Regulatory Consultant Principal - Staff (Electric Utility)

American Electric Power•Columbus, OH

16h•Onsite

About The Position

AEP is hiring a regulatory professional with technical knowledge of rate proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and in retail jurisdictions. The role requires electric utility experience, with a preference for experience in transmission planning, engineering, or operations. The consultant coordinates work across specialized stakeholders to develop solutions to complex problems and applies detailed regulatory, mathematical, and analytical knowledge with limited guidance. The position provides input to corporate, operating company, and business unit regulatory strategy and negotiation strategies, and applies knowledge of regulatory developments across numerous jurisdictions to filing strategy. It also educates others on the relationships between cost drivers and revenue. The role covers complex regulatory matters including state siting applications, revenue requirements, rate design, tariffs, accounting, and legislative and regulatory policy affecting electric utilities. The consultant leads specialized regulatory activities and projects, develops and presents analyses and solutions for regulatory planning and filings, and provides technical expertise for transmission matters. Work is performed with little or no supervision in a complex environment, and includes making and defending consequential decisions while considering their effects across organizational units. The position is based on-site at AEP headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, or Tulsa, Oklahoma. Occasional travel is required. Mandatory on-call work over weekends, holidays, vacations, and other times may be necessary to meet regulatory requirements and filing dates.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and 6 years of relative field, operations, or analytical experience for Regulatory Consultant Principal (Grade 8); or an associate's degree and 10 years; or high school diploma/GED and 12 years.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and 8 years of relative field, operations, or analytical experience for Regulatory Consultant Staff (Grade 9); or an associate's degree and 12 years; or high school diploma/GED and 14 years.
Electric utility experience and technical knowledge of rate proceedings at FERC and in retail jurisdictions.
Proficiency with spreadsheets.
Proficient oral and written communication skills, including the ability to articulate strategy and guide management and witnesses on cases.
Analytical problem-solving skills.
Ability to coordinate work across multiple specialized stakeholders and develop coherent solutions to complex problems.
Working knowledge of federal regulations and standards, codes, concepts, systems, docket research, and business processes relevant to assigned work.
Knowledge of regulatory developments, procedures, and current events affecting regulatory activity across multiple jurisdictions.
Ability to operate with little or no supervision in a complex environment.
Ability to travel occasionally for hearings, witness support, Commission Staff or stakeholder meetings and events, advocacy in federal, regional, or state venues, and training.
Availability for mandatory on-call requirements over weekends, holidays, vacations, and other times as necessary to meet regulatory requirements and filing dates.

Nice To Haves

Transmission planning, engineering, or operations experience.
Master's degree in an area of study identified in the posting.
Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, Professional Engineer, or similar certification or license.
Experience providing expert testimony in public utility regulatory filings.

Responsibilities

Develop direct and rebuttal testimony, respond to discovery requests and Commission audits, and support the preparation of other witnesses.
Lead organizational-unit activities in specific, unique, or highly specialized areas of regulatory practice and track progress using appropriate tools.
Promote professionalism and standards, and influence organizational thinking as a recognized authority.
Provide technical expertise for regulatory activities related to transmission matters.
Develop, implement, and lead projects and process work by establishing measurable goals, objectives, and requirements.
Participate in strategic initiatives related to areas of expertise.
Address company system-wide issues within the specialized field of expertise and review the planned work of others.
Anticipate, identify, clarify, and resolve specialized problems, initiating solutions when issues involve inadequate or conflicting data.
Lead the preparation and presentation of complex regulatory subjects and strategies to management and regulatory bodies.
Make complex decisions based on calculated risk and defend decisions made in the company's interest.
Use and develop moderately complex analytical tools to support regulatory planning and filings.
Use analytical tools and data management skills to produce actionable recommendations for regulatory planning and filings.
Consult with others to understand, identify, prioritize, and develop actionable recommendations.
Develop and present analyses and solutions that support strategic initiatives.
Provide input to regulatory strategy development and coordination, recommended negotiation strategies, and regulatory filing strategy.
Educate others on the interrelationships between cost drivers and revenue.