Manager, Reliability Coordination

Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is about more than power. We’re about the power of relationships. Our employees have the opportunity to work together to ensure electricity is delivered reliably and affordably to the millions of people living in our service territory. We have been voted one of Arkansas’ Best Places to work by Arkansas Business and we are looking for a member of our team who is passionate about our mission to keep the lights on!

We have a core ideology here at SPP that we stand by: Do the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way.

We believe in supporting our employees through a fantastic benefits package:

• Competitive pay with bonus opportunities
• Excellent insurance package including three great medical plans to choose from, employer-paid short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance
• Relocation assistance to those that currently live 50 miles away from SPP’s office in Little Rock

• Flexible working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home and come into the office when collaborative in person work is needed.

• Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a defined benefit plan fully funded by SPP

Overview

The Manager, Reliability Coordination, manages the development, maintenance and day to day provision of the Western and Eastern Interconnection Reliability Coordinator area policies and key related functions performed by SPP across a footprint spanning all or part of 20 states. This role is primarily responsible for ensuring and maintaining the integrity of the bulk electric system by overseeing the planning, forecasting and deployment of reliability related services to SPP members and stakeholders while ensuring that all activities are in compliance with applicable SPP criteria and NERC Reliability Standards. This role discusses development plans with their direct reports and manages individual performance through real-time coaching and periodic performance reviews.

Essential Functions 

• Act as primary subject matter expert with regard to Reliability Coordination operations, operational policies, and business and compliance standards
• Administer a department of Reliability Coordination staff to ensure they perform accurately and are equipped with necessary tools, skills, and resources to do so
• Provide technical expertise to SPP committees and working groups, particularly the Operating Reliability Working Group, Western Reliability Working group, Markets and Operations Policy Committee and the Western Reliability Executive Committee. Facilitate or provide staff support for SPP committees and working groups as needed.
• Lead development of coordinated Operations plans and procedures with collaboration of SPP stakeholders and other impacted entities. Ensure staff and other stakeholders are informed and aware of their roles in emergency and other Operations plans.
• Collect data and prepare necessary reports in support of the Reliability Coordination function as required by SPP, NERC, WECC, NAESB and FERC
• Conduct regular touch-base meetings with direct reports to discuss development goals, business goals and performance matters
• Provide real-time coaching on performance
• Conducts annual performance reviews
• Work to ensure operations staff compliance with and the enforcement of SPP policies and procedures

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or technical related field (additional related experience may be considered in lieu of degree requirement) or
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering, this degree should:
  • Be from a university that meets the requirements to sit for the Professional Engineering exam (in Arkansas, that is most typically a degree from an ABET accredited university or a graduate degree from a college that has an ABET accreditation),
  • Degree should be in a calculus-based engineering field and preferred degree programs are Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Systems Engineering

Experience Requirements:

• Ten (10) years of electric utility experience related to transmission system dispatch/operations or another area pertinent to Reliability Coordination; or 6 years of experience obtained in a responsible role involved with the SPP Reliability Coordination function

Required:

• In-depth knowledge of transmission system operations and NERC reliability standards and WECC regional standards
• Working knowledge of SPP Criteria, market protocols and the OATT
• Knowledgeable and conversan