The Bulk Electric System ("BES") Compliance Manager is responsible for oversight, monitoring, and administering GSOC's NERC Compliance Program ("Compliance Program") for NERC BES reliability standards ("reliability standards"). This position is responsible for monitoring all new and/or revised reliability standards; communicating with GSOC associates, Subject Matter Experts, and management regarding the requirements of these standards; providing oversight and direction in the development of required processes, procedures, and documentation to demonstrate and ensure compliance; monitoring and reporting the compliance status of each applicable requirement; spearheading systematic and continuous improvement and ensuring appropriate action is taken to mitigate and prevent recurrence of any weaknesses in GSOC's program. The position collaborates with GSOC leadership, business areas, NERC and SERC, and coordinates with other Family of Companies' (FOC) departments on compliance matters. The Compliance Program also includes compliance activities that GSOC has undertaken on behalf of other companies or that have been delegated to other companies by GSOC.
Job Duties
- NERC Compliance Program Administration:
- Manage, implement, monitor, and continuously improve the Compliance Program, including its related policies, guidelines, procedures, education, training, and ongoing activities. Develop and maintain procedures to achieve the programs objectives by monitoring GSOC's processes, procedures, guidelines and documentation to ensure ongoing compliance with reliability standards.
- Recommend modifications and enhancements to align with best practices and assure the program's maturity and effectiveness.
- Participate in or administer internal steering committees, associated sub-committees, or other groups as necessary to oversee, develop, and advance the compliance Program and GSOC's overall compliance posture.
- Maintain and update the BES Compliance section of the department's intranet site to ensure accessible information.
- Continuously evaluate and track the effectiveness of the Compliance Program, assessing both organizational performance and the program's ability to foster a culture of compliance and reliability that meets GSOC's standards of excellence.
- Lead efforts to communicate the Compliance Program and provide necessary training to relevant personnel who are involved in compliance activities. This includes education on the elements of the program, compliance principles, applicable laws and regulations, and implications of non-compliance.
- Compliance Monitoring & Assessments:
- Oversee compliance with reliability standards and ensure adherence to regulatory requirements.
- Conduct an annual risk assessment to develop and implement a risk based annual compliance monitoring plan. This includes independently assessing compliance with applicable reliability standards, internal controls, and readiness assessments for new or revised reliability standard(s) prior to mandatory enforcement dates.
- Ensure Responsible Managers and Subject Matter Experts develop and maintain auditable documentation for each applicable requirement, collect sufficient evidence to demonstrate compliance, and adhere to GSOC's Record Retention and Destruction Program.
- Stay informed of current and upcoming regulatory requirements and evaluate their impact on the organization.
- Provide direction and oversight to Responsible Managers and Subject Matter Experts in the development of accurate, complete, and understandable processes, procedures, and documentation for new or revised standards. Review for accuracy, understanding, and completeness all the processes and procedures developed.
- Collaborates with business areas and leadership to identify and address potential areas of non-compliance, recommend process improvements and guidance relating to quality of evidence, documentation, and/or reliability controls, and ensures corrective action is performed to ensure compliance with reliability standards, address deficiencies, and for continuous improvement in a timely manner.
- Ensure Responsible Managers and Subject Matter Experts are informed of compliance monitoring activities relevant to their assigned reliability standards and requirements.
- Lead efforts to systematically improve business unit policies and procedures related to reliability standards.
- Develop and deliver periodic reports to Subject Matter Experts, management, and, if necessary, the Board, to communicate the status of GSOC's compliance efforts effectively.
- Standards Development, Internal Coordination, & Communication:
- Identify and evaluate new or modified reliability standards proposed by NERC and/or SERC. Facilitate meetings with Responsible Managers and Subject Matter Experts to ensure thorough understanding of each requirement of new or modified standards and compliance readiness. Provide the necessary information and support to enable successful implementation of processes, procedures, tools and training to meet new or revised reliability standards.
- Oversee GSOC's participation in the NERC standards development balloting and commenting process to ensure GSOC's and other FOC interests are addressed. Coordinate with Subject Matter Experts and other FOC compliance personnel on compliance activities, including ballots, comments, data requests, or other submittals as requested by NERC or the ERO Enterprise, as applicable.
- Collaborate with Subject Matter Experts to determine and document required actions for NERC alerts, data requests, or other external opportunities or requests for information, data, or comments.
