Minimum Pay Rate: $223,995.20
Maximum Pay Rate: $311,937.60
Civil Service Status: Non-Civil Service
Apply by Date: 11/20/2026
Posting Type: Open
SMUD is seeking an accomplished, strategic, and forward-thinking Director of Integrated Grid Operations to help lead the future of a safe, reliable, and increasingly advanced electric grid. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team within the Generation & Grid Operations business unit, this position provides executive leadership and direction for critical electric system functions, including real-time engineering, market operations, transmission and distribution operations, power system operations training, Geographic Information System (GIS), and scheduling and interchange.
In this high-impact leadership role, the Director of Integrated Grid Operations is responsible for helping ensure 24/7 safe, reliable, compliant, and operationally excellent performance across SMUD’s electric system. This is a unique opportunity to lead highly skilled teams, strengthen grid reliability and emergency preparedness, support the integration of advanced technologies and evolving grid capabilities, and make a meaningful difference for the customers and communities SMUD serves.
We are seeking a strong leader with a demonstrated track record of building partnerships, leading through complexity, and collaborating effectively with internal stakeholders, external agencies, and policymakers to make sound, timely, and high-quality decisions.
Application Supplemental Question
Applicants should be prepared to respond to the following question during the application process:
Given your understanding of the Director of Integrated Grid Operations role, please provide a brief summary of your experience, education, training, and leadership accomplishments that best prepare you for this position. Please include relevant examples of your experience in electric system operations, Balancing Authority, transmission and distribution operations, market operations, emergency response, safety leadership, regulatory compliance, and leading teams in a complex operational environment.
Employee Benefits:
- Competitive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
- Retirement through Public Employees Retirement System
- 457 and 401(k) plans available
- Flexible Savings Account
- Short and Long-Term Disability
- Employee and Spouse Life Insurance
Purpose
The Director Integrated Grid Operations has primary responsibility, in alignment with SMUD’s Generation & Grid Operations business unit, for the Real-Time Engineering, Market Operations, Transmission and Distribution Operations, Power System Operations Training, and Scheduling & Interchange functions. In collaboration with the Chief Generation & Grid Operations Officer and peer senior management team members, the Director designs and implements the processes necessary to ensure the safe, reliable, secure, and compliant operation, control, and monitoring of SMUD’s generation, transmission, distribution, and gas pipeline systems. The Director also manages contracted operations for the Balancing Authority of Northern California (BANC) in accordance with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) reliability standards, as well as BANC’s operation as a California ISO Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) entity.
Nature and Scope
This is a department level senior management position. It is distinguished from other director positions by its emphasis on the Integrated Grid Operations Department. This position provides ongoing direction and management to ensure the safe, compliant, reliable and efficient operations of the following functional areas: Real-Time Engineering, Market Operations, Transmission and Distribution Operations, Power System Operations Training, and Scheduling & Interchange functional areas. The role is required to attend, present and/or lead at Board, executive, team, customer, community, and one-on-one meetings; in person, as needed.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Manages, organizes, oversees, and coordinates a united approach to the operations and functions of Real-Time Engineering, EIM Operations, Transmission and Distribution Operations, Gas Pipeline Operations, Power System Operations Training, and Scheduling & Interchange.
- Promotes the safety of SMUD employees, contractor staff, and customers through adherence to established SMUD policies and goals, development of specific goals for the work segment, and monitoring and responding to safety concerns.
- Manages, oversees, supports, and coordinates reporting managers in Integrated Grid Operations with other SMUD departments, external entities internal to the SMUD transmission system and BANC Balancing Authority, as well as with interfacing transmission operators and balancing authorities, to meet load requirements and energy delivery schedules on a continuous 24 hours per day, 7 days per week basis.
- Management responsibility for Geographical Information System unit to ensure accurate and timely updates of the grid.
- Employs prudent utility practices and provides leadership to interpret, implement and comply with all mandated NERC and WECC Reliability Standards, regulatory requirements, and policies.
- Coordinates active participation by the appropriate units in the NERC and WECC Reliability Standards Development Process.
- Advocates SMUD's interests and strategic goals during interactions with external entities and regulatory agencies to align with SMUD and BANC Balancing Authority operation and interconnection requirements; promotes electric grid reliability; influences related industry benchmarks and competitiveness.
- Participates in and provides critical input to the integrated planning and design review process to prevent implementation of unsafe, inoperable, or inefficient system designs.
