NY State Energy Research and Development Authority Hiring for Director, Financial Planning and Analysis Job at Albany, NY Full Time

New York is leading the nation in the fight on global climate change and the transition to a clean energy-powered economy. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act) has created the most aggressive climate change goals in the nation and requires an ambitious agenda that blends proven catalysts with innovative approaches while operating across a broader energy arena that is rapidly evolving. New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) is a driving force in realizing this agenda. NYSERDA works with stakeholders that span residents, business owners, developers, community leaders, local government officials, universities, utilities, investors, entrepreneurs, and more, to develop, invest, and foster conditions that:

• Attract the private sector capital investment needed to expand New York’s clean energy economy
• Overcome barriers to using clean energy at a large-scale in New York
• Enable New York’s communities and residents to benefit equitably from energy efficiency and renewable energy

Job Overview

Building on the foundation of the Climate Act and the resulting Scoping Plan, the state is now poised to upshift into a new phase of carbon reduction. NYSERDA in concert with other state entities is ramping up transformative investments in clean buildings, clean energy, and clean transportation. With ambitious goals for the next two decades, NYSERDA recognizes the importance of developing and deploying financing solutions at scale, building successful public-private partnerships, and coordinating efforts statewide to ensure that our collective efforts deliver strong outcomes in the most cost-effective manner possible.

In that context, NYSERDA is recruiting for a Director, Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A), a new position that will provide leadership with insightful and impactful financial analysis, curating a suite of integrated financing solutions to advance carbon reduction work, and coordinating across NYSERDA and with key external stakeholders to guide effective decision-making and optimize financing solutions. This is a critical role that will be influential in determining strategic priorities and developing and deploying financing solutions to enable New York’s transformation to a net zero future by mid-century.

This position reports to NYSERDA’s CFO and will work closely with the organization’s program teams to ensure financing and funding needs are understood, prioritized, and matched to appropriate financing solutions. The Director of FP&A will oversee four+ knowledgeable on-staff resources, and have access to in-house legal, economic, and energy experts, as well as thought leaders across NYSERDA and the broader NYS and federal government ecosystem as well as clean energy financing and climate resilience innovators.

Primary Responsibilities

At the highest level, the incumbent will develop and help guide a financial plan for the achievement of Climate Act and Scoping Plan goals in the 2025-2040 window, in the lowest-cost manner that provides a reasonably strong chance of success. Key elements include the following:

• Optimize NYSERDA spend:
  • Coordinate with NYSERDA finance, performance management, and program teams to implement standard measures of relative benefit of investments, considering GHG reduction, DAC benefit, climate resilience, and the durability of those benefits.
  • Assist program teams in identifying the most impactful structure for program investments, providing insight about how economic and market trends are likely to translate into natural solutions vs. those that require government action to catalyze.
  • Understand the political calculus regarding certain proposals and effectively cross-coordinate to identify those initiatives with the greatest impact on goals achievement that are also likely to gain lasting key stakeholder and public support.
• Optimize NYS government spend:
  • Coordinate with other NYS agencies and authorities, especially Chamber, DOB, and DPS, to identify the optimal allocation of available funding to attain top Climate Act and Scoping Plan goals between now and 2040.
  • Work with federal grant coordinators at NYSERDA and other agencies to match grant funding opportunities with financial needs and develop scenarios and actionable contingency plans to address potential shortfalls.
• Improve leverage:
  • Design, develop, and implement financing solutions to address funding gaps identified by program teams, collaborating to understand “on-the-ground” challenges to deployment of climate-friendly solutions at scale.
  • Work across NYSERDA and with other relevant actors to assess and pursue options to reduce the cost of the energy transition to NYS ratepayers over time, ensuring the most promising approaches are staffed promptly and with adequate support to deploy timely.
  • Support program teams and collaborate with the NY Green Bank, a division of NYSERDA, in building public-private and public-philanthropic partnerships that through close coordination attain greater outcomes at lower relative net cost.

Additional responsibilities may include:

• Provide input to the annual financial planning process, coordinating with the Finance & Accounting team to align annual budgets with the longer-term financial plan and broader statewide initiatives.
• Assist other teams in conducting value-added business analysis with a comprehensive understanding of key business drivers and sophisticated financial models that enable the team to deliver insightful, value-added analysis and support improved decision-making among key internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate with the Finance & Accounting team to ensure financial plans are complemented with robust financial and cashflow forecasts, using scenario planning and sensitivity analyses to allow proactive response to changing conditions.
• Oversee NYSERDA bond issuances, participation sales, and other financing vehicles in partnership with the CFO and Legal team.
• Assist with the development of content for external and internal executive level audiences to build a compelling case for investment, translating complex financial concepts to clearly articulate the benefits of our work for the citizens of New York.

Required Skills, Abilities, Competencies:

• Strategic and critical thinking, including experience developing and implementing creative but viable fundraising strategies at scale
• Financial planning and analysis including scenario/sensitivity analysis and cashflow forecasting
• Familiarity with financial markets and financing mechanisms in US clean energy and housing markets
• Strong understanding of business and economic dynamics; able to interpret and assess major drivers for key market actor behavior to ascertain true market gaps and recommend practical solutions
• Practical understanding of government fundraising mechanisms including bond financing, tax mechanisms, and tariff structures
• Communication Skills
  • Listens objectively to various viewpoints, quickly synthesizes new data, responds appropriately to various stakeholders across multiple communication channels.

  • Prepares and delivers compelling, concise persuasive presentations

  • Assertively leverages and expands productive networks with key NYS stakeholders

  • Collaborates broadly; adept at guiding and influencing as well as matchmaking programmatic and market needs with financing solutions that fit those needs
• Innovation combined with practical, on-the-ground leadership to ensure ideas are vetted, prioritized, and put into action in time to hit 5, 10, and 20-year-out state goals
• Able to organize, guide, and inspire direct reports and partner with colleagues to deliver valuable outcomes on time

Education and Experience:

Preferred:

• MBA degree and/or CFA certification

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a business field or equivalent work experience
• 10 years of relevant experience, including:
  • 3+ years in a team leadership role
  • 5+ years in a role driving large-scale change initiatives in a significant capacity
  • Experience developing and implementing strategies to fundraise, ideally through public-private partnerships

Salary

The salary range is $143,545 – $180,438. Candidates will be considered based on qualifications and experience. An excellent benefits package is offered.

To Apply

Please submit one file that includes both your cover letter and resume.