Southwest Power Pool

Lead Compliance Engineer or Lead Compliance Specialist

Little Rock, AR

full_time

$109,450-$142,250

About This Job

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:

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Competitive pay with bonus opportunities

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Excellent insurance package including three great medical plans to choose from, employer-paid short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance

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Relocation assistance

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Flexible working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home and come in where collaborative in person work is needed.

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Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a defined benefit plan fully funded by SPP

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.

Lead Compliance Engineer| Pay Range: $109,450.00 -$142,250.00

Lead Compliance Specialist| Pay Range: $109,450.00 -$142,250.00

Join Our Compliance Team as a Lead Compliance Specialist or Engineer!

At SPP, our Compliance Department is a collaborative, mission-driven team committed to upholding the highest standards of reliability and regulatory excellence. As a Lead Compliance Specialist or Engineer, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring our organization’s continued alignment with NERC Reliability Standards. This position offers the opportunity to work closely with business units across SPP to support a range of impactful initiatives—from addressing potential noncompliance findings and coordinating audits to facilitating certification efforts and conducting internal reviews and risk assessments.

Our team is responsible for managing communications with the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO), leading evidence submissions, and tracking the implementation of mitigation plans to enhance organizational resilience. You’ll also contribute to the development of internal policies and best practices, participate in stakeholder meetings, and represent SPP in regional and national compliance forums. If you're seeking a role where your contributions truly make a difference—and where integrity, collaboration, and operational excellence are core values—SPP is the place for you.

Essential Functions

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Provide leadership and direction to Compliance Department staff; serve as a consultative subject matter expert when needed

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Mentor and guide junior compliance staff on regulatory responsibilities and internal processes

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Assist the Compliance Manager and Director with the development and execution of Internal Compliance Program (ICP) initiatives

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Act as a liaison between the Compliance Department and key business units, fostering positive relationships and collaboration

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Prepare the organization for regulatory engagements, including audits, Compliance Violation Investigations (CVIs), Requests for Information (RFIs), readiness evaluations, and certifications

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Support the development and delivery of training programs to promote a strong compliance culture across the organization

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Stay informed of evolving NERC and other reliability requirements, and ensure they are effectively integrated into compliance activities

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Collaborate with leadership to develop, implement, and monitor compliance policies, plans, and performance metrics

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Lead ongoing internal reviews of compliance readiness and conduct risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential issues

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Investigate potential compliance risks or violations; document and report findings appropriately

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Prepare and submit self-reports, mitigation plans, and supporting documentation to regulatory bodies

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Develop and maintain oversight controls to ensure ongoing compliance

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Analyze industry regulations and internal governing documents to assess their impact on SPP's compliance obligations

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Represent SPP in regional and national compliance-related working groups, forums, and events

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Demonstrate the highest standards of ethical behavior in all aspects of the role

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Participate in SPP Compliance Forums and internal stakeholder working groups, presenting on compliance topics as needed

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Manage special projects and cross-functional initiatives as assigned

To be successful as the Lead Compliance Engineer or Lead Compliance Specialist, we're looking for: Lead Compliance Engineer

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Bachelor of Science in Engineering, this degree should:

+ Be from a university that meets the requirements to sit for the Professional Engineering exam (in Arkansas, that is most typically a degree from an ABET accredited university or a graduate degree from a college that has an ABET accreditation) + Degree should be in a calculus-based engineering field and preferred degree programs are Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Systems Engineering

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8 years’ of relevant Engineering experience; OR

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7 years’ of relevant Engineering experience with a Master’s Degree in Electrical, Computer, Industrial, Mechanical or Systems Engineering OR

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6 years’ of relevant Engineering experience with a Doctoral degree in Electrical, Computer, Industrial, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering

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A Professional Engineer license is required for this role; however, 12 years’ relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a Professional Engineer License

Lead Compliance Specialist

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A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required; two (2) years of relevant job-related experience may be substituted in place of the degree requirement.

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Ten (10) years of industry, compliance, legal experience, or other related experience

Other Requirements

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Extensive experience with operations and engineering functions

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Advanced understanding or the RTO role in the industry

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Fluency in English and ability to communicate effectively with engineers, operations and planning staff and management

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Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills

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Demonstrated advanced teamwork and resource management skills to assign and manage accountability in complex projects and new process development

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Flexibility and the ability to function with constantly changing and multiple priorities

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Excellent organizational skills

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Advanced understanding of power system concepts and tools

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Advanced understanding of industry compliance requirements

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Demonstrated leadership ability

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Understanding of and compliance with SPP Policies and Procedures

Preferred Qualifications

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Advanced degree in related field

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

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.

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While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to make decisions, interpret data, and problem solve.

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The employee frequently is required to stand or sit for extended periods; use hands to operate a computer keyboard and standard office equipment.

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The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 10 pounds.

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Requires the ability to work and collaborate with managers and employees at all levels to exchange ideas, information, and opinions to facilitate the task.

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

Position Type, Location and Hours:

This is a full-time, hybrid onsite position based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The standard schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., though extended hours may occasionally be required. Remote work is authorized for candidates who reside more than 50 miles outside of the Little Rock (Central Arkansas) area.

Travel Requirement

This position requires minimal (10%) travel

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.

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