Supervisor, Transmission Planning - Southwest Power Pool

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

• 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.

• Relocation assistance to those that currently live 50 miles away from SPP’s office in Little Rock
  • Senior level for this position is remote eligible outside of a 50 mile radius of office location
• 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 Supervisor will lead a staff of engineers and technical professionals who are directly responsible for the SPP Integrated Transmission Plan (ITP) studies.  A wide range of skills is required; including the ability to analyze, assess, and give direction from engineering and financial analyses, understanding of and compliance with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), and SPP Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) as well as other regulatory requirements, report writing and documentation, and internal and external customer communications.  The Supervisor will support the SPP stakeholder process as necessary.  The Supervisor will also act as an SPP spokesman, expert witness, etc. regarding the SPP Transmission Planning process when called upon to do so.  The Supervisor of Transmission Planning discusses development plans with their direct reports and manages individual performance through real-time coaching and periodic performance reviews.
 

The primary role of the Supervisor, Transmission Planning is to focus on the quality and implementation of ITP studies and ensure the process is executed consistent with the requirements of the SPP OATT, ITP Manual, and applicable Business Practices. 

Essential Functions

Management Responsibilities:

• Hire, develop, and maintain staff of engineers and technical professionals with the skill sets necessary to execute the Integrated Transmission Planning study processes in compliance with the SPP OATT and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Oversee the scoping, scheduling and execution of the Integrated Transmission Planning studies including reliability-based and economics-based assessments.
• Manage project schedules and staff performance to produce high quality deliverables on time in a dynamic environment.
• Review and approve transmission planning studies executed by engineering staff.
• Assist or lead special projects as necessary.
• Represent SPP as a staff expert in stakeholder and other forums as necessary.
• Communicate effectively with SPP stakeholders/members, non-members, consultants, and other various participants concerning applicable and appropriate activities and events occurring in the Transmission Planning function.
• Create and implement development plans for each employee to build and enhance skill sets to maximize production.
• Develop annual departmental budget proposals and maintain budgetary control for projects and staff expenditures
• Understand, comply with, and enforce, SPP Policies and Procedures.
• Conducts regular touch-base meetings with direct reports to discuss development goals, business goals and performance matters
• Provides real-time coaching on performance
• Conducts annual performance reviews

Qualifications

Education  Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Economics or equivalent discipline from an ABET accredited university

Experience Requirements:

• Eight (8) years of relevant engineering experience; a Professional Engineer license or an advanced degree may substitute for one year of experience

Required:

• Specific understanding of economic dispatch, transmission service, deterministic planning, and transmission/generation system operations used in electric utilities/ISOs/RTOs
• Strong inter-personal and team building skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Motivation to take appropriate expedited action when required
• Experience in optimization algorithms and economic theory
• Ability to work with a broad spectrum of individuals with diverse interests when resolving problems

Preferred:

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited university.
• Professional Engineer License (PE)
• Graduate level degree in related field of study
• Experience in Open Access Transmission Tariff, and experience conducting economic and/or reliability transmission planning

Work Environment: 

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to make decisions, interpret data, and problem solve.
• The employee frequently is required to stand or sit for extended periods; use hands to operate a computer keyboard and standard office equipment.
• The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 10 pounds.
• Requires the ability to work and collaborate with managers and employees at all levels to exchange ideas, information, and opinions to facilitate the task.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of workweek are Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Working extended hours may be required.

Travel Requirement:

This position requires limited travel (approximately 15%)

Should you elect to apply for this position SPP will review your qualifications. If after reviewing the qualifications and experience of all applicants, your skills and credentials meet our needs, someone from our organization may contact you. Please be advised that the time required to complete the applicant review process typically takes between 30 and 90 days, but could extend beyond that. Once the position has been filled, all applicants will be notified via email. 
 

Southwest Power Pool is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age or any other protected category.
 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines “reasonable accommodation” as a change or adjustment to a job or work environment that allows a qualified individual with a disability to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of a particular job, and does not cause an undue hardship for the employer.  SPP adheres to the ADA and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)