Career Center

Please apply directly on our website: smud.org/careers

Introduction:

The Manager, Business Performance & Optimization plays a critical role in the supporting Customer and Community Services and the enterprise in its efforts to deliver exceptional customer experiences as SMUD leads the transition to a clean energy future. This senior leadership role oversees the acquisition and analysis of customer, operational and business performance data to take meaningful actions in support of customer experience, operational excellence optimizing business performance. This role serves as the eyes and ears of the Customer and Community Services business unit, engaging senior leadership across SMUD to identify opportunities to improve business performance, provide insights to better understand customer segments, and to inform the customer experience and market development strategies.  This role reports directly to the Chief Customer Officer and is a member of the Customer and Community Services senior leadership team.

Purpose:

The Manager of Business Performance and Optimization (BP&O) will lead the Operational Excellence, Business Intelligence & Customer Intelligence teams. The Business Performance and Optimization department supports operational excellence efforts including business process analysis and efficiency initiatives; business and operational performance monitoring and reporting; enterprise risk and prioritization processes; and drives development and adoption of key performance metrics for the Customer & Community Services business unit and the enterprise.

The Manager of BP&O owns and manages the Operational Excellence workstream working in partnership with department leads to deploy process improvement strategies to increase operational efficiency and deliver sustainable savings throughout the Customer organization in support of Enterprise Operational Excellence. The Manager is also responsible for Business Performance & Customer Intelligence work streams that support key strategic and operational initiatives including customer experience, the development and implementation of customer programs and services, and the policies that support successful execution and delivery of operational processes. They will also monitor performance and quality control plans to identify improvements.

The ideal candidate would not only bring demonstrated experience in the areas identified above but also have experience leading support teams. This person will join a fully functioning team covering all three of these operational areas and leverage their expertise to make a strong team stronger.

Nature and Scope:

This is a single incumbent manager level position. It is distinguished from other manager positions by its emphasis on Customer Intelligence, Data Analysis and Operational Excellence. This role develops, implements and manages goals, programs, objectives, policies and priorities for the Customer Intelligence, Data Analysis and Customer Operational Excellence team; may select, train, motivate, evaluate and develop staff and ensures that strategic objectives and priorities are achieved and coordinated effectively with other departments across SMUD.

Major Duties & Responsibilities:

Work may include, but is not limited to, the following: (NOTE: While in general all the functions and requirements listed are essential, individual positions and/or locations may not require all duties be performed.)

• Oversee CCS strategic and operational planning and analysis processes for business performance, operational excellence, and customer data analytics workstreams in support of CCS initiatives and in alignment to SMUD's overall vision and 2030 goal.
• Supervises staff in prioritization of concepts and ideas, performing data analysis, providing customer analysis services including customer intelligence, scenario analysis, risk and sensitivity analysis; assessing CX, residential and commercial segment data to identify opportunities and potential trends; determining return on investment (ROI), future and present value; develops objectives, goals, metrics and recommendations developed by analyzing data; summarizes and presents data analysis and conclusions to CCS leadership and executive.
• Develop a framework for incorporating business data analysis and intelligence functions for the customer business unit that establishes thought-leadership with the customer leadership team to support strategic decisions and establishment of key priorities
• Leverage strategic/management consulting frameworks to implement a consistent, repeatable approach to examining and managing the customer business unit's departments, focus areas, initiatives, and products
• Perform quantitative and qualitative analyses by taking insights across a disperse set of data sources, including business perspectives, industry analyst reports, internal competitive intelligence and benchmarking, finance-oriented read-outs, quarterly business reviews, performance metrics, program and project budgets, etc.
• Partner with senior leadership from across the business unit, enterprise and functional groups, and collaborate effectively to understand risk and establish and implement priorities for short and long-range planning; work with individual business units on business model analysis, and be an organic extension of the business unit on key critical projects
• Effectively analyze the internal and external environment to establish priorities, goals, and initiatives that fit within financial, regulatory and customer experience strategic direction and represent. Stand behind and represent the Product Portfolio Management framework before executive management and senior leadership; clearly communicate and justify priorities and recommendations; track, communicate, and ensure alignment across the organization based on established priorities; track and report on projects and programs that are not meeting metrics and suggest alternatives and make recommendations for action/decisions
• Provide leadership and direction to develop and monitor process performance measurements, including Targets To Improve (TTI) that are related to key process improvement priorities, and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to maintain process control
• Lead team members, and drive cross-functional teams to project completion
• Other related duties

