Applications Analyst - II or Senior

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.

Senior Applications Analyst | Pay Range: $85,800.00 - $109,450.00

Applications Analyst II | Pay Range: $76,000.00 - $96,900.00

Join our IT Financial Applications team as an Applications Analyst!

We’re looking for an Applications Analyst to support and enhance the vendor and custom software solutions that power SPP’s financial operations. These critical applications enable member participation in transmission congestion rights auctions, track collateral and credit requirements, support network upgrade cost recovery, and ensure regulatory rates and tariff requirements are accurately applied.

In this role, you’ll support and maintain the applications and databases that drive daily operations at Southwest Power Pool—many of which have substantial financial impact and help protect against loss of life and property. Ensuring these systems function accurately and reliably is essential to SPP and our members.

As an Applications Analyst, you will help ensure the stability and performance of assigned systems, working closely with IT teams to minimize downtime and apply IT standards. Senior Analysts collaborate with Developers and Architects to assess system architecture and recommend upgrades, process improvements, and design changes that strengthen security, stability, and overall performance.

You will also serve as a key liaison between SPP departments, IT, and external vendors to ensure applications continue to meet organizational and end-user needs. This role requires strong judgment, the ability to work independently, and solid prioritization skills to support project planning and issue resolution.

Essential Functions:

- Demonstrate expert-level knowledge in assigned applications, interfaces, and technical areas.

- Install, configure, maintain, and support application systems.

- Monitor and troubleshoot system issues to ensure performance meets requirements.

- Respond promptly to customer-reported inquiries and issues.

- Participate in a 24/7/365 on-call rotation.

- Multi-task, problem-solve, and support complex, highly integrated systems.

- Maintain deep understanding of assigned systems and working knowledge of related systems within the team.

- Contribute to all phases of the SDLC, including requirements, design, testing, environment support, and release deployment.

- Develop and maintain technical system documentation.

- Recommend and implement system and process improvements.

- Continue developing technical skills aligned with your focus area.

- Complete tasks and special projects as assigned.

- Train colleagues in your areas of expertise.

- Ensure compliance with corporate and departmental policies, including SOC1 and FERC CIP audit controls.

If you’re ready to join a team that supports mission-critical financial systems, apply here!

To be successful as an Applications Analyst, we're looking for:

Education Requirements:

- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Information Technology-related field or equivalent experience

Experience Requirements:

- Senior Applications Analyst: Six (6) years of applicable Information Technology application administration and support experience; or an equivalent combination of education and work experience or a combination of technical experience and leadership experience

- Applications Analyst II: Three (3) years’ experience of Information Technology Development/Support experience

- Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Windows and Unix/Linux operating systems.

- Proficiency in SQL and relational databases (Oracle, SQL Server).

- Experience with ETL tools, particularly Informatica.

- Skilled in scripting languages such as Python and shell scripting.

- Proficient in application support and database management concepts.

- Advanced troubleshooting and analytical abilities, including:

- Deciphering error and event logs

- Conducting root-cause analysis

- Supporting complex, integrated systems

- Solid understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and project life cycle methodologies.

- Effective problem-solving, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.

- Strong customer service orientation and ability to collaborate across teams.

- Ability to interpret and analyze data for system and process improvements.

- Understanding of and compliance with SPP policies and procedures.

Preferred:

- Two (2) or more years applicable utility industry experience

- Experience with Splunk for monitoring and log analysis.

- Familiarity with REST APIs and tools such as Postman.

- Knowledge of authentication methods, certificates, and related security concepts.

- Experience working with Netezza or similar data warehouse platforms.

- Basic understanding of SPP’s core business model

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment.

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.

- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

- Understanding of compliance with and enforcement of SPP Policies and Procedures

Position Type, Location, and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time, hybrid onsite role located in Little Rock, Arkansas. The standard work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional extended hours as business needs arise. This position also participates in a 24/7/365 on-call rotation.

Travel Requirement:

This position requires minimal travel (approximately 10%).

SPP is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and is committed to excellence. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment 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. We will accommodate the needs of any qualified candidate who requests a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

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

Full job descriptions will be made available to those selected for an interview.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.