Director, Monmouth Power & Light

Join the City of Monmouth’s Team as the City’s Next Power & Light Utility Director. The Director of Monmouth Power & Light Department leads the municipal utility and plans, organizes, and directs the activities and operations of this City department, including administration, engineering, construction, operations and maintenance. The Director manages and ensures the financial performance of the electric utility to provide optimal service to customers, and carries out City and industry policies and procedures.

The City is seeking a city and community leader who has the knowledge and ability to:

Plan, direct, oversee, and manage all operations and activities of the Power & Light Department and programs essential to the mission of the utility. This includes electric utility maintenance program, managing a system of overhead and underground transmission lines, and the associated facilities, rules, regulations and standards outlined in the National Electric Safety Code.

Manage electric substation planning, loading, distribution, and transmission line maintenance.

Prepare and review electrical switching orders with crew and other utilities; review construction plans, building permits, and jobsites for work planning. Prepare job cost estimates. Manage AMR/AMI system: meter data entry, diagnostics, planning, meter purchasing, and monitoring.

Represent Power & Light, actively participating with other government, industry, and public electric utility associations. Communicate effectively with employees, engineers, contractors, vendors, union, customers, City Manager, City Council, and city departments.

Plan, review and manage projects, including work orders, cost estimates, invoices, material procurement, customer and contractor liaison, inspections, and true-up/close-outs. Manage Power & Light resources: quote, purchase and procure materials, vehicles and equipment.

Manage an aggressive energy conservation/weatherization program, including budgeting, rebating customers, and processing requests. Lead city sustainability efforts.

Manage Power & Light staff, including leading, coaching, hiring, disciplining, evaluating, supervising, training, scheduling, and assigning duties as necessary.

Manage workplace safety and ensure employee and utility compliance with City, State and Federal regulations, policies and procedures (including union contract and employee handbook). Ensure and maintain Power & Light compliance with OPUC, NESC, NEC and OSHA requirements.

Respond to emergency situations at all times: weather, car/pole accidents, property damage.

Customer service, including information to minimize outages, provide energy efficiency and electrical safety education, processing bill complaints, damage claims, and customer concerns.

Develop, implement, and oversee the Power & Light budget; present and allocate the approved budget where necessary; approve purchases and monitor expenditures throughout the year.

Have strong computer skills, including productivity software, spreadsheets, database management, be a strong oral and written communicator, and skills in financial and inventory management.

Work in a political environment; analyze proposed legislation for City and utility fiscal impacts. Foster teamwork and work collaboratively in a team environment with diverse populations.

Adapt to change and cope effectively with conflict. Exercise professional judgment and discretion; maintain high standards of confidentiality and appropriateness.

Qualifications

The City seeks an experienced electric utility manager for this role. Applicants must have a minimum of:

The equivalent of high school graduation plus specialized electric power system management, construction and maintenance; and

Four years of experience in electric utility maintenance or operations; and

Two years of increasingly responsible managerial and supervisory responsibilities.

Journeyman Lineman Certification and Bachelor’s Degree in utility management, business administration or related field are strongly preferred. The successful applicant will be required to have a valid Oregon Driver’s License and pass a pre-employment background check.

About Monmouth Power & Light

The City of Monmouth Power & Light Department is a municipal utility consisting of 10 FTE staff to carry out the functions listed above. The Director reports to the City Manager. The Department has experienced change and growth as the city has managed through the COVID pandemic. The future Power & Light Director will need to lead and manage change including staffing turnover and training; and a city council priority focused on leading in sustainability and energy efficiency.