Director of Energy and Sustainability

The Director of Energy and Sustainability provides executive leadership for Maryland's Office of Energy and Sustainability, setting strategy and managing programs that reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions across state agencies. Key responsibilities include purchasing electric power (including renewable power), overseeing the state's Energy Performance Contracting program, managing the State Energy Database, chairing the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee, installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure for the state fleet, and performing energy audits and decarbonization plans. The director also identifies and secures funding while managing the office's budget, and may take on new programs as they develop. A major part of the role is cross-government collaboration: working with staff and management from all state agencies, other agencies and climate initiative groups to meet statutory emissions and energy-reduction goals. This means not just implementing programs but also shaping policy, drafting executive orders or legislative impact analyses, and ensuring compliance with Maryland's climate laws. The director is expected to present to executives, staff, customers and vendor representatives, acting as both a technical expert and a political navigator. The overarching goal is to cost-effectively drive down the state's energy use and emissions while maintaining reliable power for state operations. Success is measured by progress against statutory targets, the scale of clean power procurement, the effectiveness of energy performance contracts, and the adoption of sustainable purchasing and fleet electrification.

This role offers deep exposure to large-scale public-sector energy management, from utility management and power purchasing to energy contract negotiation. The director will likely gain advanced skills in structuring energy performance contracts, evaluating decarbonization plans, and navigating the regulatory environment of Maryland's climate laws. Because the position oversees the State Energy Database, there is also a strong data and reporting dimension, building expertise in tracking and verifying emissions reductions across a complex portfolio. Working with legislative bodies and governing councils such as the Green Building Council or Green Purchasing Committee provides rare policy experience: drafting executive orders, legislative impact analyses and cross-governmental sustainability policies. This is a chance to learn how sustainability strategy is translated into law and procurement, and how to build coalitions across agencies with competing priorities. Leadership development is another key opportunity, as the director manages staff and budgets and may take on new programs as they emerge. Mentorship may come from senior executives in state government, and the visibility of the role could open doors to broader climate policy or executive positions. The state also offers tuition reimbursement for those who qualify, supporting further formal education or certifications.

The ideal candidate will have a strong track record in a large public-sector agency or complex organisation, managing comprehensive energy, sustainability or climate mitigation initiatives. This includes setting strategy, managing program budgets, leading staff and evaluating operations against statutory emissions and energy-reduction goals. Experience in utility management, energy contract negotiation or power purchasing is critical, especially overseeing large-scale electric power acquisitions and transitioning portfolios to clean energy standards. An advanced degree in a technical or scientific field with an emphasis on sustainability is preferred, alongside at least one year of experience purchasing energy for large commercial operations, five years managing sustainability programs and five years managing staff in the government sector. The candidate should be comfortable collaborating with high-level external stakeholders, legislative bodies, state agencies and governing councils, and should have a working understanding of Maryland's climate laws and goals. Soft skills matter too: the ability to communicate effectively with executives, staff, customers and vendors, and to present complex energy data in a compelling way. A collaborative but decisive leadership style will be essential, as will political astuteness and the ability to navigate a large bureaucracy while driving change. Certifications in energy management or sustainability (such as CEM or LEED) could be advantageous, though the posting does not explicitly require them.

To stand out, tailor your resume and cover letter specifically to the Office of Energy and Sustainability's core functions: power purchasing, energy performance contracting, green purchasing, EV infrastructure and decarbonization planning. Quantify your achievements, how much energy did you save, what percentage of clean power did you procure, how many contracts did you negotiate, and what were the budget sizes and team sizes you managed? The selection process emphasises complete and accurate information, so include all relevant experience and education, and be explicit about your experience with Maryland's climate laws or comparable state frameworks. In your cover letter, address how you would approach the main programs and funding challenges. Demonstrate that you understand the political and legislative environment in Maryland, and show how you have collaborated with legislative bodies or external stakeholders to advance sustainability policies. If you have experience drafting executive orders or legislative impact analyses, highlight it. The email application should have a clean subject line and a professional tone; consider referencing the specific programs you would oversee to show you have read the job description carefully. Prepare for interviews by being ready to discuss concrete examples of energy procurement strategies, contract negotiations and cross-agency collaboration. You may be asked how you would handle conflicting priorities among agencies or how you would measure success against statutory goals. Since the role serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority, demonstrate your ability to work in a politically sensitive environment and to build trust with executive leadership. A background check and transcripts may be required, so have those ready.

