City of Austin - JOB DESCRIPTION

Vice President, Power Supply and Market Operations

Under nominal direction of the Chief Operating Officer, this position is responsible for independent leadership, management, and development of Austin Energy's (AE) Power Supply and Market Operations Division. The Division is responsible for meeting the wholesale energy demands of AE through Power Plant Operations, Engineering and Project Development, Joint Project oversight, Wholesale Energy Market Operations, including conventional and renewable power supplies, fuel supplies, financial risk management, real time dispatch and trading. This position is responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient and environmentally responsible operation of Austin Energy’s generation fleet and wholesale market operations in compliance with all State, Federal and Local rules, operating guides, standards, and laws.

1. Meets AE customer demand for wholesale energy at competitive prices while maximizing the value of AE generation resources.
2. Ensures safe and efficient construction and operation of AE's power generating facilities including the Sand Hill Energy Center and the Decker Creek Power Station.
3. Ensures effective oversight and management of AE's jointly-owned generating facilities, including the South Texas Nuclear Project and Fayette Power Project.
4. Ensures effective strategy development, risk management and operation in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Wholesale Energy Market.
5. Ensures integrated resource planning is coordinated within AE to move business toward successfully achieving strategic and financial goals for AE.
6. Ensures compliance with all safety, reliability and environmental standards and requirements.
7. Promotes confidence and public trust through communications and actions.
8. Develops and monitors Operations & Maintenance (O&M) and Capital budgets and responds to any deviations from the approved cost/time line projections.
9. Develops and implements AE business plans that promote completion of the overall City of Austin business/strategic plans and initiatives.
10. Recruits, develops, and retains management and senior professional staff to ensure complete of assigned goals and objectives.
11. Understands and communicates legislative, regulatory and industry trends impacting AE Power Production and Energy Market initiatives.
12. Develops and grows energy products business for additional revenues.

Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.

• Knowledge of electric utility processes, practices, issues, and policies.
• Knowledge of alternative generation theories, plans, and models.
• Knowledge and skills in wholesale energy market and transmission risk management rules, operations and strategies.
• Knowledge of plant operations and  the management of power production systems, i.e. combustion turbines, natural gas steam turbines, coal-fired steam turbines, nuclear generating stations and large scale renewable assets such as wind turbines, biomass, and utility scale solar.
• Knowledge of fuel procurement contracts and commodity risk management programs.
• Knowledge of power market demand and supply.
• Knowledge of power purchase agreements.
• Knowledge of ERCOT operating guides and Protocols.
• Knowledge of NERC Reliability Standards.
• Knowledge of evolving energy markets and needs to provide generation at a competitive market price.
• Skill in structuring a complex organization to meet changing challenges.
• Skill in assessing industry trends and responding to industry pressures.
• Ability to assimilate and act timely on conflicting, incomplete, and disparate information to meet overall objectives.
• Ability to coach and develop subordinate staff.
• Ability to understand and explain complex issues to non-utility stakeholders.
• Ability to implement change and meet performance goals for continuous improvement.
• Ability to meet financial and performance objectives.

• Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Engineering, Business or in a field related to the job, plus five (5) years of related electric utility experience, two (2) of which were in a managerial or executive capacity.
• Masters degree may substitute for two (2) years of the required experience up to a maximum of two (2) years.
• Experience may substitute for education up to the maximum of four (4) years.