Southern Company Services, Bulk Power Operations
This position will be located at the Leaf Lake Facility in Birmingham, AL and will have some flexibility for hybrid teleworking
(Please Note: the job requires the successful candidate to be in the office 4 days per week)
JOB SUMMARY
This position will have a unique opportunity to support two business functions within the Bulk Power Operations (BPO) organization. The successful candidate will perform Compliance Coordinator activities 50% of the time and provide compliance/administrative support for Generator Integration activities 50% of the time.
The Compliance Coordinator role is responsible for supporting BPO compliance efforts associated with North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), SERC Reliability Corporation, Inc., and other reliability-based standards organizations. As the landscape of the regulatory environment continues to change, it’s critical that Southern be on the forefront of this change by engaging with NERC, SERC, NAESB, NATF and other regulatory standards organizations. This position will help facilitate that coordination by ensuring that BPO is compliant with all reliability / regulatory requirements and that Southern Company’s positions on industry initiatives are consistently and accurately communicated.
The Grid Integration Compliance Support role is responsible for providing regulatory and compliance support for Grid Integration initiatives involving new generating resources and large loads connecting to the Southern Company Transmission System. This position collaborates closely with the Grid Integration team to monitor and evaluate reliability standards and regulatory requirements associated with Inverter Based Resources (IBRs) and emerging large loads. Additionally, the role contributes to the development and implementation of strategies, process improvements, and operational plans that reinforce compliance and promote the reliable integration of these resources to the grid.
Summary of Position Responsibilities:
Compliance Coordinator:
• Support BPO compliance assurance with all applicable reliability, regulatory, and industry requirements and best practices
• Ensure that the appropriate processes, controls, and procedures are always in place for BPO to maintain an “Audit Ready” status
• Coordinate development of responses to industry proposals and standards regarding the reliability of the electric industry
• Coordinate responses from BPO with the other Transmission functions within Southern Company and the Operations Compliance organization
• Perform research of regulatory and industry initiatives to determine the impacts to BPO
• Support all SERC compliance monitoring engagements such as audits, data submittals, and mitigation activities.
• Ensure that all compliance related issues are reviewed, addressed, and documented
Grid Integration Compliance Support:
• Understanding of Generator Interconnection, communicating, and driving needed changes
• Identify and lead the implementation of necessary changes to the integration process for generators and large loads in alignment with regulatory Reliability Coordinator (RC), Balancing Authority (BA) and Transmission Operator (TOP) standards.
• Participate in few generator implementation checklist meetings to gain understanding of the steps leading to successful synchronization, and commercial operation readiness within the Southern BA.
• Lead improvements and updates to Operating Protocols and Procedures documents pertaining to compliance functions.
• Develop a plan for Annual Operating Committee Meetings and implement the plan
• Collaborate with the Grid Integration Manager to develop and execute plans and processes for annual Operating Committee meetings.
• Identify key needs and coordinate with generation owners to facilitate meetings that educate participants on RC, BA and TOP functions and requirements.
JOB QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Engineering or other technical field from an ABET accredited institution is required
• Advanced degree or certification in related field is a plus
Knowledge & Experience:
• Knowledge of or experience with any of the following functions is helpful, but not required:
• NERC Reliability and/or NAESB Standards
• Coordinating and developing responses for industry initiatives
• Transmission Operations, Planning, and/or Compliance
• Energy Marketing and Scheduling, especially familiarity with OASIS
• Southern Companies’ Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT)
• Electric Regulation or Policy
Skills & Abilities:
• Ability to build and maintain professional working relationships with internal and external clients
• Effective team-oriented interpersonal and customer service skills
• Comfortable monitoring and responding to a real-time online system
• Strong analytical and organization skills
• Ability to make sound and timely business decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Extensive problem-solving skills
• Acute attention to detail and ability to contextualize those details into the bigger picture
• Successful candidate will be required to obtain North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) Critical infrastructure Protection (CIP) Certification, including employee background review
Behavioral Attributes:
• Exemplifies “Our Values” behaviors of Safety First, Intentional Inclusion, Act with Integrity and Superior Performance.
• Takes personal responsibility, demonstrates initiative, self-motivated, and embraces challenges
• Focuses on positive interactions and timely customer service
• Works well in a team environment
• Continuous learner, has a questioning attitude and looks for ways to improve processes
• A dedicated self-starter who demonstrates initiative and motivation
ADDITIONALS DETAILS:
Relocation/Telecommuting:
• Some relocation assistance may be available for this position if the selected candidate currently resides outside the Birmingham area
• This position will have some flexibility for hybrid teleworking, however, the expectation is that the successful candidate will be required to report to a Southern Company facility at least 4 days per week.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO ) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture has been recognized by a variety of organizations, earning the company awards and recognitions that reflect Our Values and dedication to service. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com .
Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees and health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s). A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here https://seo.nlx.org/southernco/pdf/SOCO-Benefits.pdf . Additional and specific details about total compensation and benefits will also be provided during the hiring process.
Southern Company is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.
Job Identification: 16381
Job Category: Legal & Compliance
Job Schedule: Full time
Company: Southern Company Services