This role is at the heart of Maryland's climate and energy strategy. The director will focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from state operations, primarily through purchasing renewable power, overseeing energy performance contracts and developing decarbonization plans for state facilities. A major emphasis is the transition of the state's electricity portfolio toward clean energy sources, which involves negotiating large-scale power purchases and managing utility relationships. The director also chairs the Maryland Green Purchasing Committee, so sustainable procurement, ensuring state purchasing aligns with environmental goals, will be a significant area of focus. Fleet electrification is another key pillar, with responsibility for installing EV charging infrastructure for the state fleet. This intersects with broader state climate initiatives and may involve collaboration with transportation and environmental agencies. Energy audits and decarbonization plans for state facilities will require working with facilities managers and engineering teams to identify efficiency measures and prioritize investments. The Office of Energy and Sustainability is also the steward of the State Energy Database, so data management and reporting underpin all these efforts. The director will need to ensure compliance with state environmental laws and regulations, and will contribute to policy development by collaborating with legislative bodies and climate initiative groups. The sustainability focus is thus both operational and policy-oriented, with the ultimate goal of achieving Maryland's statutory emissions and energy-reduction targets.

One major challenge is navigating the complex, federated nature of state government, where agencies have different priorities, budgets and levels of buy-in. The director must build coalitions and persuade stakeholders without direct authority over them, all while ensuring compliance with statutory goals. This requires political astuteness and the ability to communicate compellingly to executives and legislative bodies. Securing funding for energy and sustainability programs is another likely hurdle. The director must compete for limited resources, demonstrate cost-effectiveness and make a compelling case for investments. Energy performance contracting and power purchasing involve intricate negotiations with vendors and utilities, and market volatility in energy prices could complicate long-term planning. The transition to clean power may also face technical and infrastructure constraints, especially for facilities with legacy systems. The pace of change in state government can be slow, and bureaucratic processes may frustrate quick wins. Balancing ambitious climate goals with operational reliability and fiscal responsibility is delicate. Additionally, the director may face scepticism from agencies focused on immediate operational needs rather than long-term sustainability. Managing a budget and staff effectively while also serving at the pleasure of the appointing authority adds a layer of job security uncertainty, requiring resilience and adaptability.

A typical day might start with a briefing on energy markets or a check-in with the power purchasing team to review contract status or negotiate terms. Mid-morning could involve a meeting with an agency to discuss their decarbonization plan or energy audit results, or a session with the Green Purchasing Committee to review sustainable purchasing policies. The director might then review the State Energy Database to track progress against emissions targets or prepare a report for executive leadership. After lunch, there could be a legislative briefing or a meeting with external stakeholders such as utility representatives or advocacy groups. This might involve drafting an executive order, analysing the impact of proposed legislation or coordinating with the Maryland Department of the Environment or the Public Service Commission. The director would also manage staff, providing guidance on projects and ensuring budgets are on track. No two days are the same: some days are dominated by strategic planning or crisis management, such as when new funding opportunities arise or when a facility has an energy emergency. Interacting with a wide range of people, from engineers to legislators, means constant context switching. Variability is high, and the director must be comfortable juggling long-term projects with immediate operational demands.

This role offers significant growth for someone looking to deepen their expertise in public-sector energy and climate policy. Successful leadership of the Office of Energy and Sustainability could lead to higher executive positions within DGS or other state agencies, such as deputy secretary or director of environmental policy. The visibility of managing high-profile programs and interacting with legislative bodies could open doors to appointed or elected roles in government, or to leadership positions in the broader sustainability sector. The director may also have opportunities to shape new programs as they develop, potentially expanding the office's scope and their own portfolio. Working on statewide initiatives provides a platform to build a strong network across government, utilities, NGOs and private-sector partners. This network can be leveraged for future career moves, whether in consultancy, advocacy or further public service. Skill improvement will come from hands-on experience in power purchasing, energy performance contracting and decarbonization planning, expertise that is in high demand. The role may also support participation in professional development, and the state's tuition reimbursement could facilitate formal certifications or degrees. Overall, this is a high-impact position that can accelerate a career in sustainability leadership, particularly within the public sector.

The director will interact with a wide range of stakeholders. Internally, they will lead the staff of the Office of Energy and Sustainability, collaborate with other DGS departments such as facilities management and procurement, and work with executives across state agencies. Frequent contacts include agency heads, facility managers and budget officers, as the director must align energy and sustainability goals with operational and financial realities. Externally, key stakeholders include legislative bodies, the Governor's office, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Public Service Commission, and climate initiative groups. The director may also liaise with utility companies, energy service companies (ESCOs), vendors and contractors involved in power purchasing and energy performance contracting. The Maryland Green Purchasing Committee, which the director chairs, brings together representatives from various agencies and possibly external organisations, making it a key forum for collaboration. Other stakeholders could include non-profit organisations, advocacy groups and the public, especially in matters related to green purchasing and EV infrastructure. The nature of these interactions ranges from formal presentations and negotiations to informal collaboration and coalition-building. Success hinges on effective communication and relationship management, as the director must balance diverse interests while advancing the state's climate and energy goals.