Electric Generation Systems Manager

The primary purpose of this position is to oversee, plan, organize, and supervise the operation and maintenance of the hydroelectric and diesel electric generation systems to ensure safe, efficient, reliable, and adequate power delivery capacity both in the community and remotely which provides reliable electricity to its customers. This position is responsible to collaborate with other department employees to ensure safe and coordinated operation of the utility system.

Under the direct supervision of the Electric Utility Director, the Generation Systems Manager exercises considerable independent judgement and discretion as a professional with technical expertise to perform the position’s daily tasks and responsibilities within department established policies and procedures.

The Generation Systems Manager directly supervises the Power Plant Operators/System Dispatchers, Relay Control Technicians and Generation Facilities Mechanics, and is responsible to collaborate with other department employees to ensure safe and coordinated operation of the system.

The Generation System Manager is a management employee who assists and acts in a confidential capacity to the Electric Utility Director, Municipal Administrator, Assembly, and other department heads who formulates, determines, or effectuates management policies.


• Monitors, manages and directs the daily operations, routine preventive maintenance, unplanned maintenance, and emergency response actions for all generation facilities, including substations, metering, relaying and control systems
• Schedules, trains, motivates and evaluates the work of all direct reports to maintain proficiency and skill levels
• Develops and provides training, mentoring, testing, and exams to annually evaluate all direct reports
• Establishes and administers safety training programs and ensures compliance with all state and federal regulations
• Works closely with the Transmission & Distribution (“T&D”) Manager and oversees emergency procedures, such as load shedding when conditions deteriorate for the purpose of maintaining system integrity, and restoration of partial, and total, power system collapse
• Coordinates the implementation of switching procedures with all direct reports and the T&D System Manager
• Collects and manages pertinent data to develop defensible capital project recommendations including project scopes, schedules and budgets and risk-scores projects
• Prepares and updates annual capital improvement plans for short-, mid- and long-range projects
• Prepares and manages annual operation and maintenance budgets, monitors expenses, and maintains fiscal accountability for department
• Prepares Requests for Proposals (“RFP”), Scope of Work (“SOW”), reviews and scores proposals, and makes recommendations to award contracts
• Manages contracts within scope, schedule and budget, through final completion, and acceptance of work
• Oversees the purchasing of sufficient inventory to supply routine preventive maintenance operations, as well as unplanned repairs
• Assists with all technical and financial aspects of mid- and long-range strategic planning for the department
• Performs other duties as assignedKnowledge of:
• Principles, practices, and theory of hydro and diesel electrical generation, transmission, substations, and distribution, and mechanical equipment operation
• Principles, practices, and theory of electric, mechanical and civil engineering
• Materials, uses, methods and equipment used in the operation and maintenance of hydroelectric and diesel generation, transmission, and distribution systems
• Safety procedures and precautions due to occupational hazards of others working with or around high and low voltage electrical equipment
• Project- and program-level planning and management including detailed scoping, accurate and defensible planning-level cost estimating, evaluation of risk, development and management of Capital Improvement Plans and successful cradle-to-grave management of projects.
• State and federal laws and regulations pertaining to the hydro- and diesel-power generation industry
• Management of an isolated, islanded, non-grid connected electric utility system
• Computer spreadsheet, word processing, and database applications used in the electric utility operations

Skills in:
• Operating a personal computer using standard software applications appropriate to assigned tasks, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and any other customized software
• Reading, interpreting, and applying blueprints and single-line electrical diagrams related to electric generation, transmission, substations, and distribution systems
• Multi-tasking with strong attention to detail

Ability to:
• Direct and deal with other employees, including situations in which they may be upset, stressed, or in disagreement with decisions made, calmly and professionally
• Work under stressful situations which result from responding to emergency situations, including the responsibility for remaining calm and carrying out all duties
• Make decisions as to the best course of action for responding to emergency situations
• Communicate well with others, both orally and in writing, using both technical and non-technical language
• Understand and follow oral and written policies, procedures and instructions
• Prepare and present accurate and reliable reports containing findings and recommendations
• Use logical and creative thought processes to develop solutions according to written specifications and oral instructions
• Perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines
• Quickly learn and put to use newly acquired skills and knowledge
• High School diploma or GED; Bachelor Degree in an engineering discipline, with emphasis on power generation systems, preferred; and
• Five years of operational experience in electrical, hydro, and diesel power generation or transmission and distribution systems, with some experience in an isolated, islanded, non-grid connected electric utility system; and
• Experience supervising other employees in power generation or transmission & distribution fields, preferred; and
• Experience with progressive project and program management and cost-accounting experience in power generation or transmission & distribution fields, preferred, or
• Any equivalent combination of experience, education and training which provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work.


• Possession of a valid driver’s license issued by the State of Alaska
• Possession of, or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire, a first aid and CPR certification
• Employees are expected to wear right attire and Personal Protective Equipment (“PPE”) for safety purposes for the work assigned
• Must be available and willing to respond to emergency situationsWorking Conditions:
• Work is primarily done indoors in office, hydroelectric and diesel plant environments
• Work is required outdoors, often in inclement weather with related hazards

Specific Physical Requirements:
• Operating office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination using a computer and keyboard on a daily basis, for extended periods of time
• Sitting or standing for prolong periods of time
• Occasionally bend, reach, and kneel to perform work at times in tight, confined spaces indoors or outdoors

General Physical Requirements:
• Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing or other communication capabilities which permits the employee to hear specific equipment functioning in a noisy environment and allows the employee to communicate well with others
• Sufficient vision or other powers of observation which permits the employee to observe small dials, gauges, and numeric displays to produce a variety of reports and related materials
• Sufficient manual dexterity which permits the employee to operate a keyboard, and produce hand-written materials and notations
• Sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes which permits the employee to lift, bend, push, and pull, climb up and down stairs, ladders, or walk on steep inclines and to quickly move in case of an emergency