Lead Market Analyst

Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is about more than power. We’re about the power of relationships. Our employees have the opportunity to work together to ensure electricity is delivered reliably and affordably to the millions of people living in our service territory. We have been voted one of Arkansas’ Best Places to work by Arkansas Business and we are looking for a member of our team who is passionate about our mission to keep the lights on!

We have a core ideology here at SPP that we stand by: Do the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way.

We believe in supporting our employees through a fantastic benefits package:

• Competitive pay with bonus opportunities
• Excellent insurance package including three great medical plans to choose from, employer-paid short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance
• Relocation assistance
• Hybrid working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home 50% of the time
• Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a defined benefit plan fully funded by SPP

Overview

The Lead Market Analyst is responsible for developing a detailed understanding of market concepts, analyzing market data, and performing market clearing engine sensitivities. This positions supports Market Operations with daily market reviews, repricing, monthly model upload validations, resolution of market study issues, and 7/24 on-call rotation. The Lead Market Analyst supports the development, testing, and implementation of market software changes, and responds to customer issues related to the SPP electricity markets. This position develops and presents market analysis results to SPP working groups, committees, and task forces.

The Lead Analyst is responsible for supporting major market initiatives, and recommending changes to improve market efficiency. This position is expected to independently lead projects with little to no guidance from management while actively communicating project status to management. The Lead Market Analyst is expected to independently facilitate problem resolution with multiple departments and members while working towards consensus. This position is responsible for training staff on market concepts and market analysis.

Essential Functions

• Create advanced database queries and perform complex market clearing engine sensitivities to support market analysis.
• Independently lead and manage cross departmental projects with little to no guidance from management while actively communicating project status to management.
• Independently provide support to Regulatory and Legal functions including FERC Orders and witness testimony.
• Delegate tasks to other SPP staff and manage the delegated tasks.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the SPP Market Protocols and Attachments AE, AF & AG of the SPP Open Access Transmission Tariff.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the functionality and data interfaces of applications used by Market Operations.
• Facilitate problem resolution with multiple departments and members while working towards consensus.
• Actively initiate process improvements to increase efficiency and reduce staff time.
• Train and mentor other SPP staff on market concepts and market analysis.
• Support Market Operations with daily market reviews, repricing, monthly model upload validations, resolution of market study issues, and a 7/24 on-call rotation.
• Support the development, testing, and implementation of market software changes.
• Respond to customer issues, analyze issues, provide responses, and coordinate internal discussion if needed.
• Support market analysis established processes that run daily, monthly, quarterly, and annually.
• Develop and maintain daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual market reports to meet established deadlines.
• Support SPP working groups, committees, and task forces with market analysis and presentations.
• Perform commercial modeling with a high level of data integrity, and support development and implementation of commercial model software changes.
• Monitor and maintain the highest level of accuracy for wind and solar forecasting tools.
• Provide support, analysis, and review of the Post Operations Processing System (POPS) results and data transfers to Settlements ensuring the SOC1 financial control is met.
• Support changes to the public data posting by creating, updating, and reviewing database queries as needed.

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in mathematics, computer science, physics, or other related degree; three (3) years of job-related experience may be considered in lieu of education requirement

Experience Requirements:

10 years of electricity market experience that includes knowledge of market software systems; this is in excess of the educational requirements experience above

Other Requirements:

• Strong inter-personal and team work skills
• Excellent planning and organization skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills
• Understanding of and compliance with SPP Policies and Procedures

Preferred:

• Advanced degree in related field

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to make decisions, interpret data, and problem solve.
• The employee frequently is required to stand or sit for extended periods; use hands to operate a computer keyboard and standard office equipment.
• The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 10 pounds.
• Requires the ability to work and collaborate with managers and employees at all levels to exchange ideas, information, and opinions to facilitate the task.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of workweek are Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Working extended hours may be required.

Travel Requirement:

This position requires minimal travel (0-20%).

Should you elect to apply for this position SPP will review your qualifications and if after reviewing the qualifications and experience of all applicants, your skills and credentials meet our needs, someone from our organization may contact you. Please be advised that the time required to complete the applicant review process typically takes between 30 and 90 days, but could extend beyond that. Once the position has been filled, all applicants will be notified via email.

Southwest Power Pool is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age or any other protected category.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines “reasonable accommodation” as a change or adjustment to a job or work environment that allows a qualified individual with a disability to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of a particular job, and does not cause an undue hardship for the employer. SPP adheres to the ADA and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)