions.
Strong experience in leading and implementing large energy construction, retrofits, and building optimization programs and projects across a diverse portfolio of facilities.
Strong experience implementing broad, critical, complex, technical, legislative, and regulatory policy and economic
Strong experience in City of New York infrastructure, procurement, budget, and contract
Ability to manage individuals and stakeholders in a dynamic environment, including ability to lead and engage large teams, implement change, and communicate effectively.
Exceptional written and oral interpersonal communication
Exceptional organizational and leadership
Relevant professional licenses (e.g., PE, RA) and/or industry-recognized certification or credentials (e.g., from Association of Energy Engineers, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, or U.S. Green Building Council.

Please visit www.nyc.gov/careers for additional details on Job ID#591680 The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Eric L. Adams, Mayor

Dawn M. Pinnock, Commissioner

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