Energy and Market Operations Director
The role involves managing Austin Energy’s generation resources, ensuring compliance with regulations, and directing risk management strategies effectively.
Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:
– Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
– Manages optimal performance of Austin Energy’s generation resource portfolio, including power plants, fuel and power supply agreements, and associated financial instruments.
– Manages and ensures accuracy of supply and load schedules submitted to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas ( ERCOT ).
– Directs and manages compliance with Austin Energy risk management policies and limits, ERCOT Protocols and Operating Guides, Public Utility Commission of Texas ( PUCT ) Wholesale Code of Conduct, North American Electric Reliability Corporation ( NERC )/Texas Reliability Entity ( TRE ), and all other regulatory requirements.
– Directs, manages, and establishes energy risk management goals and strategies; identifies appropriate instruments for use in managing fuel and power supply risks; and establishes goals and strategies for energy and capacity.
– Develops and maintains the long-term resource plan with associated stakeholder process.
– Coordinates and identifies resource requirements, staffing levels, and the organizational structures for the business unit based upon the evolving ERCOT wholesale market.
– Directs and manages timely, efficient, and effective real-time operations and support activities in the ERCOT Nodal market.
– Manages annual Operations & Maintenance and Capital Improvement Plan ( CIP ) budgets, including preparing short- and long-term spending plans.
– Represents the City of Austin and Austin Energy interests at boards, commissions, councils, and industry working groups.
– Responsibilities – Supervision and/or Leadership Exercised: Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
– Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
– Knowledge and experience of ERCOT Wholesale Electric Market.
– Knowledge of Public Utility Commission ( PUC ) Regulations governing the Texas wholesale electric market.
– Knowledge of electric utility operations including power production, power delivery, and related fuel and power market operations.
– Knowledge of Financial Risk Management Practices and Markets.
– Knowledge of supervisory and managerial techniques and principles.
– Knowledge of reporting concepts, budgeting, purchasing, and preferred business practices.
– Knowledge of project management and internal control concepts and practices.
– Skill in effective oral and written communications.
– Skill in handling conflict and uncertain situations.
– Skill in establishing and maintaining good working relationships with other City employees, the public, and contractors.
– Skill in using software applications to perform data analysis and problem solving.
– Skill in negotiating energy related supply and transportation agreements.
– Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
– Ability to analyze and resolve irregular events.
Minimum Qualification:
– Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Business Administration, Economics, Engineering, Finance, or a field related to the job, plus five (5) years of related experience, including two (2) years of experience in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
– Graduation with a Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university may substitute for experience up to a maximum of two (2) years.
Licenses and Certifications Required: None.
Preferred Qualifications:
– 1. Experience in wholesale market functions within ERCOT especially in relation to trading power and experience with forward markets 2. Experience in integrated resource planning with all supply and load functions in the market 3. Experience with fuel supply contracts 4. A strong background in finance, risk management, and contract negotiations especially in relation to wind, solar and storage projects 5. Experience with Market Systems for trading, scheduling, modeling and risk management 6. Experience managing a large group 7. Experience interacting with a utility executive team