Grid Operations Change Specialist Lead

Summary

Join the California Independent System Operator (ISO) as a Lead Operations Implementation Specialist and leverage your power grid expertise to ensure operational preparedness and readiness for System Operations. Lead and facilitate change initiatives and projects impacting System Operators, encompassing requirements review, user interface design, user acceptance testing, procedure development, and training. Lead cross-functional teams to drive process improvements. Provide guidance and mentoring to less experienced staff. This hybrid or remote position offers relocation assistance.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree (BA, BS) or equivalent education, training or experience in Engineering, Economics, Mathematics, Computer Science or related field
• Equivalent years of education and training, plus six (6) or more years related experience
• Recent operations experience with any Balancing Area, Transmission Operator (TOP), Generator Operator (GOP), Reliability Coordinator (RC) or regional group that has real-time transmission operations responsibilities
• Project / Program Management, requirements analysis, or system testing experience
• Demonstrates fundamental management and leadership skills with the ability to work effectively in a team environment as a leader, facilitator and team member
• Ability to provide practical and feasible solutions to problems, keeping multiple conflicting considerations into account
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and writing skills required
• Excellent analytical skills are required, including the ability to effectively communicate complex technical materials and concepts in a non-technical manner
• Must be able to handle a dynamic and changing work environment, and work independently
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite
• Self-motivated, problem solving skills and the ability to influence others without direct authority

Responsibilities

• Represents the department and leads a wide variety of the most complex change initiatives that impact Power Grid Operations, including PMO related projects, transmission/generation changes, standards changes or business process changes
• Applies subject matter expertise of System Operations to assess impacts on process, job tasks, procedures, technology systems, and the ISO’s ability to meet reliability and tariff requirements
• Oversees and facilitates development and review of user requirements, user-interface mock up and design, and user-acceptance testing
• Drives operational procedure development to ensure Power Grid Operations usability and compliance with regulatory requirements
• Ensures periodic procedure review processes and works with the appropriate content owners and end users
• Responsible for tracking changes and approvals as well as ensuring information on the internal operating procedures web site and databases are updated accurately and timely
• Develops new procedures and incorporates them into the standard maintenance process
• Provides input and expertise on more complex procedures outside of responsible area as required
• Leads development and delivery of training to Power Grid Operations personnel based on assigned projects and areas of expertise
• Ensures training complies with reliability and tariff standards
• Follows the Systematic Approach to Training (SAT) methodology and ensures compliance with the ADDIE process
• Proactively identifies areas for improvement in the Power Grid Operations department and drives initiatives to support control room modernization, grid operator visualization improvements, process enhancements, etc
• Responsible for leading department and cross functional process improvement activities
• Acts as a champion for improvement and change for operational readiness and works closely with cross functional teams to ensure efficiency and continuous improvement
• Provides guidance, sets daily work assignment priorities for staff as needed
• Identifies staffing needs and mentors, coaches and trains staff to optimize the team
• Provides feedback to management regarding staff performance in support of the performance evaluation process
• May participate in department hiring activities such as interviewing and providing feedback on candidates' technical qualifications
• May function as a Department Manager and is accountable to Manager for actions taken in Manager's absence
• May be granted additional supervisory authority based on department needs and/or consistent with departmental succession planning

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree
• Professional Engineering
• Project Management (PMP) certification
• Knowledge of Market, RTCA and EMS Systems

Benefits

• Flexible work arrangements
• Hybrid or remote schedule
• Relocation assistance