Manager, Systems Operations

Position Summary

The Manager, System Operations is responsible for supporting the safe, reliable, and compliant real-time operation of the Company’s Balancing Authorities (BA), generation assets, Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) participation, and scheduling functions. This position provides leadership and oversight to System Operators, supports compliance with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), Alberta Reliability Standards (ARS), and AESO ISO rules, and ensures continuous operational readiness through training, procedure development, and regulatory compliance activities.

The position serves as a key operational and compliance resource for the Company’s Network Operations Center (NOC), supporting real-time operations, compliance reporting, outage coordination, operator development, market participation initiatives, and regulatory audit preparation. The Assistant Manager collaborates with internal stakeholders, regulatory organizations, market operators, and external partners to ensure reliable bulk electric system operations and successful participation in current and emerging energy markets, including WEIM and the Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM).

Key Responsibilities

• Support and supervise real-time Balancing Authority, generation operations, scheduling, and market participation activities.
• Ensure compliance with NERC, WECC, GO, GOP, BA, ARS, and AESO reliability standards and reporting requirements.
• Coordinate outage management, switching activities, operational logging, and compliance documentation.
• Develop and maintain operating procedures, policies, training materials, and operator qualification programs.
• Support implementation and utilization of EMS, SCADA, AGC, forecasting, and other operational technologies.
• Assist with NERC audits, compliance assessments, mitigation plans, and regulatory reporting.
• Support optimization of generation dispatch, transmission usage, reserves, and energy scheduling.
• Represent the Company in industry, reliability, and market stakeholder meetings.
• Maintain NERC certification and required continuing education hours.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Energy Management, Business, Economics, Finance, Environmental Studies, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in utility operations, energy markets, scheduling, balancing authority operations, power marketing, renewable energy, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership or supervisory experience supporting real-time operations.
• Knowledge of NERC, WECC, ARS, and AESO reliability standards and compliance requirements.
• Ability to obtain NERC System Operator Certification (Balancing and Interchange Operator or Reliability Operator) within six months of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in Balancing Authority operations, energy scheduling, or power system operations.
• Experience with WEIM, CAISO, AESO, ERCOT, MISO, PJM, or other organized energy markets.
• Experience with EMS, SCADA, AGC, and other operational technology systems.
• Experience with high-voltage system operations, switching, and outage coordination.
• Experience negotiating and managing energy service agreements and commercial relationships.

Work Environment

This position is based in the Company’s Network Operations Center in Great Falls, Montana. Candidates must be available to support a 24/7 operating environment, including on-call responsibilities, nights, weekends, holidays, and extended shifts as needed.

Join BHE Montana and help lead the safe, reliable, and compliant operation of the electric grid while supporting the future of energy markets and system operations.