- Coordinate responses with FOC Subject Matter Experts to ensure all submissions, including comments and ballots, reflect a consistent and consensus-driven FOC position whenever possible.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for appropriate FOC-related compliance activities.
- External Regulatory Compliance Monitoring:
- Oversee and provide administration and support during external compliance monitoring activities, including audits, spot checks, and self-certifications. This includes preparation efforts, periodic compliance monitoring of GSOC, and other assigned special projects.
- Ensure Responsible Managers and Subject Matter Experts are informed of external compliance monitoring activities, including submission deadlines.
- Actively monitor the ERO Enterprise web portals (or any successor systems) and review communications from ERO Enterprise and FERC, including web sites, webinars, newsletters, lessons learned, Reliability and Security Guidelines, Notices of Penalties, and other relevant sources. Summarize and disseminate pertinent information to stakeholders as needed.
- Ensure timely acknowledgment and response to NERC alerts or other data requests.
- Review documents and evidence provided by Responsible Managers and Subject Matter Experts to verify their sufficiency in demonstrating compliance, identify potential compliance concerns, and recommend improvements or enhancements.
- Submit required information, responses, and comments on reliability matters or other requests from GSOC, ensuring submissions are accurate and timely.
- Maintain appropriate records of submissions to ensure proper documentation and storage adhere to GSOC's Record Retention and Destruction Program.
- Serve as the administrator or back up administrator for the ERO Enterprise web portals (or successor systems).
- Compliance Investigation and Review
- Conduct thorough investigations and reviews to address compliance concerns or business inquiries. Gather facts and evidence, perform necessary research, and provide clear, factual analysis of the issue. Develop actionable recommendations to enhance GSOC's compliance with reliability standards and strengthen the Compliance Program.
- Coordinate self-reports and mitigation activities both internally and with the ERO Enterprise compliance and enforcement functions.
- Act as the primary point of contact with the ERO Enterprise, including SERC, for official compliance-related communications, ensuring compliance issues are reported and effectively addressed in a timely manner.
- Additional responsibilities:
- Audit & Consulting Support:
- Assist the Audit & Consulting (A&C) department with audits and consulting engagements related to compliance with reliability standards as requested. Monitor and follow up on corrective action(s) to ensure their implementation and completion. Occasionally collaborate with A&C to support or participate in internal review of the Compliance Program and prepare documentation for management review.
- Industry Engagement:
- Participate in industry forums and committees to enhance GSOC's compliance efforts and contribute to the overall improvement of compliance with NERC and SERC requirements.
- General Administration:
- Assist, as needed, in the administration of the corporation's efforts with regard to compliance generally.
Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering preferred. Bachelor's in Information Technology or business related field also considered. MBA highly desired.
Experience: Twelve years of electrical utility experience required. Understanding of electric system operations and NERC, SERC, and FERC compliance requirements with demonstrated NERC audit experience highly desirable. Experience in Corporate or NERC Compliance, or an Operations role is preferred. Experience with program governance, process design, procedure writing, project management, quality assurance, auditing, risk management, and change management a plus. Demonstrated ability to collaborate and work effectively in a team environment required.
Equivalent Experience: MS Electrical Engineering or other technical field. Eight years of experience in System Operations, and/or experience within the utility industry in regulatory compliance filing, monitoring, or preparation and coordination of regulatory audits.
Specialized Skills: Expertise in a variety of Microsoft (MS) products is desirable. MS Project expertise is highly desirable. Experience with change management software is highly desirable. Should have working knowledge of process improvement tools and methods. Facilitation skills, presentation skills, excellent written and oral communication skills, and ability to influence others through excellent interpersonal skills are required. Strong analytical ability and ability to prioritize projects and multitask required. Must have experience working with individuals at multiple levels within the company, handling sensitive and confidential matters, and resolving conflicts. Assignments are broad in nature, requiring appreciable originality, ingenuity, problem-solving ability, sound judgment, and common sense. Excellent organizational skills and customer/team communications skills are needed to be successful. Exceptional attention to detail and ability to meet firm deadlines.
Georgia System Operations Corporation is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, including veterans and disabled. We are a drug-free workplace. All applicants are subject to substance abuse testing.
Salary: $135200 - $168800 per year
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