AVP, Federal Regulatory Affairs

Are you looking for an exciting job where you can put your skills and talents to work at a company you can feel proud to be a part of? Do you want a workplace that will challenge you and offer you opportunities to learn and grow? A position at Xcel Energy could be just what you’re looking for. Position Summary Design, lead, and implement Xcel Energy’s enterprise-wide federal regulatory strategy and program in support of the Company’s electric and gas utilities across four operating companies and seven states. Provide strategic leadership and subject matter expertise on federal regulatory, wholesale market, transmission, reliability, tariff, and compliance matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), NERC Regional Entities, Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), and other regional organizations. Reports to the Vice President, Federal Regulatory, Legal, and Policy. Serve as a senior leader within the Federal Regulatory Affairs function and a Company-wide resource on FERC-jurisdictional transmission and wholesale matters, federal regulatory policy, NERC-related matters, and federal regulatory compliance. Partner with Commercial Operations, Transmission, Integrated System Planning, Operating Companies, Legal, and other business areas on issues including transmission service, wholesale power transactions, organized wholesale market rules and trading strategies, generator interconnections, open access transmission policy, tariffs, and significant transmission and wholesale business decisions. Advise senior leadership on significant federal regulatory, market, reliability, compliance, and policy developments, including matters with long-term operational, investment, customer, market access, and regulatory impacts. Lead federal regulatory advocacy in national forums, industry-wide trade associations, and other federal policy forums. Provide federal regulatory oversight, subject matter expertise, and enterprise-wide coordination support for matters involving regional transmission organizations, organized markets, and national and regional reliability entities. Essential Responsibilities Develop and implement enterprise-wide federal regulatory strategies that support Xcel Energy’s electric and gas utilities, operating companies, business units, customers, and corporate objectives. Direct federal regulatory filings for electric and gas matters, including rate, fuel, rulemaking, certification, generator interconnection, market-based rate, market power, standards of conduct, tariff, and compliance-related proceedings. Prepare supporting testimony and serve as an expert witness when necessary. Lead enterprise-wide engagement with Commercial Operations, Transmission, Integrated System Planning, Operating Companies, Legal, Regulatory, and other internal stakeholders on federal regulatory issues affecting transmission service, wholesale power transactions, organized wholesale market rules and trading strategies, generator interconnections, open access transmission policies, RTO participation, and transmission and wholesale business decisions. Advise senior management and business unit leadership on federal regulatory risks, opportunities, and strategic options. Direct the development, interpretation, administration, and revision of the Company’s FERC-jurisdictional transmission and wholesale production tariffs. Ensure tariffs are aligned with FERC requirements, Company strategy, operating needs, customer obligations, market rules, and evolving federal policy. Lead and coordinate the Company’s advocacy of federal regulatory policy positions in national forums, industry-wide trade associations, and other federal policy forums. Develop policy positions with internal stakeholders and represent Company interests on issues affecting transmission policy, wholesale markets, reliability, generator interconnection, market design, federal jurisdictional issues, and long-term utility business strategy. Provide federal regulatory oversight, strategic guidance, and subject matter expertise for Company matters involving MISO, SPP, SPP Markets+, WRAP, WestConnect, NERC, NERC Regional Entities, and other regional organizations. Coordinate with Company representatives serving on stakeholder committees and regional forums to identify, evaluate, escalate, and align on significant regional market, transmission, reliability, and policy issues. Establish and maintain effective relationships with FERC Commissioners, FERC staff, NERC, NERC Regional Entities, RTO leadership and staff, state regulatory commissions and staffs where federal issues affect state-regulated matters, public counsels, customer groups, industry participants, and other stakeholders. Ensure effective representation of Company positions in federal regulatory proceedings, national policy forums, and related state regulatory matters where appropriate. Oversee FERC compliance programs, including FERC Standards of Conduct, market-based rate authorizations, market power analyses, and engagement on organized wholesale market trading strategies to support compliance with anti-market manipulation rules and other federal requirements. Oversee an integrated NERC compliance function that engages with business areas across the Company on reliability standards, audit readiness, compliance strategy, risk management, and