Public Utilities Supervisor Of Technical Analysis (40 Hour)

Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is seeking a skilled energy and utilities professional to head the Clean and Affordable Energy (CAE) Unit within the Office of Technical and Regulatory Analysis.

What we can offer you

• Visit our newState Employee Benefits Overview page!
• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees

Position highlights

In this role, you’ll play a crucial part in advancing the State’s Equitable Modern Grid framework, supporting Connecticut’s green economy, and driving the transition to a decarbonized future. Oversight in this position will include managing dockets related to distributed energy resources such as solar, grid modernization, and energy affordability programs, ensuring their successful implementation for the benefit of all residents. 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Clean and Renewable Energy: Developing and executing cost-effective clean energy programs, including renewable energy deployment, battery storage, and more to advance Connecticut’s climate and clean energy objectives.
• Rate Mechanisms: Leading comprehensive reviews of electric, gas, and water rates, including oversight of the Rate Adjustment Mechanisms (RAM) and Conservation Adjustment Mechanism (CAM) to ensure fair and transparent rates.
• Energy Affordability: Enhancing energy affordability across the state, particularly in underserved communities, through effective management and promotion of assistance and hardship programs.
• Grid Modernization: Overseeing utility infrastructure investments and improvements, including programs developed under PURA’s Equitable Modern Grid Framework, and driving the transition to a modern, decarbonized grid.
• Supervision and Management: Overseeing and guiding the CAE unit’s staff, ensuring effective team management, performance evaluation, and professional development to achieve unit goals and objectives.

The position will be hybrid with in-office attendance located at Ten Franklin Square, New Britain, CT, and are 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday, between the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

About us

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is statutorily-charged with ensuring that Connecticut's investor-owned utilities, including the state’s electric, natural gas, water, and telecommunications companies, provide safe, clean, reliable, and affordable utility service and infrastructure. PURA’s mission is essential to advancing the state’s energy, economic, and environmental goals and is critical to maintaining public health and safety as well as a robust economy.   

PURA is a quasi-judicial agency that interprets and applies the statutes and regulations governing all aspects of Connecticut’s utility sector. Among other things, PURA sets the rates charged by investor-owned utilities, advances the modernization of the electric distribution system, regulates the retail electric supplier market, implements federal requirements for natural gas pipeline safety, ensures adequate water system infrastructure investments, reviews mergers and acquisitions, provides education and outreach for consumers, and regulates the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure.

Selection Plan

Before you apply:

• In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
• The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.

Important information for after you apply:

• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
• Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.

Questions about this position should be directed to Mackenzie Robinson at mackenzie.robinson@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection this class is accountable for supervising the professional, technical and clerical staff and activities of a section within an energy branch.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work of staff;
• Provides staff training and assistance;
• Conducts performance evaluations;
• Determines priorities and plans unit work;
• Establishes and maintains section procedures;
• Develops or makes recommendations on development of policies and standards;
• Reviews documentation related to grants;
• Acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding section policies and procedures;
• Performs complex investigations of utility rates, accounting, finance, engineering, energy efficiency, building and transportation decarbonization, energy supply, energy, water, and broadband infrastructure, and related matters pending before section;
• Responsible for accuracy and content of material developed by section staff;
• Directs and coordinates staff in utilizing computer models and other analytical techniques to study utility and third-party proposals and their impacts;
• Develops analytical models and data tracking approaches to support needs of section;
• Participates in staff review of new financing, examinations of condition of utility plant, quality of utility service and accidents involving utility equipment;
• Participates in staff assessment of existing and proposed technologies;
• Prepares or reviews highly technical reports and correspondence;
• May testify as an expert witness;
• May supervise or perform cross examination of witnesses in departmental hearings;
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Considerable knowledge of
  • and ability to apply and utilize computerized analytical techniques;
  • relevant agency policies and procedures;
  • relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
  • principles, and practices and methodologies useful in analysis of cable television (CATV), electric, gas, gas pipeline safety, telecommunications or water utilities, or policies and programs related to energy supply, broadband, energy efficiency, or building or transportation decarbonization;
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills;
  • considerable oral and written communication skills;
• Considerable ability to prepare and edit complex technical documents;
• Ability to utilize computer software;
• Supervisory ability.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Nine (9) years of professional experience in cable television (CATV), electric, gas, gas pipeline safety, telecommunications or water utilities, or policies and programs related to energy supply, broadband, energy efficiency, or building or transportation decarbonization.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

• College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• A Master's degree in a discipline closely related to the section activities may be substituted for one (1) year of the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A bachelor’s degree in economics, environmental studies, finance, political science, law, public policy, public utility management, renewable energy, statistics, sustainability, or urban studies;
• An advanced degree in renewable energy, technology, environmental studies, public policy, public utility management, law, finance, economics, or business administration.
• Work experience in utility regulation, utility management, electric grid technology, or environmental policy.
• Experience working on utility grid modernization initiatives, deployment of clean and renewable energy programs, or climate change policy.
• Experience researching, designing and implementing initiatives addressing energy affordability
• Experience writing technical reports, regulatory documents, white papers, position papers, policy papers, or academic articles for a general audience that provide conclusions or recommendations supported by documented evidence.
• Experience conducting quantitative analysis using energy, financial, or other utility economic datasets and synthesizing results;
• Experience with project management, working on two or more projects simultaneously, while adhering to deadlines;
• Experience supervising or managing a team in a professional setting.
• Experience using Microsoft Office 365 applications, including Sharepoint and Teams to improve business outcomes.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.