Contract Strategist

About the role

Responsible for the preparation, analysis, and negotiation of high-voltage electric transmission system contracts, including administration, interpretation, application, development, research, negotiation, coordination, execution, maintenance, and management of transmission contract projects and regulatory compliance. The position involves identifying, initiating, coordinating, leading, facilitating, and completing transmission contract projects and initiatives, as well as presenting information to management, peers, colleagues, and subject matter experts in clear, concise reporting—both verbal and written. Additional responsibilities include risk identification, analysis, and management to protect Tri-State and its member system/distribution cooperative owner interests in a highly technical business environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop, research, analyze, negotiate, draft, coordinate, and execute contracts and amendments associated with the electric transmission system as conditions require.
• Work effectively through strong communication and collaboration with lines of business across the organization, electric utilities, customers, and member system/distribution cooperative owners at the executive and management level for:
  • Transmission service
  • Interconnection, construction, capacity entitlements, operations, and maintenance
  • Agreements for ownership and financial participation of power delivery/transmission facilities among multiple parties (joint project and/or system ownership)
  • Consolidated and facilities management
  • Power delivery points
  • Telecommunications
  • System metering associated with power delivery points, system metering and settlements, renewable interconnections
  • Compliance
  • Generation
  • Licensing
  • Purchase and sale
• Coordinate transmission contract projects, functions, and initiatives with an active role in leading and supporting transmission initiatives.
• Provide analysis of legacy agreements, ownership, and party responsibilities to internal legal, technical, operational, and business partners.
• Work with internal project team members on assigned contracts with deadlines.
• Participate in or facilitate joint project meetings with outside utilities and internal multi-disciplinary teams.
• Coordinate special projects and participate in the development of policies, programs, and procedures for continual improvement.
• Adhere to and demonstrate compliance with appropriate electric utility industry regulatory requirements.
• Stay knowledgeable of developments in regulations, laws, standards, and best practices applicable to the functional area, including but not limited to Standards of Conduct, Environmental, Employment Law, NERC Reliability Standards, and Safety.
• Demonstrate behavior consistent with Tri-State’s culture, cooperative principles, and core values of technical competency, respect and dignity, accountability, integrity, trustworthiness, and servant leadership to empower or enable others to perform their job responsibilities optimally.
• Demonstrate and promote ethics and behaviors consistent with Tri-State’s culture, Board policies, and business practices.
• Understand and fulfill the role and responsibility for all compliance programs within the company.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Because Tri-State is an electric utility with continuous service obligations to its customers, regular, reliable, and predictable performance of the essential functions and responsibilities is required. The ability to work overtime at any time of the day or week is considered an essential function of the job.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Economics, Contract Law, hard sciences, project management, or equivalent degrees, experience, skillsets, or training. Master’s degree a plus.
• Eight (8) years of progressive experience with an electric utility in business, contracts, regulatory compliance, technical areas of the business including engineering or operations, or areas related to contract drafting, project management, or legal (or equivalent combination of experience and education).
• Ability to apply engineering theory and principles in drafting and analyzing contracts and managing contract-related projects.
• Ability to engage and communicate accurately and effectively with a high level of professionalism, both written and orally, with all levels of personnel within and outside the company.
• General knowledge of government regulations affecting electric utilities.
• General knowledge of contract law and project management (some formal training preferred).
• Willingness to travel as required. Must possess a valid driver’s license.
• Must be able to demonstrate the ability to perform all essential functions of the position.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Flexible Work Schedules, including compressed work week and telecommuting opportunities to work remotely up to 40%
• Life Insurance
• 401K
• Long Term Disability (LTD)
• Short Term Disability (STD)
• Employee Assistant Program (EAP)
• Paid Leave Benefits

Pay

Hiring salary range: $109,000–$139,000. Actual compensation offer to candidate may vary outside of the posted hiring salary range based upon work experience, education, and/or skill level.

About Us

Tri-State is a wholesale power supply cooperative, operating on a not-for-profit basis, with electric distribution cooperatives and public power district members in four states: Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Together with its members, Tri-State delivers reliable, affordable, and responsible power and energy services to nearly a million electricity consumers across roughly 200,000 square miles of the West. Founded in 1952 by its member systems to provide a reliable, cost-based supply of electricity, Tri-State is now headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, employing approximately 1,000 people across five states. Tri-State's electricity is generated from coal, natural gas, hydropower, wind, and solar. This power reaches members via a transmission system that includes substation facilities, telecommunications sites, and almost 6,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines. As a member-owned and -governed cooperative, every member has a voice and an equal vote in the future of Tri-State.