Senior Specialist Job

Provide leadership in the coordination and development of the IESO’s emergency plans and procedures related to the operation of the bulk power system.  Contribute to the stakeholdering process and collaborate with internal/external parties to maintain and ensure emergency preparedness plans are in place. Develop training content and materials and deliver training to IESO staff and market participants on assigned topics related to market system operations. Monitor for the conformance of the IESO and Market Participants to market rules and reliability standards. 

What you'll do:

• Credible contingencies affecting reliable market and system operations.
• Coordinate the development of special contingency plans to mitigate the impact of emerging risks (e.g., physical and cyber-security; extreme weather events; pandemics; grid transformation,; critical infrastructure interdependencies).

• Develop and maintain the Ontario Electricity Emergency Plan and coordinate a provincial response to major electricity emergencies affecting public health and safety. Support the coordination and administration of the Emergency Preparedness Task Force (EPTF) and the activation of Crisis Management Support Team (CMST) in the event of an emergency.

• Collaborate with market participants and others to develop and maintain the Ontario Power System Restoration Plan to direct the effective restoration of the IESO-controlled grid in the event of a widespread blackout. Participate on external task forces and committees on matters related to emergency preparedness and system restoration.

• Maintain emergency planning guidelines and standards for use by market participants to ensure their emergency plans are effective.

• Review the emergency preparedness plans and system restoration attachments submitted by market participants and assess quality and completeness according to planning guidelines and criteria.

• Develop training content and materials and deliver training to IESO staff and market participants on assigned topics related to market system operations. Conduct needs assessment, develop training content, determine best training delivery methods, ensure learning and comprehension has taken place. 

• Assure effective electricity industry emergency response capability by leading market participants in developing, conducting and assessing the results of workshops, integrated drills and exercises.

• Perform other duties as required.

What you need to succeed:

Requires significant exposure to emergency management practices in Ontario and/or Canada. Requires specific experience in the application of the core components of emergency management;

• Mitigation
• Prevention
• Preparedness,
• Response
• Recovery

Requires exposure to the overall power system operation.  Requires specific experience as applicable to the particular specialty of the group.  Experience will be related to the fields of:

• utilization of generation resources, including interchange and interconnections
• secure operation of bulk power system
• reliability

Background experience will include:

• electrical engineering design concepts as they relate to the functions and characteristics of power system components
• application of emergency management concepts as they relate to critical infrastructure or the electricity industry
• familiarity with power system operation, standards and procedures
• extensive knowledge of the Market Rules and related IESO obligations
• experience in making presentations and in facilitating training sessions for large groups.

experience in guiding, training and providing advice to individuals and good customer service skills

What’s in it for you:
•    A comprehensive total rewards program, including best-in-class benefits and a flexible workplace 
•    A challenging, fast-paced and collaborative team environment, where your perspectives and experiences matter 
•    Leaders who support your growth and success through regular feedback and coaching
•    The opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the industry
Deadline:  August 8, 2022
For future reference, please ensure to save a copy of the job description as it will no longer be available once the posting closes.

At the IESO, we know that achieving great results depends on embracing diversity by attracting, developing and retaining people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We do this by ensuring our recruitment and advancement policies are fair and equitable, and by creating an accessible and inclusive environment – one that values every team member’s unique skills and experiences and ensures they have the support they need to achieve their potential. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know. 

We thank you for your interest in a career at the IESO, but we will only contact those candidates selected for an interview. 

Note: The successful candidate must be eligible to work in Canada and will be subject to a background check.
The IESO commenced its 6 month Hybrid Work Model Pilot Program on March 28th, 2022. The Model allows for remote working up to three days per week, based on business needs. When working in the office, you will be located at xx