- Evaluates proposals, plans and conclusions of other divisions, departments, agencies, and Balancing Authority entities to protect the safe, reliable, secure, and compliant operation of the present and future bulk power system.
- Develops and manages effectively applicable unit budgets, costs, contracts, and projects related to department, SMUD and BANC strategic goals and requirements.
- Anticipates proactively and resolves effectively multiple, diverse and complex problems and issues occurring simultaneously; evaluates and delivers effective decisions and solutions regarding operational issues, often in real time and without entirely established or defined answers to critical criteria.
- Leads emergency response and system restoration during storms and outages.
- Oversees and supports the implementation of advanced control systems like ADMS, DERMS, OMS, and GIS.
- Develops and drives initiatives that improve system reliability metrics and operational performance.
- Performs other related duties as needed; schedules, hours and locations may fluctuate based on business needs.
Required Education
- Bachelor's degree in relevant discipline from an accredited college or university.
Required Experience Qualifications
- Seven or more (7+) years of progressively responsible relevant combined work experience in transmission or distribution operations, real-time decision-making capability and progressively increasing skill and experience in managing O&M and Capital budgets. Five or more (5+) years of direct managerial experience over personnel that support or operate a transmission and/or distribution operations area.
Knowledge Of
- Fundamentals and practices of complex planning, management, organizing, staffing, and monitoring at a department level;
- Business and political acumen;
- Budget development and administration;
- Project management;
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) and organizational culture change;
- Community engagement;
- Comprehension of applicable employment laws and practices.
Specific to Director Integrated Grid Operations:
- Fundamentals of generation, gas, distribution, transmission, and high voltage substation system design, construction, operations, and maintenance;
- Practices related to managing the bulk electric system to contractual requirements;
- Current utility industry structure and applicable federal, regional, state, and local codes, regulations and mandated FERC, NERC, and WECC Reliability Standards, practices, and policies;
- Organization of and procedures for interacting with local, state, and national authorities, agencies and regulatory bodies;
- The Western United States transmission and generation system;
- Fundamentals and practices of electrical distribution, transmission and gas pipeline system planning, design, protection, maintenance, testing, and operations;
- Electrical equipment ratings and limitations;
- System operating procedures, concepts and techniques;
- Load flow and stability calculations;
- Electrical theory;
- Computer-based metering data acquisition and translation systems;
- Safety and construction practices, standards, and applicable codes
Skills To
- Oversee, influence, persuade, and motivate;
- Establish policies, set goals, and manage the implementation of strategic and operational plans for area(s) of responsibility;
- Direct activities through management staff;
- Manage and drive change across cross-functional teams;
- Demonstrate commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment;
- Interface effectively with SMUD's executive team, the Board of Directors, regulatory and/or public agencies, customers, industry groups, and SMUD staff
Specific to Director Integrated Grid Operations:
- Lead, plan, manage, and review the work of multi-disciplinary professional, technical and represented personnel in the performance of complex engineering and operating assignments under significant time constraints;
- Initiate, maintain and oversee adherence to safety policies and procedures;
- Support the reliable integration of intermittent resources into SMUD's electric system;
- Proactively anticipate problems and apply innovative, creative, logical techniques in their resolution.
- Manage emergency events such as a generation outage, storm event, safety or environmental incident, etc.
- Perform post-event root cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives
Desirable Qualifications
The ideal candidate will possess many of the following qualifications:
- NERC Reliability Coordinator (RC) Operator Certification.
- Registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of California.
- Experience in the California or Western energy markets.
- Direct supervisory experience over personnel who support or operate a Balancing Authority Area and Transmission Operations Area.
- Experience working with regulatory and governmental agencies.
- Experience supporting or leading emergency operations, including response to natural disasters or other major grid events.
- Experience building, supporting, and sustaining a strong safety culture.
- Experience with Balancing Authority and Western energy market operations.
- Experience managing a unionized operational workforce in a complex utility or electric system operations environment.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple high-priority, complex issues simultaneously, including for extended periods of time.
- Demonstrated ability to address highly complex or controversial issues with tact, diplomacy, and sound judgment.
- Bachelor's of Science degree in Electrical Engineering
- Professional Engineering License in Electrical Engineering
- FEMA Incident Command System – ICS-100, 200, 300, and 400
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
SMUD’s hybrid work policy requires employees to work onsite at least three (3) days per week. This position may be eligible for the hybrid work employee benefit, with the schedule determined by the Hiring Manager. Additional onsite work may be required based on business and operational needs at any SMUD location.
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.
