Section Manager

State of Washington•Thurston County – Lacey, WA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) is seeking a Section Manager for the Rates and Tariffs Section within the Regulatory Services Division. This role will lead the Water, Solid Waste, and Transportation Unit (WST Unit C), focusing on objective technical analysis, providing recommendations for commission decisions, coaching staff on water, solid waste, and transportation reviews, offering training and professional development, and managing daily operations. The WST Unit oversees and regulates various transportation and utility industries in Washington State, monitoring numerous companies and their revenues. This is a hybrid position requiring the incumbent to reside in Washington state, with eligibility for telework but also requiring on-site presence as needed. Occasional travel throughout the state and potentially out-of-state for conferences is expected.

Requirements

Advanced knowledge in one or more of the following disciplines: economics, financial accounting, business administration, statistics, public utility regulation, public policy, or a closely related field.
Extensive experience in utility regulation, economics, accounting, finance, business administration, public policy, law, engineering, transportation, environmental regulation, or a closely related field.
Exceptional mastery conducting complex research, analysis, investigations, policy development, regulatory review, program administration, or similar professional-level work.
Influences and accountability with large, complex projects, initiatives, teams, or programs, either in a supervisory, lead, project management, or informal leadership capacity.
Exceptional mastery in communicating complex technical, financial, policy, legal, or operational concepts to diverse audiences.
Expert proficiency in developing recommendations, resolving complex issues, and exercising independent judgment in a professional setting.
Thoughtful leadership through influencing and accountability with teams, and their outcomes.
Expertise in Regulatory Theory and Ratemaking Standards and Policy: Has extensive knowledge of applicable State and federal laws, Commission rules, regulations, policies, standards, and precedents, regulatory theory and principles, and the economic framework in which regulated companies operate. Has a demonstrated ability to develop positions and recommendations in accordance with relevant legal precedent and policy standards. Can examine, communicate, and teach complex regulatory and ratemaking concepts in an effective and accessible manner.
Organizational Management: Possesses superb ability to manage limited resources efficiently, demonstrating an ability to identify and mobilize resources to fulfill key objectives, plan to ensure the best use of available capacity, and develop processes to improve performance and efficiency; Possesses effective personnel management skills, demonstrating interpersonal understanding, an ability to encourage, coach, and support individuals, communicate proactively, promote professional development, articulate key expectations, evaluate employee performance, and encourage teamwork and cooperation.
Leadership: Leads by example, demonstrating professional conduct at all times, exhibiting balance and fair-handedness in considering various perspectives, maintaining composure and level-headedness in difficult situations, and engaging with others in a courteous, considerate, and respectful manner; Demonstrates emotional intelligence and intellectual humility; Demonstrates critical thinking and tactical execution; Pursues compromise and collaboration; Actively engages in section strategic planning exercises and critical examinations of the section's business processes; Listens carefully and helps others to understand the merits of opposing arguments.
Project Management: Plans, designs, organizes, and executes the work of an individual or team project, ensuring a high-quality work product within specific time constraints. Identifies and communicates goals, key deliverables and criteria for success. Outlines responsibilities and resource requirements, organizes tasks and establishes meaningful timelines. Regularly monitors progress and takes corrective action where necessary. Provides leadership, building and managing interpersonal relationships to ensure project success; demonstrates personal accountability and commitment to the success of a project.
Analytical Skills and Critical Thinking: Formulates judgments on complex issues through the identification, organization, and analysis of factual evidence and quantitative data; Reaches unbiased conclusions through logical reasoning and analytical objectivity; Maintains skepticism of unsupported claims and reliably identifies fallacious logic; Distinguishes information that is not pertinent to a decision or solution.
Professional Writing and Communication: Writes clearly, concisely, and coherently, using organized thought and logically reasoned arguments; Effectively translates complex technical concepts into messages non-technical audiences can readily grasp; Listens carefully, reflects upon what is being said, and responds appropriately; Presents information clearly, accurately and in an audience-specific manner.
Professional Conduct: Takes responsibility for actions; Is courteous, considerate and respectful at all times in all interactions with coworkers, interactions with coworkers, utility representatives and other parties with whom we interact; Maintains cordial relations with coworkers; Exercises self-awareness, recognizing and controlling behavior that is disrespectful, aggressive, unnecessarily argumentative or overly confrontational; Sets aside personal differences to complete work as part of a team; Respects the point of view of others and approaches disagreements with patience, tact and good will.
Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Competencies: The ability to take action to learn and grow: Takes responsibility for knowing their own strengths and weaknesses and uses their learning to make government programs and processes more efficient and effective to serve all in Washington.
The ability to take action to meet the needs of others: Flexible, adaptable, customer-service focused, and willing and able to empathetically respond to the unique needs of the people they work with and serve.
Demonstration of UTC Leadership Principles: Challenge Systems of Inequity, Set the Example, Strengthen Others, Recognize Contributions, Foster Collaboration, Envision the Future, Manage Your Program, Challenge Your Business Processes.
UTC Core Competencies: Accountability, DEI Knowledge, Understanding, & Commitment, Self-Awareness and Commitment to Growth, Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships, Inclusive Excellence & Allyship, Measuring Success and Improvement, Customer Focus.

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree in a relevant field, such as business administration, economics, financial accounting, law, or public utility regulations.
Focused experience in science or engineering, economic analysis, financial accounting, public utility regulation, public utility law, or utility business operations.
Influential leadership experience with highly diverse professional teams.
Expert proficiency in testifying before a public utility commission or other regulatory or legal body.
Professional experience writing for decision makers or applying principles of legal or argumentative writing.
Organization authority in writing administrative rules or participating on a rulemaking at a regulatory agency.
Mastery in the standards of professional writing.
Public Speaking: Presents information and responds to questions clearly and accurately in public and in formal legal settings. Presents analytical findings and recommendations at open public meetings before the Commission. Defends analysis and recommendations against cross-examination by opposing counsel in formal adjudicative proceedings.
Self-Development: Demonstrates proactive learning and keeps energy knowledge and skills up to date. Solicits and accepts constructive feedback. Turns challenges into learning opportunities and seeks developmental assignments to improve skills.

Responsibilities

Lead the Water, Solid Waste, and Transportation Unit (WST Unit C).
Perform objective technical analysis.
Provide recommendations for the commission’s decision-making processes.
Coach staff focusing on water, solid waste, and transportation reviews.
Provide training and professional development to unit employees.
Manage day-to-day operations of the unit.
Support WST Unit employees with their deliverables.
Provide one-to-one coaching and performance feedback.
Serve as the WST Unit’s subject matter expert (SME) on regulatory theory, cost of capital, accounting principles, ratemaking, and tariffs.
Provide the commission with objective recommendations on complex, politically sensitive, or impactful issues in formal adjudications, such as general rate case proceedings, through written expert testimony.
Establish, implement, and support procedures for the efficient management of work within the Rates and Tariffs Section.
Serve as part of a team, team lead, or project manager to explore defined investigative, administrative, or policy issues.
Interact with other internal managers, regulatory analysts, Commissioners and their policy advisors, administrative law judges, and various groups.
Lead or participate as a team member in a policy docket.
Initiate and lead complex and specialized staff investigations.
Work collaboratively with staff to identify, evaluate, and address new and emerging issues related to planning, policy, or regulatory standards.