001 Southwest Power Pool, Inc.

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Lead Market Design Analyst (R&D)



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

Overview

The Lead Market Design Analyst is responsible for understanding the current market design, recommending and analyzing the impact of design modifications, and supporting the development of market design expertise throughout the organization.    This position supports the Market Working Group by facilitating market design changes through the SPP stakeholder process, and performing market analysis as necessary to support those changes.  

This position will interact with multiple working groups in support of market design changes and issues. The Lead Market Design Analyst will work closely with SPP Operations, Legal, Regulatory, Settlements, and Congestion Hedging departments to assure that the implemented software and processes are consistent with the market design.   This position will work with market participants, vendors, FERC, and other RTOs/ISOs in recommending changes to SPP's market design and market policy.

This position will share responsibility, within the Market Design team, for facilitating discussion, design changes and providing market analysis for the Western Energy Imbalance Service (WEIS) Market and other Western Markets efforts. This will require supporting both the Western Market Executive Council (WMEC) and other working groups within the WEIS purview. This position will share responsibility for coordinating market design changes and analysis between the WEIS and the SPP Integrated Marketplace.

The Lead Market Design Analyst is expected to manage individual and team work effort, lead teams to preform market analysis and market changes, develop market metrics, and create market reports.  This position is responsible for facilitating internal and external discussions for business development, and presenting market design changes to various SPP stakeholder committees and working groups.

Essential Functions

  • Understand the Company's market rules and apply the knowledge to key business functions.
  • Coordinate and communicate with SPP market participants and member companies regarding market design.
  • Independently recommend market design changes to management and facilitate market design changes through the SPP stakeholder process.
  • Provide technical expertise to SPP committees and working groups.
  • Support FERC filings through providing data, and assist in drafting testimony and filing letters.
  • Analyze and review market data for indications of market weaknesses through the development of adhoc analysis.
  • Research and analyze the design of other RTOs/ISOs markets.
  • Document analysis and studies in written reports and communicate results to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Review and develop education materials related to the market design and support the training and development of junior-level market design staff.

The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibility and essential functions of this position, but should not be considered to be an all-inclusive listing of work duties and responsibilities. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other areas to cover absences, or relief to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload. 

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

  • Bachelor's degree in economics, mathematics, other related field, or four (4) years of job related work experience may be considered in lieu of educational requirement

Experience Requirements:

  • 10+ years industry experience
  • Must have previous experience in RTO Market Support, Design or Implementation. Experience can be from the RTO or market participant role.

Other Requirements:

  • Proficient at organizing and conducting technical and analytical studies
  • Knowledge of electric market concepts and ability to apply understanding in unique analysis
  • Ability to support diverse team members and manage parts of complex analysis projects
  • Strong facilitation skills
  • Strong interpersonal and team-building skills
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Competent working skills with communication and data handling software such as Microsoft Office, Excel and Access
  • Demonstrate proficiency in business acumen and professional conduct
  • Demonstrate the ability to function with constantly changing and multiple priorities
  • Demonstrate strong organizational skills
  • Understanding of and compliance with SPP Policies and Procedures

Lead Level Requirements:

  • Ability to recognize and address strategic issues important to Market Design
  • Proficient at organizing and conducting complex technical and analytical studies
  • Skilled at analyzing complex issues and communicating results to diverse stakeholders
  • Maintain full accountability in decision making and meeting deadlines
  • Provide training and mentoring to other staff

Preferred:

  • Advanced degree in economics, math or other related field of study
  • Experience in utility operations, RTO operations or energy trading
  • Experience with data manipulation and analysis of large data sets
  • Experience in team leadership

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.

  • 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.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of workweek are Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Working extended hours may be required.

Travel Requirement:

This position requires moderate travel (10-15%).

Should you elect to apply for this position SPP will review your qualifications and if after reviewing the qualifications and experience of all applicants, your skills and credentials meet our needs, someone from our organization may contact you. Please be advised that the time required to complete the applicant review process typically takes between 30 and 90 days, but could extend beyond that. Once the position has been filled, all applicants will be notified via email.

Southwest Power Pool is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age or any other protected category.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines “reasonable accommodation” as a change or adjustment to a job or work environment that allows a qualified individual with a disability to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of a particular job, and does not cause an undue hardship for the employer. SPP adheres to the ADA and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions.

Education

Required
  • Bachelors or better

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

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