Senior Director - Reliability Assurance

Job Description

The Senior Director, Reliability Assurance (NERC Compliance) is a pivotal leader in the governance, integration, and adherence of the Federal NERC Reliability Standards at AVANGRID.

The Senior Director is responsible for the companies’ largest compliance program which ensures adherence to thousands of federal compliance requirements required to plan and operate the Bulk Electric System. They facilitate the sharing of best practices and ensure objectives of the program are achieved by working with members of company leadership to identify and develop controls to ensure adherence to compliance requirements, share industry best practices, integrate processes, and assess emerging risks for mitigation. They are the companies’ lead representative to NERC and the designated enforcement agency, the NPCC. They develop and ensure achievement of the strategic and long-term objectives for the program.

This position reports directly to the Vice President of Reliability Assurance and Emergency Management and routinely works with the CEO of Networks, the Company Presidents, SVP of Operations, and Business Area’s Vice Presidents responsibility for the various NERC Standards. Two Managers report directly to the Sr. Director, with a total of 13 positions in the department.

This position plays a key role in bringing multiple groups together to implement sustainable compliance practices that ensure the company can best meet its compliance obligations.

Key Responsibilities

• Subject matter expert in regulatory compliance practices that support diverse business operations in ensuring compliance. Activities will include identifying regulatory requirements, oversight of a system for inventorying regulatory obligations and risk owners, coordinating with departments and individuals to ensure compliance, and establishing processes to identify emerging laws and regulations.
• Oversight of day-to-day program activities, including regulatory compliance risk assessments, coordination with first line business functions, and overall program governance and administration.
• Oversight of special projects for continuous improvement utilizing industry benchmarking and emerging best practices.
• In partnership with other business areas, ensure that trainings, policies and procedures, and communications are coordinated to ensure that employees with regulatory compliance obligations receive necessary guidance and support.
• Utilization of data developed within the compliance program to ensure that managers have the information and insights necessary to promote accountability and compliance.
• Maintaining and promoting knowledge of industry regulations, internal operations, and industry best practices to ensure compliance is maintained across diverse areas.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned. Occasional travel is expected.

Required Qualifications

• 15 or more years of experience in the energy and utility industry developing and implementing systems, policies, and procedures to ensure regulatory compliance. Broad experience in several areas of regulation for electric utilities is preferred (e.g., NERC, FERC, state utility regulation, etc.).
• Advanced degree in a relevant field such as (but not limited to) law, compliance, regulatory, risk management, or business administration.
• Expertise in standards, tools, and best practices for regulatory compliance programs under legal and industry frameworks.
• Ability to effectively manage a team and projects involving multiple stakeholders at all levels of an organization. Position will be supported by a team of three or more to support project management, risk management, and program administration.
• Ability to learn complex business processes, apply regulations and requirements to business processes, and identify appropriate processes and procedures to ensure compliance.
• Superior attention to detail and organizational skills, including ability to organize and ensure completion of team projects. Excellent skills in time and team management.
• Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills, with emphasis on clear and concise writing that is easily understood by employees at all levels.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certification in project management or corporate compliance, or willingness to obtain and maintain relevant certification.
• Ability to conceptualize, develop, and implement program-enhancing initiatives, at times with outside vendors, to continually align processes with evolving industry best practices.
• Willingness and tenacity to seek information from multiple sources and objectively develop, challenge, and verify conclusions.
• Ability to securely handle sensitive, confidential, and privileged information.
• Strong experience with common business software tools and ability to rapidly gain expertise in leveraging diverse third-party and internally developed software tools to monitor business processes and obtain data for reporting.
• Ability to analyze business processes, question assumptions, and demonstrate tenacity and tact in supporting improvements to compliance-based processes.
• Ability to prepare informative and visually creative reports to support business decisions by company leadership.