implementation of new or revised reliability obligations. Develop and lead a team to implement federal regulatory, wholesale market, transmission policy, tariff, compliance, RTO and regional organization coordination, and reliability initiatives. Oversee RTO specialists responsible for MISO and SPP matters, the integrated NERC compliance team, and a Federal Regulatory Affairs manager and team responsible for FERC Standards of Conduct, market-based rate authorizations, market power analysis, and organized wholesale market trading strategy compliance support. Direct staff work, resources, and budget needs; support staff development; and perform other duties as assigned. Minimum Requirements BA/BS degree in Business, Engineering, Economics, Public Policy, Law, or related discipline. Advanced degree, JD, MBA, or equivalent experience preferred. A minimum of ten years in the regulatory field required; significant experience with FERC-regulated electric utility matters, transmission policy, wholesale markets, RTOs, NERC, and federal regulatory compliance strongly preferred. Must possess expert knowledge of FERC policies, procedures, precedent-setting orders, open access transmission requirements, wholesale market rules, market-based rate requirements, federal compliance obligations, and regulatory issues affecting electric and gas utilities across multiple jurisdictions. Knowledge of NERC reliability standards, RTO stakeholder processes, regional transmission planning, generator interconnection, transmission service, wholesale power transactions, and organized wholesale market design is strongly preferred. Strong strategic thinking, organizational, communication, leadership, advocacy, executive advisory, and management skills are essential. Must be able to lead enterprise-wide coordination across operating companies, business units, technical subject matter experts, regulatory personnel, legal counsel, and senior executives. Must be proactive, adept at working with regulators and industry stakeholders, and capable of making decisions in a rapidly changing regulatory and market environment. Proficient with Microsoft Office software. As a leading combination electricity and natural gas energy company, Xcel Energy offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity and 1.9 million natural gas customers across eight Western and Midwestern states. At Xcel Energy, we strive to be the preferred and trusted provider of the energy our customers need. If you’re ready to be a part of something big, we invite you to join our team. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Individuals with a disability who need an accommodation to apply please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io. Non-Bargaining The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $220,000.00 to $278,900.00 per year This position is eligible for the following benefits: Annual Incentive Program, Long Term Incentive, Medical/Pharmacy Plan, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Dependent Care Reimbursement Account, Health Care Reimbursement Account, Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA), Transportation Reimbursement Account, Short-term disability (STD), Long-term disability (LTD), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Tuition reimbursement, Transit programs, Employee recognition program, Pension, 401(k) plan, Paid time off (PTO), Holidays, Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO), Parental Leave Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part. In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information. Deadline to Apply: 07/02/26 EEO is the Law | EEO is the Law Supplement | Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination | Equal Opportunity Policy (PDF) | Employee Rights (PDF) All Xcel Energy employees and contractors share responsibility for protecting the company's information and systems by adhering to cybersecurity policies, standards, and best practices, recognizing that cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility. ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT Xcel Energy endeavors to make accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Xcel Energy Talent Acquisition at View email address on click.appcast.io. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications. You. Us. Together. At Xcel Energy, we’re more than an energy company. We’re reinventing how we power communities. Redefining how we care for customers. Reaffirming our commitment to the planet. We’re committed to leading with equity and inclusion. You’re not waiting for change – you’re creating it. You’re driven to protect the environment, support your community, and seek innovation. You want a career that grows with you and an employer who values you. You are reliable, trustworthy and bring integrity to everything you do. We are leading the way in clean energy. We’re using technology and innovation in every facet of our company. We’re providing safe, stable jobs with robust benefits. We keep our customers at the center of all we do. We’re committed to hiring a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can provide carbon-free electricity by 2050. Together, we can take care of the environment and our communities. Together, we can create a place where everyone belongs. Together we’re building a better tomorrow.