Senior Consultant - General Cost of Service Expert (Remote)

Job Description

GDS Associates, Inc. has an exciting and challenging opportunity for a

Senior Consultant - General Cost of Service Expert

in the Rates and Regulatory Department. This position is expected to work remotely from a home office. This position has the opportunity for hybrid arrangements if local to a GDS office. The main responsibilities are listed below.

GDS is a nationwide multi-service engineering and consulting firm specializing in the energy utilities industry. The ongoing pace of regulatory uncertainty and economic volatility is unrivaled in the utility industry and requires equally unparalleled flexibility in ratemaking and regulatory strategies. GDS has been at the forefront of industry rate and regulatory policy, offering broad expertise in regulatory ratemaking, accounting, taxes, economics, finance, and engineering.

The Rates and Regulatory Department supports publicly owned utilities, industrial and large commercial companies, municipalities, and government agencies on a variety of unique and challenging proceedings before FERC and many state utility commissions. Additionally, the Rates and Regulatory Department specializes in accounting, tax, depreciation, regulatory policy, and cost of service matters involving electric, natural gas, and water/wastewater utilities. The department supports its clients on FERC formula rate proceedings, FERC litigation and settlement cases, intervenor comments, retail rate proceedings before state utility commissions, and regulatory compliance matters, among others.

The Senior Consultant's responsibilities include broad coordination and supervision of projects managed on time, within budget with the assistance of the supporting staff. The Senior Consultant oversees and mentors the supporting staff in order to ensure that project deliverables and deadlines are on track as well as monitoring the project budgets. The Senior Consultant will be responsible for managing a larger portion of the client interactions and will work to generate new project work by participating in marketing efforts and proposal development. The Senior Consultant collaborates directly with clients to meet their needs and ensures that any problems are corrected immediately with the assistance of the project team. The Senior Consultant will report to a Director, Senior Director, or Managing Partner and work in tandem to build a profit center.

A Senior Consultant Will Also

- Provide subject matter expert consulting for utility regulatory and cost-of-service rate matters, such as accounting, and related FERC precedents.

- Lead and participate on a consulting team to identify issues related to ratemaking concepts in connection with utility cost of service and regulatory proceedings.

- Independent preparation of expert testimony in support of disputes, regulatory protests, and/or litigation support on behalf of public power, consumer-owned utilities, large industrial users and/or state regulatory commissions.

- Convey complex subject expertise matters related cost-of-service and/or other precedent and ratemaking principles to clients in an easily understood fashion.

- Independently conduct regulatory and accounting research to support positions, increase technical knowledge, and train others in the Rates and Regulatory Department.

Additionally, a Senior Consultant Will Also

- Provide subject matter expert consulting for complex utility accounting and rate making matters with a focus on the impact to utility cost-of-service rate outcomes.

- Lead and participate on a consulting team to identify issues related to accounting and rate making matters in connection with utility cost of service and regulatory proceedings.

- Independent preparation of expert testimony in support of disputes, regulatory protests, and/or litigation support on behalf of public power, consumer-owned utilities, large industrial users and/or state regulatory commissions.

- Convey complex rate making concepts related cost of service principles to clients in an easily understood fashion.

- Independently conduct regulatory, accounting, and rate making research to support positions, increase technical knowledge, and train others in the Rates and Regulatory Department.

The Senior Consultant will be responsible for various project and departmental activities, including:

- Develop proposals and marketing materials.

- Review draft invoices for project work.

- Marketing and client engagement.

- Mentor and train junior staff.

- Attend industry conferences and meetings on behalf of GDS.

- Testify at regulatory hearings.

- Discuss with administrative supervisor performance assessment of staff assigned to projects under their leadership.

- Manage large and complex projects successfully.

- Possess knowledge and awareness of other GDS departments to maximize cross-functional opportunities on the projects managed.

- Possess knowledge and awareness of Rates and Regulatory staff and resources to ensure the proper delegation of project tasks and utilization of division resources.

- Provide expertise to the Rates and Regulatory Department on relevant topics in the industry.

Experience And Skills

- Minimum of bachelor's degree in accounting, economics, engineering, statistics, finance or other related field with utility experience.

- Certified Public Accountant CPA (preferred, but not required).

- Suggested experience related to the project team assignments of at least 11(eleven) or more years.

- Demonstrated supervisory experience.

- Manage the workflow of project team/staff.

- Knowledge of company culture, procedures, and policies.

- FERC and/or state utility regulatory and rate making experience.

- Familiarity with the FERC Uniform System of Accounts.

- Experience in electric utilities rate matters. Experience in natural gas utilities rate matters (preferred, but not required).

- Experience with electric cooperatives and municipals (preferred, but not required).

- Research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

- Testimony experience (e.g., assist with ghost writing portions of expert witness' testimony) or similar experiences communicating technical positions in writing.

- Experience in assisting or conducting audits, investigations, or other reviews involving the collection of evidence or data necessary to evaluate compliance or reasonableness of utility cost of service matters.

- Excellent oral and written communication skills.

- Ability to work well on a team.

- Physical ability to perform reading and work on a computer during working hours.

- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, & PowerPoint).

- Available for moderate domestic travel (5-10% primarily to FERC offices).

- Flexibility/availability to work extra hours when necessary to meet project requirements.

GDS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please note that this position is not available for visa sponsorship.

Work Authorization: Citizens or Permanent Residents of USA or Canada. Cannot provide Visa sponsorship.

Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual's particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements. The typical salary range for this position is $148,200 - $190,000. This is just one component of the firm's total compensation package.

Job Benefits

- Flex Benefits (Flexible Hours, Telecommuting)

- Competitive Pay

- Excellent Health Insurance Benefits

- Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick, Floating Holiday, Holidays)

- 401(k)

- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

- Tuition Reimbursement

Keyword: Utility Rate Analysis, Rate Studies, Utility Accounting, CPA, FERC, regulatory accounting