Manager, Energy Operations

Division:

Energy Delivery

Summary Description:

The Manager, Energy Operations reports to the Vice President – Grid Operations & Planning within Energy Delivery. This position is responsible for real-time oversight of the NCEMC portfolio for reliability purposes, implementation of the Distribution Operator, and to ensure compliance of regulatory requirements.

Academic and Trade Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, business or other analytically intensive equivalent is required; however, work experience can be substituted for education. NERC System Operator license is desired.

Work Experience:

At least eight years of progressively responsible work in real-time power system operations, supervisory control (SCADA) and Energy Management Systems (EMS) is desired.

Responsibilities:

Reliability Oversight

- Represent Energy Operations on Operating Committees for PPA and resources in the PS Portfolio

- Coordinate with Near-Term Optimization and Resource Planning group to review portfolio daily and monthly setup, including load forecasts, interchange scheduling and transmission reservations to ensure system dispatch meets reliability requirements

- Direct alteration of resource dispatch based on system reliability needs/concerns

- Maintain situational awareness of daily operations to ensure compliance requirements

- Maintain a working relationship with reliability entities for coordination of real-time reliability events handled through the DO

Distribution Operator (DO)

- Lead Transmission Operator (TOP) to DO integration and operation efforts

- Business SME on Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) and Energy Management System (EMS)

- Integration and coordination of DO activities with member cooperatives

- Provide piloting and use case validation of programs

- Develop operational capabilities and program oversight through coordination with ACES and OVEC.

Compliance Reporting - program subject matter expert (SME) for applicable NERC standards assigned to this position

- Annual compliance procedure review, training and evidence collection in preparation for NERC standards compliance auditing

- Operational, compliance, regulatory and reliability reports, surveys and data requests for RUS Form 12, EIA, SERC LTRA, NERC, and DOE

- Yearly compliance training for storm center staff, plant personnel, and member cooperatives

Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Integration

- Provide technical guidance on interconnection standards for DER monitoring and coordination with DO

- DER planning process for distribution systems and coordination with TOP planning

- Implement critical use case testing and DERMS configuration of new assets.

Other Duties

- Operational SME for system planning meetings with TOPs & power metering and telemetry for power supply and edge-of-grid resources

- Co-Lead storm center coordinator for system restoration activities and information conduit between IOU’s, affected cooperatives, NCEMC management and other storm center participants. Maintain Energy Operations storm coordinator lead under the Emergency Action Plan

- Provide reliability and compliance perspective in regular transmission and portfolio reviews

- Business lead for EMS, DERMS, and other Energy Operations tools and serve as liaison to IT

- Maintain dynamic schedules and Pseudo Ties in NAESB EIR registry

- Contract review and coordinate with Near-Term Optimization to integration of new contracts, dynamic schedules, & procedures into IT systems and daily operations

- Business lead and manage reliability outages in Unit Action Request (UAR) tool.

General

- Assist with the annual work plan and budget preparations

- Periodically report and present on activities

- Maintain professional development

- Perform other duties as directed by the Vice President – Grid Operations & Planning

Job Knowledge:

- Thorough working knowledge of electric transmission and distribution system operation

- Thorough understanding of Open Access Transmission tariffs and business practices of transmission providers in the region

- A detailed working knowledge of personal computers is necessary, including software applications required by the job. Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required, MS project software skills is a plus

Abilities and Skills:

- Analytical mindset with a desire to problem solve

- Ability to anticipate, plan and coordinate major projects with multiple stakeholder groups

- Ability to utilize critical thinking skills to analyze and take action in real-time situations

- Strong written and oral communications skills with the ability to develop presentations and reports

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills capable of maintaining strong relationships

- Delegate and make sound decisions

- Substantive experience of successfully working with and leading diverse teams of creative and support staff

Relationships and Contacts:

- Reports to: Vice President – Grid Operations & Planning and is accountable to him or her for results achieved

- Directs: Energy Operations Analyst

- Internal Relationships: Shall build and maintain internal relationships within NCEMC departments necessary to achieve the purpose of the position and the desired results

- External Relationships: Shall build and maintain external relationships necessary to achieve the purpose of the position and the desired results. This includes Member cooperatives, TOPs and other industry organizations

Working Conditions:

This role is based in a hybrid work environment, with employees currently working onsite three days per week and remotely two days per week. Occasional travel to offsite locations may be required.

The position may involve occasional after-hours support, particularly during the implementation of the company’s emergency response plan. During storm center activation, employee will be assigned rotating shifts to ensure continuous operations.

Participation in a first-call rotation is required, providing after-hours availability for contact by the 24/7 Distribution Operator.

Company Profile:

North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives is the brand for the family of organizations formed to support the state’s 26 local electric cooperatives, including: North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, the power supplier to many of the electric cooperatives; North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, the cooperatives’ trade association; and Tarheel Electric Membership Association, Inc. (TEMA), a central purchasing and materials-supply cooperative.

North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all applicants for employment.