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:
Bachelor’s Degree (B.S/B.A) in Engineering, Finance, Business, Business Systems or Operations or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:
Seven (7+) or more years of progressively responsible relevant work experience in in Data Analytics, Customer Intelligence, Operations Management, Risk Mitigation/Management, Lean Enterprise transformation, and Business or Finance Management, at an electric utility or cross functional enterprise.

Knowledge Of:
Business process design, business systems and business intelligence systems, energy and utility sector business practices, financial and economic assessment. Consulting practices, networking, enterprise risk, business and decision making process; principles of planning and prioritizing; SMUD policies, procedures, applicable MOUs and other special agreements; federal and state energy regulations and MUD act; techniques of negotiation and persuasion; techniques and methods of financial evaluation; process design and principles for continuous process improvement; federal and state laws and regulations related to supervisory practices and employee rights; methods and techniques for planning, organizing, directing and controlling work activities; methods and techniques for training staff; policies and procedures for evaluating and recording performance results; principles and practices for budget administration; principles and practices for motivating, coaching, mentoring, training and developing; safety policies, practices and procedures; Microsoft Office tools; English grammar, punctuation and vocabulary standards.

Skill To:
Exert influence over others to help achieve organizational goals; provide leadership and effective management of diverse work groups through process segment owners and leads for centers of excellence; establish specific process performance goals and monitor process team performance; establish and maintain a cooperative working relationship with SMUD management to facilitate process team performance; communicate effectively to customers, peers, executive management, and the Board; facilitate the development of process teams; motivate and encourage employees working in a team environment; resolve conflicts when they occur; measure, diagnose, and design work processes; make and evaluate comprehensive business cases for change; represent SMUD in a professional manner; and express ideas effectively both in written and oral communications.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Ten (10+) or more years of progressive leadership experience including strategic planning, risk management, data analysis, budget or program or project management.
• Five (5+) or more years of successful experience implementing Business Process Improvements and Lean in a transactional setting
• Masters degree preferred
• Mastery of a variety of process improvement tools like TPI, VSM, Standard Work, SIOP etc
• Demonstrated track record and ability to grasp and understand a wide variety of business processes and systems
• Demonstrated business system expertise in ERP and Finance systems
• Black Belt Certification, Master Black Belt or Lean Sensei Certification preferred
• Proven track record of delivering results
• Superior communications skills, ability to lead and influence at all levels of an organization
• Superior training skills and adult learning theory
• Superior consulting/influencing skills
• Exposure to and participation in a wide variety of training environments
• Demonstrated proficiency in time and project management

Physical Requirements:

Applicants must be able to perform the essential job functions with or without a reasonable accommodation.
 
The health and wellbeing of our employees and our community is our top priority. SMUD follows CDC guidance and adheres to all local, county and state orders. To this end, if you are scheduled to come on a SMUD campus, you will need to monitor your health (ensuring your temperature is below 100.4° and you’re free of COVID-19 symptoms), wear a face covering, and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Additional Posting Info for Candidate:

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 respects, values and celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person who they are. Diversity and inclusion are guiding principles to deliver a culture that reflects the broader values of the community and our customers. Our Board's policy for Employee Relation sets our commitment to developing and maintaining a high quality, inclusive workplace that engages and inspires employees to commit to SMUD's purpose, vision and values.

SMUD is committed to ensuring we're a workplace where diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), are part of who we are and how we do things. Supporting efforts that promote pay equality is part of that. Salary placement for the selected candidate will be determined in alignment with the California Equal Pay Act.

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.

NOTE: This is position is currently 100% remote but is subject to change at any time due to business needs.

Please apply directly on our website: smud.org/careers