Utility Analyst

SENIOR UTILITY ANALYST

Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) is seeking qualified applicants for immediate hire for the position of Senior Utility Analyst.
SCPPA is a joint powers agency and an independent public entity created in 1980 pursuant to the California Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Cal. Government Code §6500 et seq.) for the purpose of jointly planning, financing, developing, constructing, operating and maintaining projects for the generation or transmission of electric energy. SCPPA’s Members consist of 11 cities and one irrigation district: Anaheim, Azusa, Banning, Burbank, Cerritos, Colton, Glendale, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Riverside, Vernon, and the Imperial Irrigation District. Each Member owns and operates an electric utility serving retail customers within its territorial boundaries. The Members use SCPPA to procure generation, transmission, and fuel resources from projects across several Western States. Collectively, Members serve a population exceeding five million people in five Southern California counties. See SCPPA website for more information: www.scppa.org.
Under general direction, the Utility Analyst is responsible for monitoring utility projects for contract compliance and budget reconciliation for the Southern California Public Power Authority’s (SCPPA) current operating projects, including traditional and renewable generation, transmission, and natural gas reserves projects. Duties also include assisting in the creation of annual project and administrative budgets totaling almost $1 billion, onboarding new projects, and ongoing management of operating projects. Additional duties include creating and managing budget reports, performing financial analysis, and supporting special projects in the Finance, Assets, Programs, and Project Development Departments.

Essential Job Functions

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following:

     • Identify and resolve contract, budget and performance issues with the various companies and agencies involved with current projects.
     • Coordinate with Legal to identify and resolve contract and related legal issues in current projects.
     • Provide functional support to the SCPPA working groups and committees, including Renewable Energy, Natural Gas, Assistant General       Managers, and Asset Management Working Groups along with the Finance Committee.
     • Serve as alternate representative for SCPPA in operating and management committees for joint participation projects as well as natural gas reserves and communications working groups.
     • Assist with annual administrative and project budget creation and prepare quarterly reports comparing actual expenditures to budgets.
     • Prepare and provide updated reports for project credit support facilities.
     • Organize files of all project information to allow Members and SCPPA staff to access project records and documents.
     • Participate in natural gas trading activities as needed.
     • Assist with the negotiation, evaluation, and approval of service contracts, and supervise consultants and vendors in the achievement of requested tasks.
     • Perform settlement checkout and invoicing for natural gas trades.
     • Coordinate between SCPPA Accounting, SCPPA LA, and Project Participants.
     • Coordinate between SCPPA Project Participants and project operators.
     • Develop written and oral reports describing the status of projects, both operational and financial.
     • WREGIS accounting of Renewable Energy Credits generated by SCPPA projects for SCPPA members.

Knowledge of:
     • Electric utility industry operations, including generation, transmission, and distribution systems.
     • Utility project accounting including billing, collection, rates, debt servicing, bond funding, purchasing and treasury.
     • Utility project contracts including performance guarantees, penalty sections, expiration date issues, re-negotiations and new regulations that impact an existing contract.
     • Specific issues in each form of power including all forms of renewables including solar, wind, geothermal, as well as natural gas, coal, hydro-electric and nuclear.
     • Power purchase agreements to interpret the specific financial or technical issues that arise during the term of an agreement that need to be resolved.
     • CAISO market scheduling and settlements.
     • Principles of budget and financial analysis and tracking actual expenditures against plan.
     • Microsoft Excel, Word, Power Point and modern information and financial analysis systems.
Ability to:
     • Communicate effectively in writing and orally to all parties involved in the management of SCPPA projects.
     • Conduct critical thinking and offer credible solutions. Analyze complex data.
     • Implement the most current methods of project accounting including third party payments and debt financing.
     • Conduct an on-site review of a project to observe issues in dispute and clarify the contractual obligation of any party to the current agreement.
     • Read and understand contracts and service agreements.
     • Explain complex issues in written form that are understandable to affected parties.
     • Use accounting software and Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
     • Work independently and in groups.
     • Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
     • Follow directions and manage time.
     • Display enthusiasm for new and diverse tasks, including learning new skills and working in cross-functional areas beyond day-to-day responsibilities.

Education, Training and Experience:
A Bachelor’s degree in engineering, finance, economics, public administration, or other relevant major is required with minimum four (4) years of progressively responsible analytical experience or two (2) years in the Utility Analyst classification . Experience in a publicly owned utility or joint powers authority; general knowledge of engineering principles, accounting practices, and contracts; and familiarity with types of electric generation and transmission is preferred. Advanced degree may be substituted for up to one year of experience for the Utility Analyst level.
The current annual salary range for a Senior Utility Analyst is $88,173 to $105,997 depending on experience and qualifications, plus benefits. SCPPA provides retirement benefits through a contract with the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). Qualified candidates should submit a letter of application, resume and three references to sortiz@scppa.org to the attention of Salpi Ortiz, Administrative Services Manager.
This recruitment is Open Until Filled, with a first review of applications received by June 10, 2024. The filing period may close at any time once a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.