Electrical Operations Director at Jefferson County PUD – Port Townsend, Washington

The salary range for this position is $164,700–$238,800 on an annualized basis, with a market midpoint of $201,700. The expected hiring range is typically between the minimum and the midpoint; however, placement above the midpoint may be considered based on experience, internal equity, and job-related factors.

The Electrical Operations Director is responsible for ensuring the PUD provides safe and reliable power delivery to customers through proactive electrical system planning and effective leadership of the Electrical Department. As a member of the leadership team, this position will contribute to departmental collaboration and strategic planning to further the PUD’s mission and goals.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES includes but is not limited to the following.

• Manages the overall function of the Electrical Department ensuring compliance with PUD policies, engineering/operation standards, and regulations. Monitors work to improve productivity, outage response, and service. Ensures timely maintenance of all PUD facilities.
• Works in conjunction with the engineering department to ensure that all components of the Electric System are properly applied, maintained, and replaced as necessary to prevent unnecessary failures.
• Manages and oversees the development of short and long-range planning with regard to future needs in plant, employee and material resources.
• Assists with the administration of the union contract and is member of the contract negotiation team. Participates in labor management meetings and second step grievances as applicable.
• Develops, recommends, and administers annual budgetary requirements for the Electrical Department. Reviews total system budget with the General Manager to modify or revise departmental budgets.
• Plans, develops, and recommends to the General Manager work plans and annual overall goals to be accomplished by the Electrical Department in fulfillment of its objectives.
• Schedules work, assigns and evaluates personnel; determines needs for contractual assistance.
• Responds to customer questions and/or complaints regarding activities and responsibilities to the public, when appropriate. Serves as spokesperson for the PUD where appropriate.
• Monitors, schedules and inspects the completion of construction project work in progress and submits final approval for payments to contractors.
• Coordinates the overall requirements for transmission, substations and the selection of engineering design firms, and purchase of large electrical infrastructure.
• Coordinates the design, drawings, procurement of equipment, land, and contract bidding of all PUD field projects.
• Provides oversight of and compliance with the PUD’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan.
• Ensures the RUS requirement procedures are followed in regard to contracting and engineering. Ensures compliance with NESC and NEC for all facilities constructed and maintained.
• Maintains a thorough knowledge of PUD’s substations, transmission and distribution (overhead and underground) system.
• Maintains and operates all distribution and transmission lines and substations for good, orderly and operative condition. Delegates and supervises the maintenance of all distribution and transmission lines and substations.
• Develops and maintains operating procedures and practices, including those essential for switching, energizing, tracking, and scheduling of outages with appropriate notices to affected consumers.
• Prepares the annual work plans, including the plans, specifications and cost estimates on new transmission and distribution lines and the relocation of old lines.
• Schedules long-term transmission construction requirements of the PUD in accordance with system studies and plans.
• Directs the collection of field data for voltage and load surveys and make periodic tests and recommendations on voltage conditions throughout the PUD transmission and distribution system.
• Evaluates line outage conditions and recommend changes for improvements.
• Evaluates substation and substation equipment loading and recommend upgrades and/or additional substations needed.
• Recommends spares for substation equipment such as substation and/or mobile transformers, regulators, and reclosers/breakers.
• Delegates supervision of the Electrical Department and ensures all advanced meter infrastructure are functioning properly and in a timely manner.
• Partners with the PUD’s Safety Manager to ensure safe operations of supervised personnel and fosters a high-performing safety culture.
• Coordinates incident review teams, performs root cause analysis, develops after action reports and fosters a continuous improvement approach to safety, construction and operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Standard Workplace Expectations:

• Contributes to a successful work group by listening to and taking time to understand suggestions and concerns of co-workers.
• Offers constructive suggestions and ideas that help the team to meet or exceed objectives and goals by accepting and supporting team decisions.
• Maintains a positive attitude and collaborative attitude in the workplace.
• Determines appropriate priorities to balance workload when deadlines compete. Seeks assistance when needed.
• Responds quickly and appropriately to inquiries, requests, or concerns.
• Reviews own work for accuracy and routinely detect or prevent errors or mistakes that would prove costly or could jeopardize the operations of the PUD.
• Works additional hours as necessary to achieve departmental goals as directed by the supervisor.
• Reviews and follows PUD employee policies and procedures.
• Maintains regular and punctual attendance.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This position directly supervises up to six (6) employees in the Electrical Department with a span of up to 25 employees, in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; addressing complaints and resolving problems; appraising performance; providing positive feedback and corrective action to employees; coaching employees on their performance and encouraging their growth and development.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience as a High Voltage Journey-Level Lineworker/Wireworker/Substation Constructor required or Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, Electrical Engineering or technical curriculum or equivalent specialized training and experience preferred (e.g. High Voltage Journey-Level Lineworker certificate.)
• Ten (10) years of experience in a senior operations and/or engineering role at an electric utility required.
• Five (5) years of experience supervising functional areas within system operations and/or engineering is required.
• Minimum of five (5) years of an equivalent combination of education and experience that would provide the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the job may be substituted.
  

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND SKILLS

• Ability to perform electrical operation analysis and planning for system specifications and requirements. Ability to design and manage the construction of transmission and distribution substations. Ability to manage engineering consultants in the design of transmission substations.
• Ability to manage a department with skill in supervising and motivating employees.
• Responsible for developing a budget and working within budgetary requirements.
• Knowledge and experience in construction, maintenance, and operations of electric utility systems.
• Knowledge in substation, industrial, commercial and residential metering.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written) and ability to be an effective member of a management team is required.
• Ability to manage the construction of overhead and underground distribution lines.
• Thorough knowledge of electric transmission, transformation, and distribution systems in substations, line construction, metering and warehouse.
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws/regulations impacting areas of responsibility.
• Demonstrated ability to direct various complex functions; supervise, communicate, and work effectively with all levels in the organization, outside agencies, consultants, and the public.
• Ability to ensure cost-effective operations of the electric system.
• Must possess ability to communicate both orally and in writing.
• Knowledge of PUD policies and procedures and working practice of those policies, particularly the service rules and regulations.
• Must be able to use computers and related software, as required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to conduct clear, concise, and effective presentations in a public setting.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills to build relationships and foster collaboration among team members and departments.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with others and promote cross-functional teamwork to achieve PUD goals.
• Ability to identify and resolve conflicts.
• Ability to act with honesty and integrity and promote ethical behavior.
• Ability to meet deadlines regularly and reliably.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Must pass a background check. Must possess or be able to obtain a valid Washington State driver’s license. A standard Monday through Friday work schedule is expected to be maintained, with additional hours as needed.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Mobility sufficient to travel to and work at various PUD facilities is required. Outdoor settings include all types of property and site conditions including open spaces, timberlands, urban developments, flat and hilly terrain, building construction sites, and road rights-of-way. Indoor settings include residential, commercial, and industrial sites that can involve cramped spaces, moving machinery, etc. May be exposed to rough terrain in various weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud. Ability to lift up to twenty-five (25) pounds on a regular basis, as well as performing such activities as grasping, lifting, reaching, crouching and repetitive tasks. Work is generally indoors and includes standing, walking and sitting normally to carry out duties, as well as the operation of PC, calculator and other typical office machines. Requires visual and auditory ability necessary to perform the essential functions of the position. Manual dexterity required for keyboarding and use of mouse.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
Jefferson County PUD requires the candidate in this position to reside within Jefferson, Kitsap or Clallam County. The residency requirement must be met within six (6) months of hire date.

Note: Jefferson County PUD is a Rural Utilities Services (RUS) borrower.