Orange County Power Authority’s Power Resources team seeks a collaborative, seasoned professional to oversee wholesale power supply portfolios and procurement activities. This position will also work closely with OCPA’sfinance and technology team, assisting and preparing financial analysis, modeling, budgeting and rate setting activity, especially with regard to power supply costs. 

About OCPA:

OCPA is a dynamic, new agency, serving the public in the space of clean, and more affordable green energy. As a new Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) in California, phased electric service was launched in April 2022. Currently, the Authority serves over 177,000 customer accounts in Southern California Edison territory. We currently serve three member agencies (Buena Park, Fullerton, and Irvine). The City of Fountain Valley has joined OCPA with service to begin in 2026. More expansion throughout the region is to come. OCPA’s projected retail sales exceed 2,100 gigawatt-hours in 2025 and will increase with additional members.  For more information, please visit our website at www.ocpower.org. 

Application Process:  Candidates should send a succinct cover letter and resume with a minimum of three professional references to recruitment@ocpower.org. Submissions will be accepted on a continuous basis until the position is filled. 

A first review of applications will occur April 23, 2025. 

About the Position:

This role involves overseeing complex energy and capacity transactions, short, mid, and long-term portfolio design, integrated resource planning, hedging strategy, and strategically increasing renewable and greenhouse gas-free power resources over time. In addition, the candidate will coordinate OCPA’s power scheduling coordination and work with staff and advisors on power-related compliance filings and strategies. 

This position reports to the Director of Power Resources and will provide support and day-to-day leadership to the power resources team. This position may in time provide formal supervision to team members, the Energy Contract and Compliance Analyst and the Risk Management Analyst.

OCPA currently utilizes a hybrid work schedule which includes three days per week in-office. A combination of hybrid and remote work may be possible for the Origination and Trading Manager.

Examples Of Duties / Functions

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodation so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Work with consultants, vendors, the scheduling coordinator, and management to analyze risk and value around complex transactions and portfolio positions, including power generation and storage, load forecasts and scheduling, and hedging strategies.
• Lead procurement efforts to meet various OCPA objectives and/or compliance requirements including energy hedges and resource adequacy.
• Prepare solicitations/requests for offers of energy and capacity products, supplier/developer communications, analytical support during proposal/bid evaluation and contract negotiations.
• Prepare solicitations/requests for professional services, products, and offerings including advanced energy analytics platforms to develop OCPA’s power supply portfolio management ecosystem.
• Optimize, schedule, and administer power supply contracts, including auditing and monitoring contract milestones and deliverables.
• Monitor energy market activities, including pricing trends and forward curves related to wholesale power, renewable energy, and capacity.
• Support OCPA’s integrated resource planning activities, including submission of the CPUC’s biennial integrated resource plan compliance filing.
• Provide data analysis and support in preparing various other regulatory compliance reports such as California’s Power Source Disclosure Program.
• In close collaboration with OCPA’s finance and technology team, assist and prepare financial analysis, modeling, budgeting and rate setting activities, especially with regard to power supply costs.
• Provide high-level management reports and dashboards to Executive Management including presenting to the Board of Directors as directed.
• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures, protocols, and safeguards to ensure procurement team decision making processes are aligned with agency goals.
• Provide effective direction and support to those supervised.

 

Qualifications

 

Experience/Education: 

Any combination demonstrating the ability to effectively and successfully perform the duties of the position is considered qualifying.  A typical combination is as follows:

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business, economics, mathematics, engineering or related field and at least five years of progressive experience in electric utility/CCA power procurement, renewable power procurement, or in a closely related field.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

The successful candidate will possess varied knowledge, skills and abilities. The following are examples indicative of successful performance in this position:

