Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

• Location 500 Cooperative Way,Brighton, CO, 80603,United States
• Employee Type Exempt

Description

Job Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

The Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) works under the general direction of the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In collaboration with the CEO & Executive Leadership Team (ELT), the COO is responsible for the long-term transformational efforts for the utility’s Operations, Engineering, and Safety departments, and for implementing the overall strategy and direction for the organization. The COO leads strategic initiatives including, but not limited to, infrastructure construction, maintenance and upgrades, system reliability and resiliency; employee and public safety; regulatory compliance; and process and technology improvements while maintaining operational excellence. This position manages the overall Operations, Engineering, and Safety teams and their budgets, including promoting cross-functional collaboration, continuous process improvement, operational efficiencies, cost control, and a strong organizational safety culture. The COO is responsible for legal compliance with applicable operational, technical, safety reliability, security requirements, and regulatory standards, specifically, applicable North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Reliability Standards including Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP). This position reports directly to the CEO and is a member of the ELT.

Essential Job Functions:

• Serves as a member of the ELT; participates in the formulation of strategies, company cultural norms, objectives, and policies for recommendation and dynamic presentations to the Board of Directors.
• Identifies a clear, motivating, and challenging vision for the Operations, Engineering, and Safety departments, with a focus on creating an aligned culture. Consistently demonstrates the ability to align team and department goals with company goals and achieve measurable results. Inspires a shared direction and encourages staff to question past assumptions and challenge the status quo.
• Conceives and leads implementation of the long-term transformational efforts in collaboration with the CEO, ELT, the Cooperatives Energy Risk Management Committee (ERMC) and Board of Directors.
• Develops and implements plans for the operational infrastructure of systems, processes, and personnel designed to maintain efficient operations.
• Provides strategic oversight of field and control center Operations, Engineering, and Safety programs supporting employee and public safety, system reliability, resiliency, capacity, regulatory compliance, and long-term infrastructure needs.
• Prepares the annual work plans and budgets for the Operations, Safety, and Engineering departments and makes recommendations to the CEO.
• Aligns all functional departments to operate together and with the larger organization, seamlessly and effectively to achieve goals and overall strategy.
• Directs the preparation of short-term and long-range operational, engineering, and safety plans and budgets; collaborates with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on annual operating and capital budgets and oversees the prioritization, budget performance, resource allocation, and delivery of related programs and initiatives.
• Manages the financial aspects of the Operations, Engineering, and Safety departments with a focus on fiscal responsibility and cost-consciousness in accordance with applicable policies.
• Provides executive oversight of compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and industry operational, engineering, safety, reliability, and security requirements, including applicable NERC Reliability Standards and CIP requirements. Ensures appropriate accountability, governance, monitoring, documentation, reporting, training, internal controls, and corrective-action processes are established and maintained within assigned areas of responsibility.
• Provides executive sponsorship and oversight of the organization’s NERC compliance program within assigned operational and technical areas, ensuring clear ownership, appropriate resources, effective controls, timely reporting, cross-organizational coordination and accountability for compliance obligations.
• Maintains executive awareness of applicable and emerging NERC Reliability Standards and CIP requirements; evaluates organizational impacts and ensures required operational, technical, procedural, training, documentation, and system changes are implemented.
• Reviews significant NERC compliance risks, potential violations, audit or assessment findings, mitigation plans, and corrective actions; and ensures matters with material regulatory, reliability, cybersecurity, financial, or reputational implications are promptly elevated to the CEO and other appropriate stakeholders.
• Supports NERC registrations, audits, certifications, self‑assessments, investigations, compliance monitoring, and regulatory reporting by ensuring assigned departments maintain complete, accurate, timely, and defensible records and evidence.
• Actively participates in the Energy Risk Management Committee (ERMC) and provides operational, engineering, safety, reliability, and compliance expertise to support enterprise risk evaluation and decision‑making. Provides executive leadership, sponsorship, or subject‑matter support for large‑load interconnection initiatives and other significant cross‑functional projects, as assigned.
• Establishes measurable goals and key performance indicators for Operations, Safety, and Engineering; evaluates performance, trends, and risks through operational and financial data and implements corrective actions as needed.
• Advises the CEO and the Board on Operations, Safety, and Engineering issues and strategies.
• Partners with Human Resources on the direction and administration of labor relations strategies.
• Identifies industry trends and participates in external groups to implement best practices in distribution, including advances in technology.
• Promotes safe, reliable, and high‑quality execution within Operations, Safety, and Engineering and reinforces continuous improvement and accountability.
• Follows up on specific service complaints and outages; takes necessary action to maintain continuity and reliability of service as needed.
• Ensures the maintenance programs (i.e., tree trimming, pole line inspection, pole changeouts, OH/UG line patrol, substation inspection, etc.) are prioritized and functional.
• Ensures coordination between departments, including Systems Operations, Operations, Communications, and Member Services, is effective during outages and emergencies.
• Provides executive leadership for emergency preparedness, outage response, service restoration, and operational continuity; ensures plans are current, coordinated across departments, and regularly communicated and exercised.
• Provides executive leadership and oversight of the Safety Department, including organizational safety strategy, safety programs, regulatory compliance, employee training, incident prevention, emergency preparedness, performance measurement, and continuous improvement.
• Promotes a proactive and accountable safety culture throughout the organization by integrating safety considerations into operational planning, engineering construction, maintenance, emergency response, resource allocation, and executive decision‑making.
• Reviews significant safety incidents, trends, hazards, compliance concerns, and organizational risks; ensures appropriate investigations, root‑cause analyses, corrective actions, and preventive measures are completed and communicated.
• Leads, develops, and holds accountable the Operations, Safety, and Engineering leadership teams; builds organizational capability, supports succession planning, and ensures appropriate workforce and resource planning.
• Creates, expands, and maintains professional and productive working relationships with peers and stakeholders. Works collaboratively with colleagues and fosters a spirit of cooperation and inclusion in the workplace.
• Performs other such duties as may be requested or assigned to fulfill the needs of United Power in the interest of good management practice.

