Director, System Planning

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
• Flexible working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home and come in where 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 Director of System Planning is a senior level position that will work with the VP of Engineering and the Engineering management team to provide meaningful input into the development of SPP’s corporate strategy and to ensure that the strategic vision and tactical plans for the Engineering organization are clearly defined, communicated, and executed to effectively support SPP’s corporate strategy.  This position is responsible for providing strategic and tactical leadership necessary to ensure successful completion of goals and essential functions assigned to the System Planning group. 

Functionally, this position is responsible for 1) continued development of a regional transmission expansion plan that ensures future reliable and efficient usage of the transmission grid covering SPP’s eight-state region, 2) performance of Compliance, and other Advanced Planning studies in compliance with the SPP OATT, NERC, and other applicable regulatory requirements, 3) development and distribution of network models representing future steady-state and dynamic electrical characteristics of the SPP and surrounding power systems as necessary to support planning and analytical activities performed by SPP and its members and in compliance with applicable reliability standards, and 4) provision of engineering services necessary to support members, regulators, and other departments and to comply with reliability standards and criteria.  The Director of Planning will ensure that these functions are performed in accordance with the SPP Open Access Transmission Tariff, SPP Business Practices, SPP Market Protocols and other applicable laws, regulations, and standards.

This position will, as needed, provide an Engineering interface to SPP members and stakeholders and serve as the SPP representative or witness before industry groups and federal/state regulatory commissions.  This position also provides as needed support for SPP organizational groups and numerous other industry forums.  The incumbent independently performs assignments with guidance on overall objectives, critical issues, new concepts, unusual developments and policy matters.  The position provides “dotted line” coordination of activities with the SPP executive management team and with similar positions of SPP member companies.  This position understands the Company’s overall corporate goals and strategy and operates in a manner which supports and helps achieve the Company’s goals and strategy.

The Director of System Planning discusses development plans with their direct reports and manages individual performance through real-time coaching and periodic performance reviews.

Essential Functions   

• Direct the continuous development of SPP’s Transmission Expansion Plan to effectively and efficiently address future needs.
• Direct the performance of technical studies and administration of processes necessary to comply with the SPP OATT, NERC, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Direct the development and distribution of network models representing future steady-state and dynamic electrical characteristics of the SPP and surrounding power systems as necessary to support planning and analytical activities performed by SPP and its members and in compliance with applicable reliability standards.
• Direct the provision of engineering services necessary to support members, regulators, and other departments and to comply with reliability standards and criteria.
• Represent SPP as a subject matter expert, facilitator, or secretary for assigned organizational groups.
• Understand, comply with, and enforce SPP P