• Knowledge and experience with technology platforms currently in industry use, i.e. Ascend, cQuant, Amperon, Itron, PCI Energy Solutions.
• Knowledge of effective strategies for mitigating market volatility.
• The ability to manage a portfolio of short, medium, and long-term energy contracts while developing utility-scale renewable energy projects and local distributed-generation.
• Advanced modeling capabilities to develop multiple scenarios with sensitivities to identify and mitigate energy portfolio risks. 
• Knowledge of and experience with applicable professional and technical principles and practices.
• Federal and state rules and regulations pertaining to energy management, which may include experience with Electricity Generators or suppliers, California Independent System Operator (CAISO), California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission.
• Contract experience in power purchase agreements and/or the Edison Electric Institute agreement, and short-term Western Systems Power Pool (WSSP) transactions.
• Knowledge of CAISO scheduling and settlements operations.
• Knowledge of renewable, green-house gas-free and conventional electricity supplies and strong energy market knowledge.
• Knowledge of and experience with California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulations for electric utilities, utility ratemaking, tariffs, and contracts.
• Principles and practices of effective supervision.
• Passion for contributing to the success of community choice aggregation in California.

Abilities:

• Maintain a strong work ethic, take initiative, and be comfortable working in a fast-paced, start-up environment.
• Demonstrate integrity, patience, tact, and courtesy at all times.
• Enjoy engaging with passionate internal and external stakeholders.
• Be detail-oriented with strong organizational and analytical skills.
• Ensure projects and reports are completed in a timely and accurate manner.
• Work independently with minimum supervision and as a team member.
• Exercise good judgment in handling multiple priorities to meet deadlines and open-ended tasks.
• Work accurately and swiftly under pressure.
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
• Have a high tolerance for uncertainty and know how to bring things to resolution.
• Work well within a diverse team.
• Resolve issues through research and negotiation.

Other Qualifications:

Analytical Thinking: Approaches a problem or situation by using a logical, systematic, sequential approach.

Collaboration: Develops networks and builds alliances; engages in cross-functional activities both internally and with external stakeholders.

Communication Skills: Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally, and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills and displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.

Fiscal Management: Demonstrates strong financial management skills and oversees complex energy procurement practices with large financial impacts for the organization. Complies with applicable laws and policies including Energy Risk Management and energy procurement policies based on industry standards.

Leadership: Leads by example; demonstrates high ethical standards; remains visible and approachable and interacts with others on a regular basis; promotes a cooperative and collaborative work environment, allowing others to learn from mistakes; provides motivational support and direction.

Vision/Strategic Thinking: Supports, promotes and ensures alignment with the organization’s vision, values, and strategic goals; understands how an organization must change in light of internal and external trends and influences; builds a shared vision with others and influences others to translate vision to action.

Supervision: Sets effective long and short-term goals based on a good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources; provides motivational support; empowers others; assigns decision-making and work functions to others in an appropriate manner to maximize organizational and individual effectiveness.

Physical Demands:

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer / laptop; to operate a motor vehicle and to visit various meeting sites in Orange County for the conduct of the Authority’s business.  This is primarily a sedentary office classification, although standing in and walking between work areas may be required.  Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve information using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment.  Positions in this classification bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information.  Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds.

Environmental Elements:

This is primarily a sedentary classification, and the employee works in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no known direct exposure to hazardous physical substances.  The employee interfaces with staff, management, other Authority representatives, and government officials, business representatives, and the general public in explaining the Authority’s programs and requesting and providing information.

Compensation And Benefits:

Salary is commensurate with experience. The salary range is $154,000 to $221,700 per year. OCPA offers a generous benefits package that includes: 

• Individual, family, and domestic partner health insurance (medical, dental, vision) 
• Life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance coverage 
• Retirement with employer matching (up to 4% of salary)
• Paid time off (PTO), ten paid holidays and two floating holidays 
• Health and wellness reimbursement benefit 
• Technology stipend 
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA) – health and dependent care 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 

This is an exempt position. This is not a civil service position; however, some OCPA employees may be required to submit a Statement of Economic Interests form, also known as Form 700.

Orange County Power Authority is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.