Expert Product Manager

Requisition ID # 158073

Job Category: Customer Support / Operations

Job Level: Individual Contributor

Business Unit: Engineering, Planning & Strategy

Work Type: Hybrid

Job Location: Oakland

Department Overview

Help us change the electric utility industry from the inside! Join a small, high-performing team within Pacific Gas & Electric Company that is working on a portfolio of exciting and innovative projects to transform the electric grid into a smarter grid. The Grid Edge Innovations team is charting the future of the utility and the energy industry as part of the Utility Partnerships & Innovation division of PG&E.

The Grid Edge Innovations team evaluates and demonstrates emerging technologies, concepts, and processes that PG&E will need to design and operate the resilient energy system of the future. Toward that end, the team works collaboratively with diverse stakeholders across the enterprise to design, build, test and operationalize product strategies, roadmaps and implementation plans for innovation. The current focus of Grid Edge Innovations is to build and advance policies, products and processes that leverage Grid Edge computing and to operationalize Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) such as solar PV, battery storage, and flexible loads. This team is leading the Grid Edge (Advanced Meter Infrastructure 2.0) strategy and is an important bridge between PG&E's DER policy and strategy and how PG&E will plan for, interconnect and interact with or operate DERs on a day-to-day basis.

Position Summary

This execution-oriented candidate will play a product owner role in the deployment of PG&E's first Grid Edge Computing smart meter applications, the design of product concepts and definition into customer experiences and business requirements and the development of new operational and business processes for Grid Edge products.

In addition to the Grid Edge execution focus, the Grid Edge Product Manager will also play a supporting role in supporting the broader Grid Edge Innovations team as a key stakeholder in our DER Management vision, customer roadmap and business development strategies.

The successful candidate will be an individual contributor, overseeing the conceptualization, design, build, test, and deployment of new product, and will be expected to influence, organize, and lead others in the organization to support the products and project they're working on. A strong applicant will be highly organized and motivated, with a strong track record of success in building consensus and managing many moving parts within matrixed teams. The Product Manager will work closely in collaboration with cross functional stakeholders in various company divisions and with vendor and industry stakeholders to lead effective project and program management and alignment with external dependencies (e.g. regulatory developments). The Product Manager will have support from 3rd party contractors and peer team members as appropriate depending on the project or product.

This position is based out of PG&E's General Office in downtown Oakland, CA. The team has a hybrid work model primarily working remotely with the expectation of working from Oakland office several days per month minimum. In-person activities will focus on synchronous collaboration, affinity building, ideation, or planning activities. Most day-to-day work (individual and collaborative) will be performed remotely. The role may also require occasional travel to other PG&E facilities throughout the PG&E service territory.

PG&E is providing the salary range that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job. The actual salary paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, and internal equity. Although we estimate the successful candidate hired into this role will be placed between the entry point and the middle of the range, the decision will be made on a case-by-case basis related to these factors. This job is also eligible to participate in PG&E's discretionary incentive compensation programs.

A reasonable salary range is:

Bay Area Minimum: $122,000

Bay Area Maximum: $194,000

Job Responsibilities

Lead the deployment of PG&E Grid Edge Computing smart meter applications products

• Lead the product design, business requirements, and definition of PG&E's first Grid Edge smart meter application "Smart Meter EV Connect".

• Create the Marketing Requirements Document (MRD) and Product Requirements Documents (PRD) as appropriate for hand of to Software and the IT Solution Architects.

• Engage with the project execution stakeholders (e.g IT, cybersecurity, DERMS, vendors) to leverage PG&E's Lean Operating System framework of Daily/Weekly/Monthly Operation Reviews (ORs) to drive execution and program management.

• Manage the project timeline, budget, and advocate for and adjust resourcing when necessary.

• Oversee contractor or peer team member support as needed depending on the needs of the specific product or project.

• Lead customer engagement activities to recruit and onboard customer sites as pilots.

• Work with internal partners to develop end-to-end business process integrations.

• Drive coordination between PG&E's technology vendors and partners to ensure interoperability and integration.

• Be a champion of the customer, work with our Partnerships organization to implement Design Thinking and other customer centric design processes as necessary.

Contribute to the development of a multi-year Grid Edge Computing roadmap

• Identify and prioritize use cases and required capabilities for Grid Edge computing across the enterprise.

• Work with internal and external stakeholders to develop Grid Edge programs supported by next generation smart meters.

• Participate in regulatory and industry groups to further the development of DER industry and enhance the capabilities of DERs on the grid.

Support the Grid Edge & Innovation Portfolio

• Provide teammates with support on other projects and initiatives within the Grid Edge & Innovation portfolio as needed including development and integration of DERMS and support for Electric Vehicle Grid Integration (VGI) initiatives.

• Contribute to the overall company R&D strategy and framework.

A strong applicant will be organized and motivated, with a strong track record of success in building consensus and managing many moving parts within matrixed teams.

Qualifications

Minimum:

• Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Business, Economics, Marketing, Psychology, or equivalent experience.

• 8 years of job-related experience

• Experience leading cross cutting programs or technology deployments, with a focus on emerging/innovative technologies and creating new process & structure for rapid scale-up.

• Experience deploying Software Products (applications, services, etc.) or consumer Hardware Products

Desired:

• Computer Science or Engineering degree

• Experience in Design Thinking and customer first product design processes

• 5 years of electric industry related experience (e.g. utility, DER or operational technology company or developer, etc.)

• Demonstrated experience in project, product, or program management in the context of utility operations, IT systems or DER product deployment.

• Knowledge and experience with DER (Distributed Energy Resource) communications protocols - IEEE 2030.5, OCPP, CSIP 2.1, Open ADR etc.

Desired Characteristics

• Bias toward action, concise, and passionate

• Removes barriers to products and projects moving forward in an autonomous fashion

• Able to operate at different levels of abstraction, outcome focused while understanding and adhering to process where necessary

• Empathic and curious - has an ability to seek to understand while driving towards shared outcomes

• Handles multiple projects and stakeholders and pushes for pace with self-directed drive.