Chief Operating Officer - Seattle City Light Seattle City Light Location: Washington Category: [...] - Electricenergyonline : Job Details

Position Description

Seattle City Light, a department of the City of Seattle, is one of the nation's largest municipally owned utilities in terms of the number of customers served. Over the years we have worked very hard to keep Seattle's electricity affordable, reliable, and environmentally sound. Today, City Light is a recognized national leader in energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a vital member of the executive leadership team, responsible for providing strategic direction and executive oversight of the utility's daily operations. These include electric generation, transmission and distribution, field services, system maintenance, and customer operations. The COO ensures these essential services are delivered safely, reliably, and equitably to the community. This role translates long-term strategic goals into actionable plans that drive high-performance operations while centering sustainability, equity, and innovation. The successful candidate will be a people-centered leader who values collaboration, service, and accountability, and who is committed to building a resilient, future-ready utility that serves all customers.

The COO is a strategic executive leader accountable for ensuring the safe, reliable, and equitable delivery of electric utility services while advancing environmental stewardship and operational excellence. As a core member of the executive leadership team, the COO oversees all day-to-day utility operations including electric generation, transmission, distribution, customer services, and field operations with a clear focus on delivering community value. This role is instrumental in aligning short-term execution with long-term strategy, driving innovation, and cultivating a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive energy future. The successful candidate will be a visionary leader with the discipline to execute and the commitment to equity, environmental responsibility, and public service.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of day-to-day utility operations, ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality electric services.
• Lead and support daily activities across grid operations, field services, maintenance programs, customer services, and system planning.
• Develop and implement operational strategies that reflect the utility's long-term sustainability, resilience, and equity goals.
• Foster a culture of safety, compliance, continuous improvement, and employee well-being across all operational areas.
• Translate strategic goals into operational plans, budgets, and performance measures that align with frontline execution and customer needs.
• Promote inclusive leadership and workforce practices that reflect the diversity of the community served.
• Ensure that operational decisions are informed by environmental responsibility, affordability, and equitable service outcomes.
• Collaborate with the CEO, union leadership, and community stakeholders to align operational priorities with public values.
• Monitor key performance indicators and industry trends to adapt operations in response to changing technologies, regulations, and customer expectations.
• Lead capital project delivery, infrastructure modernization, and emergency response efforts with transparency, fiscal stewardship, and clear communication.
• Serve as a visible and accessible leader, building trust with staff at all levels, engaging with community members, and representing the utility in public forums.
• Support talent development and workforce planning to grow a skilled, inclusive, and future-ready operational team.
• Guide the utility through significant growth and change, including system expansion, workforce transitions, and organizational transformation, while maintaining operational excellence and community trust.

Leadership Approach

The COO must be both a strategic thinker and a skilled operator able to inspire diverse teams, foster belonging, and guide complex systems with clarity and accountability. Success in this role requires balancing people leadership with technical oversight: empowering staff while ensuring that work is aligned to organizational priorities. A commitment to equity, listening, and adaptability is essential, as the COO will guide both immediate operational needs and long-term change in a dynamic, community-centered environment.

The COO is expected to lead in alignment with the utility's core values, which include integrity, service, safety, equity, innovation, and environmental stewardship. As a steward of the utility's culture, the COO will help cultivate a workplace where employees feel respected, supported, and motivated to contribute their best. This includes modeling inclusive leadership, supporting continuous learning, and ensuring that operational practices reflect the organization's mission to serve the public good.

The COO is both a strategic architect and an operational leader capable of translating broad goals into disciplined execution. Success in this role requires the ability to inspire teams, lead with empathy and accountability, and build systems that support measurable performance and continuous learning. The COO must model integrity, equity, and innovation, cultivating a workplace culture that advances the utility's mission to serve all customers fairly and sustainably. A strong commitment to public service, environmental responsibility, and social equity is essential to this role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, public administration, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in electric utility operations, with a proven record of leading diverse teams and complex systems.
• Strong working knowledge of electric utility infrastructure, including generation (renewable and conventional), transmission, distribution, and customer services.
• Demonstrated success in strategic planning, operational leadership, and workforce development.
• Experience working in or with publicly owned, community-focused, or unionized organizations is highly valued.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust across a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

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