Energy Programs Manager

Energy Programs Specialist

The City of Fairfax is seeking a dedicated and forward-thinking sustainability professional to join our team as an Energy Programs Specialist. This impactful role helps shape the City's approach to energy management and climate action by leading initiatives that improve efficiency, expand renewable energy use, and support high-performance municipal operations. The ideal candidate will bring a blend of technical expertise and collaborative spirit to drive projects, partnerships, and policies that advance the City's energy, climate, and sustainability goals.

Under the general supervision of the Sustainability Program Manager, performs responsible professional and technical program management work in planning, implementing, and administering the City's municipal energy management, utility tracking and green building programs. Work involves independent management of the City's energy benchmarking and utility management systems, identification and implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, administration of energy-related grants and contracts, and coordination with internal departments and external partners to advance the City's energy, climate, and sustainability goals.

Work is performed with considerable independent judgment and action within the framework of established City and department policies, regulations, and procedures; and is reviewed through conferences, reports, and evaluation of program outcomes.

Energy and Utility Management

Manages the City's municipal energy and utility tracking program, including administration of energy benchmarking and utility management software, compilation and analysis of utility consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and cost data across City facilities, and preparation of regular performance reports for internal use and public accountability.

Conducts energy audits, analyses, and evaluations of City facilities and operations; identifies opportunities for improving energy and building performance and reducing utility costs; develops prioritized recommendations for energy, building performance, and cost saving improvements; and presents findings to the Sustainability Program Manager and departmental staff.

Coordinates with facilities, capital projects, and operations staff to integrate energy efficiency, renewable energy, and building performance measures into facility maintenance, renovation, and capital improvement projects; reviews project scopes for consistency with the City's energy, climate, and sustainability goals.

Tracks, measures, and evaluates the performance of energy conservation measures, renewable energy systems, utility management initiatives, and greenhouse gas reduction strategies against established benchmarks; maintains performance dashboards and data visualizations to support program reporting and decision-making.

Manages planning, procurement support, and performance monitoring for renewable energy and distributed energy projects at municipal facilities, including solar photovoltaics, battery storage, and other clean energy technologies; coordinates with vendors, utilities, and City staff through project implementation.

Green Building Administration

Administers the City's Green Building Policy, including coordinating development plan reviews, providing technical guidance to applicants and City staff, tracking compliance, maintaining program documentation, and supporting reporting, monitoring, and continuous improvement of policy implementation.

Monitors state and federal green building standards, building performance requirements, and energy codes for applicability to City operations and development review; prepares technical summaries and implementation guidance for staff.

Grants, Contracts, and Partnerships

Identifies, pursues, and manages grants, rebates, incentives, and partnership opportunities in the energy, green building, and clean transportation domains; prepares grant applications and administers awarded grants in accordance with program requirements, including reporting and compliance documentation.

Assists with procurement activities related to energy programs, including development of scopes of work, requests for proposals, contract administration, and contractor coordination.

Builds and maintains working relationships with Dominion Energy, other utilities, state agencies, regional partners, educational institutions, and peer jurisdictions on energy programs and initiatives; participates in relevant technical committees and working groups.

Analysis, Reporting and Community Engagement

Researches and analyzes emerging energy technologies, programs, policy developments, and best practices; prepares written summaries and technical guidance documents for staff and program use.

Supports implementation of the City's electric vehicle readiness and fleet electrification programs, including charging infrastructure planning, coordination with Fleet Services, and tracking of relevant incentive programs.

Prepares staff reports, memoranda, presentations, and public-facing materials related to energy programs; represents the division at public meetings, community events, and technical forums as assigned.

Supports public outreach, educational programming, and stakeholder engagement activities related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green building.

Other duties as assigned.

The duties listed above are intended only as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Energy Management, Sustainability, Urban Planning, Architecture, Public Administration, or a related field; and five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in energy program management, energy efficiency, renewable energy, utility management, green building, or a closely related area; or any equivalent combination of training and experience.

Knowledge of the principles, practices, and technologies related to municipal energy management, energy efficiency, renewable energy systems, building electrification, and climate mitigation strategies.

Knowledge of utility management practices, including energy benchmarking methodologies, building performance tracking, utility rate analysis, and energy conservation strategies applicable to municipal facilities and operations.

Knowledge of green building design principles, green building rating systems, and building performance standards, and their application in a local government development review and capital improvement context.

Knowledge of current issues, trends, and applicable federal, state, and local energy and sustainability-related programs, laws, regulations, and regulatory processes, including Virginia-specific energy policy and utility regulatory framework.

Knowledge of grant program administration, including application development, award management, compliance reporting, and contractor oversight.

Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret utility and energy performance data and translate findings into actionable recommendations and clear written and oral communications for technical and non-technical audiences.

Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, develop and adhere to implementation schedules, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with City staff across departments, elected and appointed officials, utilities, contractors, developers, and members of the public.

Ability to prepare and deliver clear and effective presentations, staff reports, technical guidance documents, and public-facing materials.

Ability to work independently and exercise sound professional judgment within established policies and procedures.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; familiarity with utility management and benchmarking software platforms.

Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.

May be required to attend meetings or community events outside of normal business hours on an occasional basis.

Master's degree in a related field.

Certified Energy Manager (CEM), LEED Green Associate, LEED Accredited Professional, Professional Energy Manager (PEM), or Building Performance Institute (BPI) certification.

Experience implementing energy or green building programs in a municipal or local government setting.

Experience with utility management and benchmarking platforms such as ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager or comparable systems.

Experience presenting technical information to elected officials, boards, commissions, or the public.

Experience identifying and managing federal, state, or philanthropic grant opportunities in the energy or sustainability domain.

Bilingual communication skills are desirable.

Special Certifications and Licenses: None required.