Compliance Program Manager

Transmission Services and Contracts is looking for a Compliance Program Manager to manage Puget Sound Energy's (PSE) Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) Compliance Program. This is an excellent opportunity to play an important role in ensuring that PSE meets compliance requirements that enable open access to PSE's transmission system as PSE develops solutions to meet it's customers' future clean energy needs.

The Compliance Program Manager provides compliance expertise and consultation on a broad set of regulations and complex technical problems, including consideration of strategic and legal impacts regarding decisions made. This individual is an authoritative expert on specific regulatory requirements and PSE's responsibilities relating to all relevant compliance matters. The Compliance Program Manager develops and implements strategies across multiple departments that ensure compliance with new and challenging regulatory requirements. The individual in this role employs advanced project management skills to maintain efficient program execution and leads teams of PSE employees through all stages of regulatory audits, data requests, root cause analysis, and mitigation action planning. Additionally, this individual interfaces with PSE executives regarding program health and represents PSE to key regulatory enforcement agencies.

The Compliance Program Manager upholds the safety compliance standards inherent in PSE's operating and/or field procedures related to work responsibilities. The individual in this role promotes and supports a culture of total safety.

Additionally, the individual in this role demonstrates a commitment to conduct business honestly, ethically and consistent with our core values and Code of Conduct, as well as ensures duties are performed in accordance with all regulatory compliance obligations.

• Independently leads team(s) and/or provides guidance to PSE employees and contractor services, in all elements of PSE's FERC OATT compliance program.
  
  
  
  • Develops/updates process, procedure and control design and associated documentation.
  • Performs routine risk assessment to guide programmatic activities and priorities.
  • Collaborates with internal and cross-department staff to develop and distribute appropriate reporting of compliance health/status.
  • Identifies areas subject to regulatory requirements, develops an operational/compliance plan.
  • Identifies areas of potential non-compliance with regulatory requirements and facilitates the development and implementation of remediation/correction action plans with operational business owners.
  • Provides technical direction, interpretation and leadership to those responsible for complying with relevant codes and regulations, including contractors/consultants where necessary.
  • Provides coaching, direction and leadership to support compliance team members in achieving results.
  • Prepares framework for ensuring responsible employees are trained and understand PSE's interpretation of relevant codes and regulations.
  
  
  
  
• Prepares for and manages the compliance monitoring and audit process.
  
  
  
  • Actively manages the relationship with regulatory compliance enforcement staff and negotiates solutions to remediate non-compliance issues and/or outstanding audit findings on behalf of PSE.
  • Coordinates with department leadership when non-compliant items have been identified to develop solutions that work for PSE and associated regulators.
  • Interfaces with internal PSE staff and external auditors to provide support and address audit concerns. Ensures continued evaluative success through improved methods.
  • Monitors and provides follow-up reporting to ensure remediation plans are completed.
  • Provides guidance and expectations for improvements to ensure non-compliance is not repeated.
  
  
  
  
• Monitors and tracks new compliance requirements.
  
  
  
  • Develops processes, procedures and tools to evaluate operational impacts of new regulatory requirements.
  • Leads team of employees in affected areas of the business through development of implementation plan to ensure compliance with the new requirements.
  • Develops process controls to monitor compliance with applicable codes and regulatory requirements.
  
  
  
  
• Leads and/or participates in process improvement initiatives to enhance current compliance processes.
• Maintains knowledge of industry developments and best practices and their application at PSE to further business objectives.
• Participates in compliance enforcement seminars, initiatives and industry groups.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, legal or related field; or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.
• 10 years relevant experience including 7 years in utility operations or the energy sector with specific involvement with codes and regulations.
• 3 years of experience with compliance programs (development, evaluation and/or audit)
• Knowledge and ability to apply program management principles, practices, theories and process development methods and use of problem solving approaches to solve complex problems and perform sophisticated analyses.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills and techniques, with an ability to express complex technical concepts in business terms.
• Demonstrated ability to provide strong technical and process leadership without direct authority to a wide variety of staff.
• Strong project management or related experience.

• Electric and/or gas utility experience.
• Thorough understanding and experience with FERC transmission compliance and regulatory requirements.
• JD, PE, MBA, or experience in compliance program management.