Senior Regulatory Compliance Specialist

Quality Technology Services•Richmond, VA

About The Position

The Senior Regulatory Compliance Specialist independently conducts recurring regulatory-intelligence activities and advances QTS’s electric reliability compliance program. The role monitors and interprets developments from NERC, FERC, Regional Entities, RTOs/ISOs, utilities, state utility commissions, and industry groups; represents QTS in assigned external forums; assesses potential impacts; and turns emerging requirements into recommendations and implementation actions. The position leads the development of compliance procedures, RSAWs, internal controls, SME training, evidence requirements, and audit-readiness materials for company-owned electrical infrastructure. It works with Legal, technical SMEs, leadership, and affected functions to assess applicability, implement requirements, maintain controlled records, and support ongoing compliance readiness.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering, power systems, energy, public policy, regulatory affairs, business, law, communications, information systems, risk, compliance, or a related field, or equivalent directly relevant experience.
At least five years of progressive experience in the electric utility industry, regulatory compliance, energy policy, grid operations, transmission, generation, state utility commissions, data center infrastructure, government affairs, legal or regulatory support, or a closely related field.
Experience interpreting complex regulatory or technical requirements, assessing organizational impacts, and producing clear recommendations for technical and leadership audiences.
Experience developing compliance procedures, internal controls, training materials, audit work papers, evidence requirements, RSAWs, compliance narratives, or comparable controlled documentation.
Ability to independently manage multiple proceedings, deadlines, stakeholders, and workstreams, exercise sound judgment, and escalate material issues.
Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and relationship-management skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and similar information-management tools.
Ability to travel up to 25%, or as needed, for regulatory meetings, stakeholder forums, utility engagements, conferences, audits, and QTS site activities.
Ability to identify significant regulatory developments, evaluate potential QTS impacts, and distinguish preliminary analysis from approved legal, technical, and management conclusions.
Ability to translate regulatory requirements into practical procedures, controls, ownership, evidence expectations, training, and implementation actions with accountable SMEs.
Ability to produce concise executive and technical communications, facilitate cross-functional reviews, build consensus, and maintain credible external relationships.
Ability to assess evidence quality, control effectiveness, documentation gaps, and audit readiness, and recommend corrective action.
Ability to manage confidential and time-sensitive matters, prioritize competing work, and deliver high-quality results in a rapidly evolving environment.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with NERC, FERC, a Regional Entity, RTO/ISO, reliability coordinator, transmission provider, electric utility, state utility commission, registered entity, trade association, or energy-regulatory organization.
Working knowledge of NERC Reliability Standards, standards development, FERC rulemaking, Regional Entity compliance activities, or RTO/ISO stakeholder processes.
Experience preparing regulatory comments or ballot positions and participating in technical conferences, standards drafting teams, committees, or industry working groups.
Experience with GRC platforms, Internal Controls databases, RSAWs, NERC Compliance Procedures, evidence matrices, audit packages, compliance training, or readiness assessments.
Knowledge of large-load interconnection, transmission planning, power-system modeling, protection and control, disturbance monitoring, operational communications, system operations, or data center electrical infrastructure.

Responsibilities

Own assigned regulatory monitoring and standards-development coverage, evaluating emerging requirements, enforcement trends, tariffs, protocols, and utility activities that affect QTS data centers, large computational loads, interconnections, or company-owned electrical infrastructure.
Represent QTS in assigned external meetings, workshops, committees, working groups, and stakeholder proceedings; prepare positions and briefing materials in coordination with the Senior Manager; and document decisions, deadlines, milestones, and commitments.
Maintain the regulatory horizon, standards-development trackers, external-engagement records, and proposed-obligation register; prioritize material developments and recommend review or action.
Perform preliminary applicability and impact assessments, coordinate detailed reviews with Legal and technical SMEs, and translate approved conclusions into implementation requirements for affected functions and assets.
Prepare regulatory updates, issue briefs, comment and ballot recommendations, impact assessments, action trackers, and leadership materials.
Lead drafting and maintenance of RSAWs, NERC Compliance Procedures, evidence matrices, compliance narratives, process maps, controls, and implementation plans for review and approval.
Design and deliver role-based training, workshops, job aids, and working sessions for SMEs, control owners, evidence providers, and affected personnel.
Define and maintain obligations, controls, ownership, frequencies, due dates, evidence requirements, dependencies, and testing attributes in the Internal Controls database or GRC platform.
Lead evidence-quality reviews, readiness assessments, self-assessments, mock audits, corrective-action tracking, and remediation follow-up; escalate ineffective or overdue controls and material program risks.
Develop repeatable compliance processes and maintain organized, controlled, and auditable records that support sustained readiness and continuous improvement.