Manager, Reliability Assessments

Texas Reliability Entity, Inc. (Texas RE) is hiring! We are seeking a Manager, Reliability Assessments to join our team. This position will promote Texas RE and its mission of reducing risks to the reliability and security of the electric Bulk Power System that serves most Texans.

Ideal candidates will have the following attributes:

• Strong managerial skills with the ability to motivate team members
• Fairness to direct reports
• Excellent communication
• Problem solving
• Process management
• Proactive and interactive to change
• Responsive to corporate and departmental needs
• Critical review of processes and end results

Who We Are At Texas RE, we affect the lives of millions of people by ensuring effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the Bulk Power System within the ERCOT Interconnection. The ERCOT Interconnection is located within the State of Texas and includes approximately 90% of Texas’s electric load and 75% of its land area. Texas RE’s teams support this mission while enjoying a flexible work environment, open collaboration, and a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Employees work a hybrid work schedule consisting of at least two days in the office (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) with the option of working three days remotely. Additionally, employees have the option to take advantage of Flexible Friday, where employees may shift working hours to earlier in the week instead of on Friday afternoon. Considered candidates will be required to reside in the Austin-metro area or be able to reliably commute to the office within a reasonable amount of time.

Summary of Responsibilities

The Manager, Reliability Assessments directs NERC reliability and transmission assessment activities and supervises the associated staff under the direction of the Director, Reliability Services. The manager is accountable for the quality, timeliness, and credibility of the team’s assessment programs; builds and develops staff capability; sets and establishes priorities; coordinates with industry partners; and ensures work aligns the team’s work with Texas RE, NERC, FERC, and ERO Enterprise expectations. The role also supports reliability policy and standards, advises leadership on emerging bulk-power-system risks, communicates assessment findings, and represents Texas RE with key stakeholders and represents Texas RE in relevant industry forums.

Managerial Responsibilities

• Hiring, coaching, training, and performance management of all reliability assessment staff
• Develops clear quality and efficiency metrics, training programs, and leadership plans for all direct reports
• Provides staff reviews, managing expectations and creating goals for staff to support reliability assessment team initiatives, department goals, overall Texas RE processes and corporate goals
• Develops and implements clear and thorough processes and controls to ensure high-quality and repeatable reliability assessment processes consistent with oversight expectations and overall organizational needs
• Provides clear and actionable feedback to direct reports, engages in crucial conversations where necessary, and holds direct reports accountable for follow-through
• Proactively identifies opportunities for process enhancements and organizational improvements and communicates these changes effectively with direct reports and Texas RE management
• Reviews and approves staff timesheets, expense reports and leave requests
• Provides input into and assists with managing the departmental budget
• Responsible for establishing and maintaining a positive, proactive, and productive work environment consistent with Texas RE’s cultural values.
• Ensure that employees abide by laws and regulations as well as corporate policies when performing tasks.
• Other managerial duties as assigned.

Essential Technical and Program Responsibilities

• Manage processes and controls for collecting, validating, interpreting, and maintaining power-system data used in reliability, resilience, resource adequacy, energy adequacy, and transmission assessments.
• Direct and coordinate analysis of system studies, historical data, models, and software outputs to identify bulk-power-system risks and evaluate the reliability impacts of facilities, plans, and operating practices.
• Ensure assessment methods, data, analyses, reports, and supporting documentation meet applicable quality, completeness, timeliness, data-management, and oversight requirements.
• Develop and maintain reports, presentations, processes, templates, automation tools, and other documentation that support Texas RE and NERC reliability assessment programs.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert on applicable NERC Reliability Standards, Rules of Procedure, guidelines, and technical documents; FERC orders; PUCT regulations; ERCOT Protocols and Operating Guides; and relevant industry standards, technologies, and trends.
• Review and provide technical comments on proposed standards, procedures, protocols, guides, and related materials, and provide technical guidance and mentoring to Texas RE staff.
• Participate in NERC, ERCOT, and other industry technical groups; monitor developments affecting the bulk power system; and communicate relevant developments to Texas RE personnel.
• Plan, develop, and deliver internal and external outreach on assessment activities, findings, and emerging reliability risks, including reports, presentations, workshops, conferences, and seminars.
• Ensure compliance with applicable NERC oversight documents, program procedures, schedules, and plans, and adjust assessment practices as needed to meet expectations established by Texas RE leadership, NERC, and FERC.
• Support Texas RE registration, risk assessment, compliance, enforcement, standards, and other functions by providing timely, high-quality technical insights based on assessment results and supporting data.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Job Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field
• Minimum of 7 years (in excess of degree requirements stated above) of progressively responsible experience in an industry-related environment
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a managerial/supervisor role
• Organization skills
• Presentation skills
• Communication skills
• Functional/Technical skills
• Problem solving
• Timely decision making
• Competent and knowledgeable in one or more of the following technical areas:
• Resource adequacy and resource planning
• Transmission planning
• Load forecasting
• Power system modeling
• Production cost modeling
• Probabilistic modeling
• Risk-based analysis
• Generation outage and maintenance planning
• System protection
• Familiar with the following:
• Working knowledge of Siemens PSSe software
• Current relevant trends and risks to reliability
• NERC’s assessment processes, relevant databases, and indicators
• Electric system modeling quality metrics and fidelity requirements

Preferred Job Qualifications

• Familiarity with characteristics of the ERCOT grid and interconnection, including technical and regulatory aspects

Company Benefits Texas RE pays 100% of employee-only coverage for medical, dental, vision, life and ADD, short-term and long-term disability, as well as the employee assistance program. Additional benefits are offered at a minimal cost to the employee such as dependent medical, dental, voluntary life and ADD, legal services, and identity protection for employees and their families.

Texas RE provides a generous 401(k) or Roth 401(k) savings plan for employees, contributing 10% of an employee’s compensation towards the retirement plan with full vesting after three (3) years. Additionally, Texas RE will match 75%, up to 6%, of employee contributions, with vesting at 20% per year and full vesting at five (5) years of employment. Additional Information for Applicants

• Background checks (including criminal history and drug screening, education, and employment verification) will be conducted prior to employment.
• Certain positions require travel outside the U.S.; valid passport necessary for those positions.
• Texas RE has restrictions on employee and employee’s household members’ employment and financial relationships with NERC registered entities. Additional details are furnished upon request.

Texas RE is committed to attracting top talent from a diverse candidate pool. During the interview process, candidates will meet with a cross-section of Texas RE employees who bring a broad set of perspectives to the discussion. Our inclusive, friendly work environment encourages employees to collaborate across and outside of our organization, while also offering opportunities for personal growth. Our team of professional, technical, and administrative staff derives its collective strength from our varied backgrounds. Texas RE is an equal employment opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination against employees or job applicants on the basis of race, color, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity/transgender status, and pregnancy), religion, national origin, age (40 or older), disability, veteran status, marital status, genetic information, or other status protected by law.