Secondary Job Functions:

• Stays informed on changing standards for specifications, work methods, and application of material; makes recommendations for changes or revisions.
• Stays current on best utility practices, including changes and trends in the electric utility industry.
• Makes suggestions for process improvements and efficiencies, as appropriate.

Supervision Received and Exercised:

Works under the general direction of the CEO and operates within policies and strategic direction established by the Board of Directors. Directs and controls the activities of more than one functional area, through executive and senior leaders who have overall operational responsibility for their assigned functions, geographic regions, and services. Establishes strategic direction, priorities, performance expectations, accountability, and resource requirements for assigned departments. Provides executive sponsorship and oversight of applicable operational, safety, NERC Reliability Standards, and CIP compliance responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, construction management, or a related field is required, along with a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in electric utility operations, engineering, safety, reliability, or a closely related function. Experience must include executive- or senior-level responsibility for multiple operational or functional areas. Candidates must also have demonstrated experience overseeing compliance with applicable NERC Reliability Standards and providing leadership or oversight for electric utility safety, regulatory compliance, incident prevention, investigations, corrective actions, and organizational safety performance. An equivalent combination of education and substantial directly related experience may be considered in lieu of the degree requirement.

Must have a valid Colorado driver’s license or the ability to obtain one.

Desired Experience:

Executive-level experience leading electric utility operations, engineering, safety, system planning, construction, maintenance, reliability, emergency response, and capital programs is preferred. Experience overseeing multiple operational and technical functions through senior leaders and managing significant operating and capital budgets is desirable. Experience with organizational transformation, strategic planning, process and technology modernization, labor relations, and presentations to a governing board is preferred.

Experience providing executive sponsorship or governance of a NERC compliance program, including reliability and CIP obligations, is strongly preferred. Experience participating in NERC audits, self-certifications, investigations, spot checks, compliance monitoring, mitigation plans, or other regulatory review activities is desirable. Experience working in an electric cooperative or public power environment is also preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Strong leadership skills and demonstrated ability to coach and mentor subordinates.
• Strong interpersonal skills that demonstrate effectiveness in communicating with members, peers, supervisors and subordinates.
• Extensive knowledge and demonstrated ability to implement best practices in an electric utility operation.
• Advanced knowledge of electric utility operations, engineering, safety, system reliability, emergency response, infrastructure planning, and operational risk management.
• Working knowledge of applicable NERC Reliability Standards and CIP standards, including the ability to provide executive oversight of compliance governance, internal controls, documentation, reporting, audits, risk mitigation, multi‑organization responsibility matrixes and corrective actions.
• Ability to translate NERC and other regulatory requirements into clear organizational accountability, operating expectations, resource decisions, and sustainable compliance practices.
• Knowledge of electric utility safety principles, programs, regulatory requirements, incident prevention, investigations, root‑cause analysis, corrective‑action management, emergency preparedness, and safety performance measurement.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and reinforce a proactive safety culture, establish accountability for safe work practices, and integrate employee and public safety into organizational planning and decision‑making.
• Must possess and exhibit excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to communicate complex operational, safety, and regulatory matters clearly and effectively to the CEO, Board of Directors, executive leadership, employees, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• Must be competent and comfortable operating mobile GIS applications and SCADA/EMS systems.
• Must have a working knowledge of mapping systems.
• Must have a willingness to embrace and promote new technology as it becomes available.
• Must have the ability to create and maintain excellent member relations through participation in community events and outreach activities.
• Must be skilled in coordinating inter‑departmental projects and procedures by facilitating meetings, providing training, and communicating changes to all affected departments within the organization.
• Must possess demonstrated project management skills.
• Must be able to effectively handle multiple tasks and priorities and meet established timelines, as well as accept ownership for other duties as assigned.

Problem Solving:

The COO is responsible for resolving highly complex, enterprise‑level operational and engineering challenges involving system reliability and resiliency, public and employee safety, infrastructure condition, emergency response, regulatory compliance, resource constraints, financial impacts, technology, and competing organizational priorities. The employee evaluates short‑ and long‑term risks, establishes strategic direction and decision criteria, considers the operational and organizational consequences of available alternatives, and directs the implementation of sustainable solutions. Problems frequently require coordination across multiple departments, executive leadership, external agencies, contractors, regulators, and other stakeholders and may have limited precedent or require action under urgent or uncertain conditions.

