Distribution Assets Coordinator

Minnesota Power, an ALLETE Company, is an electric utility headquartered in Duluth, MN.  We provide electricity in a 26,000 square mile service area in northeastern Minnesota containing about 145,000 residential and commercial customers, municipalities and some of the nation’s largest industrial customers.  We are putting sustainability into action while honoring our commitments to the climate, our customers, and the communities we serve.  Our culture drives excellence through our shared values of integrity, safety, people, and the planet.

The Distribution Asset Coordinator role will be responsible for permitting, coordinating, and verifying third party attachments on Minnesota Powers overhead utility poles. Duties will include the creation and maintenance of procedures, standards, and license agreements associated with joint use poles and pole attachments. Other areas of asset management may be included as appropriate. Internally, the Distribution Assets Coordinator will work interdepartmentally with supervisors and staff, while external interaction with attaching companies and contractors can range from management to field workers. Although not a supervisory position, the Distribution Assets Coordinator may schedule and oversee the work of contractors, consultants or internal employees. Effective communication and conflict resolution skills are required. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage all joint use activity, from initial application to final permit issuance and on-going administration by overseeing/working with team members and contract resources, attachers, internal stakeholders, and other pole owners.
• Manage critical joint use programs such as annual rental billing, cyclical attachment audits, double wood (stub pole) mitigation and removal, and post-attachment inspections. 
• Ensure all joint use and pole attachments are optimally executed to minimize the impact to public safety and reliability of electrical service for Minnesota Power's customers, as well as ensuring compliance with regulatory timelines and billing requirements. 
• Create, capture, and review metrics that are necessary to inform appropriate stakeholders within the utility, ensure compliance, and identify process improvement opportunities. Monitors and maintains program efficiency with emphasis on accuracy and budgeted costs and time. 
• Work closely with legal, and other departments to develop, interpret, modify, and implement existing and new pole attachment and joint use agreements. 
• Pursue continual improvement, staying informed of the latest governmental and legal rulings, benchmarking best practices and software, and implementing identified areas of improvement related to Joint Pole Use within the utility and communication industries. 
• Research, evaluate, and plan for new software applications and software updates that are needed to enhance performance of the Joint Use Program, including storage of pole attachment records, annual billing, relocation notifications to attachers, and similar. 
• Interface regularly with Engineering, Project Management, Asset Management, Budget Analytics, Operations, Vegetation Management, and other divisions to ensure the Joint Pole Coordination program is aligned with projects and programs that support Minnesota Powers asset strategies, as well as corporate strategic goals, priorities, and business plans. 

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Associates degree with related coursework in electricity, engineering, line construction, line design, or GIS applications PLUS four years or more related experience*.
  OR
• A Bachelor’s degree in a related field PLUS two years or more related experience*.
  
  *Experience must include industry experience in utility business operations, electricity, engineering, line construction, line design, or GIS applications

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position will report regularly in person to one of our service centers in either Duluth, Eveleth, Pine River, Long Prairie, Cloquet, or Little Falls MN. 
• This role requires significant time away from employer’s place of business including overnight stays and flexible work schedules. 
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and mode of transportation.<