Director, NERC Compliance

Director, NERC Compliance

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 Flexible working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home and come in where collaborative in person work is needed. Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a defined benefit plan fully funded by SPP PLEASE NOTE: SPP is not able to sponsor employment visas or student-work authorizations (STEM OPT) for this position. Please ensure you are eligible to work in the U.S. without sponsorship prior to applying.

At Southwest Power Pool, our work matters. Every day, we help keep the lights on for millions of people by supporting the reliability and security of the Bulk Electric System (BES) across an evolving energy landscape. We're looking for a strategic, collaborative, and forward-thinking leader to join us as Director, NERC Compliance. In this high-impact leadership role, you'll shape and lead SPP's enterprise-wide compliance strategy and governance framework supporting applicable NERC Reliability Standards and regional regulatory requirements. You'll work at the center of reliability, operations, cybersecurity, engineering, and executive leadership helping guide the organization through an increasingly complex and fast-moving regulatory environment. This is more than a compliance role. It's an opportunity to influence industry standards, strengthen operational resilience, drive proactive risk mitigation, and represent SPP as a trusted leader across the electric utility and reliability community.

If you're energized by strategy, collaboration, and mission-critical work that supports grid reliability and security, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll Do

• Lead SPP's enterprise-wide strategy, governance framework, and oversight activities supporting compliance with NERC Reliability Standards, regional requirements, and related regulatory obligations.
• Direct SPP's participation in the development, refinement, interpretation, communication, and implementation of national and regional reliability standards and policies.
• Partner across Operations, Reliability Coordination, Planning, Engineering, IT, Cybersecurity, Legal, and executive leadership teams to align operational practices with evolving regulatory expectations.
• Represent SPP in industry forums, standards drafting teams, working groups, and stakeholder discussions focused on reliability standards, compliance governance, and emerging regulatory issues.
• Drive collaboration with member organizations, registered entities, regulatory stakeholders, and industry groups to support practical, risk-informed, and sustainable compliance solutions.
• Ensure continuous audit readiness through strong governance practices, effective internal controls, evidence management, and accountability processes.
• Oversee organizational responses to audits, investigations, self-certifications, enforcement actions, mitigation activities, and regulatory inquiries involving NERC and Regional Entities.
• Lead enterprise impact assessments and implementation planning for new or revised reliability standards, including operational, organizational, financial, and compliance considerations.
• Develop and maintain proactive, risk-based compliance monitoring and corrective action programs that identify, mitigate, and communicate reliability and regulatory risks.
• Provide executive-level reporting, strategic recommendations, and guidance related to compliance posture, industry trends, enforcement developments, and regulatory strategy.
• Lead, mentor, and develop compliance professionals and subject matter experts while fostering a culture centered on accountability, transparency, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Drive continuous improvement of SPP's Internal Compliance Program (ICP), governance processes, training initiatives, compliance communications, and organizational awareness programs supporting BES reliability and security.

If you're ready to lead at the intersection of reliability, strategy, and regulatory excellence while helping shape the future of the grid, apply today and join the mission at SPP.

To be successful in the role we're looking for:

• Education Requirements: Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Business, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or related field.
• Experience Requirements: Ten (10) plus years experience in electric utility operations, ISO/RTO operations, reliability compliance, regulatory compliance, transmission operations, or a related reliability-focused environment. Five (5) plus years of leadership experience managing compliance, regulatory, operational, reliability, or risk-based programs and teams. Working knowledge of NERC Reliability Standards and the regulatory framework supporting Bulk Electric System (BES) reliability. Experience leading or supporting regulatory audits, compliance assessments, investigations, corrective action activities, or governance programs. Experience collaborating across operational, engineering, cybersecurity, legal, or regulatory stakeholder groups to support organizational objectives and regulatory requirements. Demonstrated ability to analyze complex regulatory or operational issues, assess risk, and communicate recommendations to leadership.
• Preferred Qualifications: Previous experience within an RTO/ISO environment. Experience participating in NERC standards development, industry working groups, or regulatory committees. Experience with the NERC Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program (CMEP). Experience supporting or leading enterprise compliance transformation, audit remediation, or governance improvement initiatives. Familiarity with Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) requirements and BES cybersecurity practices. NERC Certification or industry certifications such as CISA, CRISC, CISSP, or CCEP. Experience presenting to executive leadership, boards, or regulatory oversight committees.
• Travel Requirement: This position requires minimal (0-20%) travel.
• Position Type, Location, and Hours: This is a full-time, hybrid onsite position located in Little Rock, Arkansas. The typical work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; however, work hours may vary based on organizational and operational needs, with occasional extended or nonstandard hours required as determined by management.

SPP is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and is committed to excellence. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us at View email address on talent.com and let us know the nature of your request. We will accommodate the needs of any qualified candidate who requests a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). At SPP we believe in a culture of belonging. Learn more here: Culture of Belonging - Southwest Power Pool . Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.