Supervisor of Operational 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 and transparent 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 bonus (if applicable)
• Hybrid working environment for positions that are eligible
• Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a pension (defined benefit plan) fully funded by SPP
  
  

PLEASE NOTE: SPP is not able to sponsor employment visas or student-work authorizations (STEM OPT) for this position. Please ensure you are eligible to work in the U.S. without sponsorship prior to applying.

COMPENSATION INFORMATION The salary range(s) represents our good faith estimate for the role at this time. While we strive to provide competitive and transparent compensation, there may be circumstances where an offer is above or outside of the listed range. We are open to discussing salary expectations with qualified candidates considering factors such as the candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, experience and geographic location will all be considered during the hiring process.

Supervisor Operational Planning Salary range: $112,240 – $145,810

Overview

The Supervisor of Operational Planning supervises a team of highly qualified engineers that provide technical and analytical engineering support of the Reliability Coordination, Market Operations, Tariff Administration and Scheduling functions performed by SPP. This team performs engineering analysis, engineering studies, and data analysis in support of all Operations related responsibilities within the SPP footprint. The Supervisor coordinates these analyses and studies, as appropriate, both within the SPP footprint and inter-regionally. Both real-time and forward engineering support is provided to all Operations functions. The Supervisor may also provide coordination support for the necessary SPP organization committees, working groups and task forces. As such, accurate and effective decision making, sometimes in stressful situations, is required. The team is also responsible for assisting in the development, implementation and maintenance of engineering applications, processes and tools required to perform the SPP operational functions. The Supervisor performs assignments with guidance from the Manager, Operations Engineering Analysis & Support on overall objectives, critical issues, new concepts, unusual developments, and policy matters. This position proposes to the Manager, Operations Engineering Analysis & Support and/or the appropriate operational function manager actions deemed appropriate to maintain the integrity and reliability of the bulk electric system. The Supervisor of Operational Planning discusses development plans with their direct reports and manages individual performance through real-time coaching and periodic performance reviews.

Core Responsibilities

Management Responsibilities:

• Lead a team in the performance of their associated responsibilities
• Evaluate and select appropriately qualified candidates for open positions subordinate to the Supervisor Operational Planning
• Establish work schedules and ensure qualified Operations personnel are always on duty
• Perform periodic performance reviews and evaluations, recommend salary and position adjustments
• Assist in development of the SPP Administrative Budget
• Establish and maintain guidelines and processes the Operations personnel will follow while fulfilling their responsibilities
• Understanding of, compliance with and enforcement of SPP Policies, Business Practices, SPP Criteria 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
• Operational Responsibilities:
• Ensure that appropriate controls are in place for key processes and that such controls are designed effectively
• Maintain records of evidence as required for various audits and regulatory entities
• Ensure proper tools necessary to assist the Operations personnel in performing their duties are available and performing accurately
• Apprise appropriate SPP Staff and Membership of results of pertinent engineering analysis and studies performed in support of the SPP operational functions
• Collect data and prepare necessary reports in support of the operational functions as required by SPP, NERC and FERC
• Oversee the research and analysis of issues reported by SPP Staff, SPP Members, non-Members and Market Participants related to results of any of the systems used by the Reliability, Tariff, Market and Scheduling desks and document the findings and report the results back to the requestor
• Oversee the analysis and coordination of activities necessary to maintain the reliability of the Bulk Electric System in the operational horizon including outage coordination, system planning, and coordination of operating guides and directives
• Assist with development and testing and provide operational support of the integrated market software including the Day-Ahead (DA) Energy Market, Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) and Operating Reserves Market with primary focus on business rule validation
• Other Responsibilities:
• Coordinate and interface with SPP Compliance personnel, Customer Relations, Settlements, IT and SPP members to resolve any inquiries, issues or disputes
• Assist the Manager, Operations Engineering Analysis & Support with special projects
• Participate and contribute as necessary, as an SPP representative on NERC and SPP committees, subcommittees, working groups and task forces
• Assist with administrative office duties as required
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited university or other technical degree from an ABET accredited university is required
• Master’s Degree Related field of study is preferred
• 6 years Significant experience, preferably in electric utility operations is required
• Professional Engineer (PE) License is preferred
• NERC Operator Certification is preferred
  
  

Other Requirements

• Advanced knowledge on transmission system operations including power flow, stability, voltage control, restoration, ATC calculation, etc.
• Advanced knowledge of the Southwest Power Pool high voltage transmission system, the SPP Criteria, SPP Business Practices, NERC Reliability Standards, SPP Market Protocols, SPP Regional Tariff, SAS70 Modeling Controls and SPP Change Control procedures
• Working knowledge of NERC Reliability Standards, SPP Criteria, SPP Market Protocols, the SPP OATT and SPP OATT Business Practices
• Knowledgeable of and conversant with tools such as the EMS, IDC, CAT, MFC, Constraint Manager, CROW, OPS1, Market System and OASIS
• Strong inter-personal and team building skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Motivation to take appropriate expedited action when required
• Initiative to stay abreast of industry developments
• Ability to work with a broad spectrum of individuals with diverse interests when resolving problems
• Competent skills with communication and data handling software such as Microsoft Office© Word, Excel, and Access
• Ability to work overtime, as needed, during adverse system conditions including extreme weather conditions such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, extreme hot or cold conditions, and other emergencies affecting the integrity of the bulk transmission system. These situations can create a high degree of stress
• Understanding of, compliance with and enforcement of SPP Policies and Procedures
  
  

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work: This is a full-time position. The typical work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Work hours may vary based on organizational and operational needs, as determined by management. Occasional extended or nonstandard hours may be required.

Travel Requirement: This position requires moderate travel (approximately 20%).

Southwest Power Pool is an equal opportunity employer that makes employment decisions without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, age, disability status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Further, Southwest Power Pool makes good faith efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans and qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact us at HR@spp.org and let us know the nature of your request. We will only respond to messages left that involve a request for a reasonable accommodation in the application process.

At SPP we believe in a culture of belonging. Learn more here: Culture of Belonging - Southwest Power Pool.