Director, Analytics and Risk

About RF:

ReliabilityFirst Corporation is a regulator focused on preserving and enhancing reliability, security, and resilience of the Bulk Power System across 13 states and the District of Columbia. ReliabilityFirst is uniquely positioned to work closely with transmission, generation, and other power companies as well as the federal government to help identify and ensure the mitigation of operational risks and physical and cyber security threats to the electric grid.

Culture Statement:

At ReliabilityFirst, we are more than just a team – we are a community of dedicated professionals committed to ensuring the reliability and security of the electric grid. Our people are our greatest asset, and we believe that their diverse backgrounds, skills, and experiences are what drive our success. If you’re looking for a career that offers competitive compensation, generous benefits, work-life harmony, and the opportunity to be part of a mission that matters, then we invite you to join us at ReliabilityFirst. Together, we can ensure a reliable and secure electric grid for today and tomorrow.

Purpose of Position:

The primary purpose of the position is to contribute to the development and execution of the organization- wide analytics strategy and support the reliability and security of the electric grid through data-driven strategies and risk management. This role will help drive innovation throughout the organization adopting technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, predictive analytics and advanced data analytics to gain insights into grid performance, identify trends and predict potential issues. 

The Director will lead and mentor teams and foster a collaborative environment, working with various departments and external partners to position ReliabillityFirst as a valued, reliable resource.  This position will drive excellence and stay up to date with industry trends and emerging technologies, seeking ways to improve analytical and risk mitigation capabilities, ensuring the organization remains at the forefront of reliability and security practices. 

This position reports to the Senior Vice President, Reliability and Risk and leads two teams, Analytic Services and Risk Analysis & Mitigation (RAM).

Key Responsibilities:

Analytics

• Lead data-driven innovation for the organization, including investigation, adoption and utilization of AI

• Expand the organization’s research and analytics offerings, especially in emerging analytical approaches, skills and technologies, focus on accelerating digital business innovation and transformation

• Identify new and emerging types and sources of trusted data to enable business value innovation throughout the organization

• Create and oversee a centralized data management service for sourcing external data to ensure quality, traceability, timeliness, usability and cost-effectiveness

• Promote data-driven decision-making and investment planning across the organization

• Work closely with internal departmental heads and executives to guarantee high-quality execution of project deliverables

• Oversee the collection, analysis and interpretation of data to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement

• Mature the RF Data Warehouse and architecture to best meet the needs of the departments by utilizing emerging technologies, AI and cloud solutions

Risk Management

• Develop a method of design for analytical frameworks by which grid reliability and risk can be quantitatively measured and tracked

• Create a strategy for identifying, analyzing, and communicating existing and emerging risks on the electric grid in collaboration with both internal and external partners

• Ensure mitigation plans are aligned with industry best practice and regulatory requirements

• Evaluate and prioritize significant mitigation plans and recommendations in conjunction with the Enforcement and Compliance departments

• Understand support and serve the goals of cross-functional teams throughout the organization

Leadership Responsibilities

• Contribute to the mission, vision, and strategy of the Analytics and RAM teams to maximize the success of business and analytics initiatives

• Foster and maintain an environment of internal customer service, in support of cross functional departments and staff members

• Stay up to date on emerging technologies, analytic and risk assessment best practices, and industry trends

• Develop and controls the annual Analytics and RAM department budgets to ensure that it's consistent with the overall strategic objectives of ReliabilityFirst and is within plan. Create a culture of continuous cost optimization

• Work collaboratively with direct reports to support their career progression, nurture their development and to help them realize their potential

Relationship Management

• Develop strong working relationships and foster a positive work environment with cross-functional teams, NERC and peer regions, and support needs of various departments, including compliance monitoring and enforcement

• Identify, create and execute collaborative opportunities to drive continuous improvement in the reliability performance of our entities

• Monitor and, advise on activities occurring at the regional, NERC and federal levels related to ReliabilityFirst’s regulatory authority as it relates to Data Analytics and Risk Analysis and Mitigation

• Stay abreast of other agencies, trade groups, associations, data sources, and other organizations that may directly or indirectly impact ReliabilityFirst interests

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a Data Science, Statistics, Economics, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related field.  Master’s degree preferred

• At least 10 years’ experience in data analytics, risk analysis or a related field with at least 5 years in a leadership role, including strategy, budgeting, and staffing

• Exceptional leadership skills, with the ability to develop and communicate a vision that inspires and motivates staff and aligns with the analytics and business strategy

• Excellent analytical, strategic conceptual thinking, strategic planning, and execution skills

• Hands-on experience in data analysis, artificial intelligence, and risk management

• Ability to build consensus, make decisions based on many variables, and gain support for major initiatives

• Self-starter who self-assesses and solicits feedback from others to improve their performance

• Experience developing strategies to leverage fusion teams that embrace business technologists

• Strong business acumen, including industry, domain-specific knowledge of the enterprise and its business units

Desirable:

• Experience applying AI / Machine Learning ML to solve large data challenges and/or  enhance the customer experience

• Understanding of data warehousing and proficient in data analysis tools including visualization software

• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications and artificial intelligence applications is preferred

• Regulatory experience (e.g. energy, medical device, banking, etc.) is a plus

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

ReliabilityFirst is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees and applicants in accordance with local and federal laws. ​ReliabilityFirst's mission is to preserve and enhance bulk power system reliability and security. This mission cannot be accomplished without a diverse and inclusive staff - one that at all levels feels empowered, valued, respected, and engaged.

Learn more at: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at RF (rfirst.org)