Discretion and Latitude:

Work is performed under the general direction of the CEO and within policies and strategic direction established by the Board of Directors. The employee exercises extensive independent judgment and executive discretion in establishing Operations, Safety, and Engineering strategies, organizational priorities, programs, standards, resource allocations, performance expectations, and operating practices. The employee has broad authority to make decisions within assigned areas of responsibility and determines when operational, financial, compliance, safety, reliability, reputational, or enterprise‑level matters require consultation with or escalation to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, or Board of Directors.

Impact:

Decisions and recommendations have significant short‑ and long‑term effects on employee and public safety, system reliability and resiliency, NERC and other regulatory compliance, emergency response, service restoration, infrastructure performance, capital and operating expenditures, workforce capability, member service, and the organization’s strategic objectives. The employee’s leadership directly influences the performance of the Operations, Engineering, and Safety departments and the organization’s ability to provide safe, reliable, resilient, compliant, and cost‑effective electric service. Errors in judgment, inadequate oversight, or failure to act appropriately may result in injury, service interruptions, reliability or security events, regulatory violations, financial penalties, ineffective capital investment, operational disruption, reputational harm, or other substantial impacts on organizational performance.

Frequently interacts with the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, and Board of Directors to present operational and engineering strategies, risks, performance results, capital priorities, resource needs, emergency‑response matters, and recommendations requiring executive or governance consideration.

Interacts regularly with Operations, Safety, and Engineering leaders and other employees to establish direction, align priorities, evaluate performance, allocate resources, resolve complex issues, and ensure coordinated execution of organizational objectives.

Frequently collaborates with leaders and employees across Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Communications, Member Services, Power Supply, Key Accounts, Energy Solutions, Regulatory, and other functional areas to support capital planning, labor relations, technology implementation, generating resource management, regulatory compliance, outage response, organizational change, and cross‑functional initiatives.

Frequently interacts with safety professionals, regulators, governmental and emergency‑response agencies, NERC‑related regulatory and industry organizations, reliability coordinators, neighboring utilities, contractors, consultants, and other external stakeholders regarding safety, reliability, regulatory compliance, infrastructure, operational performance, emergency preparedness, and corrective‑action matters.

Maintains professional working relationships with regulators, governmental and emergency‑response agencies, industry organizations, neighboring utilities, contractors, consultants, vendors, community representatives, and other external stakeholders regarding operational, engineering, reliability, compliance, infrastructure, and emergency‑preparedness matters.

Essential Physical and Mental Demands:

• Must be comfortable sitting seventy percent (70%) of the time, walking twenty percent (20%), and standing ten percent (10%). Must also be able to lift and/or carry approximately 10 lbs. occasionally when moving files or office equipment. Must also be able to push and pull up to 50 lbs. when opening and closing file drawers.
• Must be able to operate controls while driving a vehicle.
• Must be able to climb stairs and enter and exit a vehicle.
• Must be able to reach and have the use of hands and fingers while driving a vehicle, working at a desk, operating a computer, and using the telephone.
• Must be able to speak clearly in an ordinary tone as well as hear ordinary conversation.
• Must have good close‑up vision, as well as eye accommodation and field of vision for driving, reading, writing, and working on a computer.
• Must be alert, precise, and patient. Must have the following abilities: problem solving, analytic ability, persuasiveness, speaking and writing skills, memory, creativity, concentration, judgment, retention, reasoning, initiative, and visual discrimination.

Working Conditions:

This job is generally performed inside an office building at normal temperature ranges seventy‑five percent (75%) of the time; twenty‑five percent (25%) of the time will be outdoors or in a vehicle while going to a meeting, appointment, or surveying the service area. Noise level is often 50‑60 decibels, which is that of normal conversation. On occasion, the noise level can be 140+ decibels when around machinery.

Hiring compensation range: $270,000 - $340,000 annual salary, with a grade maximum of $410,000

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a generous benefits package that includes an employee retirement plan, 401K with match, paid holidays, vacation & sick leave, medical, dental, vision, short‑term disability, long‑term disability, and life insurance. For a full list of benefits, please visit our careers page at .

United Power is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. United Power prohibits discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of age 40 and over, race, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, color, religion, military or veteran status, national origin, disability, genetic information or any other applicable status protected by state or local law.

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

NOTE: This position description is not intended to be all‑inclusive; an employee will also perform other job responsibilities as assigned by the immediate supervisor or management.

Management reserves the right to change position descriptions, specifications or work schedules to accommodate individuals with disabilities or as the need arises.

This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Requirements

Pre-Employment Screening Notice: This position is subject to pre-employment drug screening, consistent with Colorado law and federal regulations. Applicants should be aware that a positive drug test—including for marijuana—may disqualify them from employment, as permitted under Colorado law. Additional information about our drug‑testing policy will be provided during the hiring process.

Additional Information

• Applications should be submitted by Oct 30, 2026