NERC Compliance Specialist

Position Purpose and Objectives

As a member of the Engineering department, develop and implement compliance processes and procedures for the Engineering and Operations departments. The Compliance Specialist/Senior Compliance Specialist plays a key role in developing, maintaining, and administering policies and programs meant to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and standards - including NERC Reliability Standards - for the Engineering and Operations departments. Provides general support to the Engineering staff in executing projects and initiatives.

Distinguishing Characteristics

• Compliance Specialist:
  • Performs work under general supervision.
  • Handles moderately complex issues and problems and refers more complex issues to higher-level staff.
  • Possesses working knowledge of subject matter.
  • Typically requires at least 2 years' experience.
• Senior Compliance Specialist:
  • Performs work under minimal supervision.
  • Handles complex issues and problems, referring only the most complex to higher-level staff.
  • Possesses comprehensive knowledge of subject matter.
  • Provides leadership, coaching, and/or mentoring to a subordinate group.
  • Typically requires more than 5 years' experience.

Essential Job Functions

• Lead the development, maintenance, and administration of compliance programs, processes, and procedures for compliance requirements impacting the Engineering and Operations departments.
• Demonstrate an understanding of applicable North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reliability standards.
• Track and interpret NERC requirements and offer suggestions to functional managers and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to determine specific compliance actions.
• Facilitate the development, implementation, testing, and revision of procedures, processes, and documents necessary for executing projects and ensuring compliance.
• Implement processes for tracking ongoing projects and compliance deadlines, triggering events, and maintaining appropriate record-keeping of evidence.
• Conduct periodic tests and audits of organizational operations. Support external compliance audits.
• Interface with external parties, as necessary.
• Conduct initial reviews of alleged compliance violations and escalate to leadership as needed.
• Identify opportunities to improve and enhance existing processes. Develop reports to provide visibility into the current state of compliance activities and projects.
• Work collaboratively and communicate effectively with other departments, including Power Supply and Rates, System Design, Legal, and Communications.
• Partner with IT to identify and implement technologies to automate and streamline compliance monitoring and reporting processes. Master new tools quickly and support other internal users.
• Aid in the review and filing of reports to executives and regulatory bodies.
• Create, expand, and maintain professional and productive working relationships with peers and stakeholders.

Secondary Job Functions

• Support the Engineering team with the execution of the department's work.
• Perform other duties as may be requested or assigned to meet the needs of good management practices.

Supervision Received and Exercised

• Reports directly to the VP of Engineering.
• No supervisory duties.

Education and Experience Required

• Bachelor of Science Degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and work experience in the electric utility industry.
• Compliance Specialist: AND two (2) years' experience with compliance processes and procedures.
• Senior Compliance Specialist: AND five (5) years' experience with compliance processes and procedures.

Knowledge and Understanding

• Knowledge and understanding of electrical terminology with a strong background in compliance and processes.

Desired Experience

• Experience with NERC Reliability Standards, especially requirements related to Distribution Providers.
• Project management and process improvement experience preferred.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Communication
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Professionalism
• Self-management and Initiative
• Critical and Creative Thinking
• Respecting diversity, and being open, inclusive, and sensitive to all people
• Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Problem Solving

Liaison

• Frequent inter-organizational contact.
• Occasional contact with external parties and regulators.

Essential Physical and Mental Requirements

• Sedentary Work: Exerting up to twenty-five pounds of force (25 lbs.) occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.
• Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms.
• Stooping: Bending the body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at the knee to come to a rest on a knee or knees.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm as in handling.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Hearing: Ability to perceive speech and other sounds at normal levels, with or without corrective assistance, to understand detailed oral instructions and distinguish subtle differences in sound.
• Repetitive Motions: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.