Business Practice Leader 2 - Utility Financial Strategist

The Position

The Business Operations and Strategy department is seeking a Business Practice Leader 2 - Utility Financial Strategist. This position provides strategic leadership of the District’s cost of services and activity-based costing systems, develops utility rates and system development charge methodologies and strategies, develops plans, and financial benchmarks to meet the short-term and long-term financial needs of the utility. Performs complex cost of services analysis and modeling, development of activity-based costing systems structures and monitoring, and prepares rate and system development charge studies for the long-term setting of wholesale and retail utility rates and system development charges, and analysis of other fees such as overhead billing rates to support utility operations, maintenance, and capital improvements in conformance with regulations.

Essential Functions

1. Defines methodology and analysis of wastewater and stormwater cost of service studies, activity-based costing systems, prepares long-range forecasts of operating expenditures, debt service, and proposed rates.
2. Recommends to CEO and CFO long-term financial benchmarks, targets, and prepares reporting.
3. Develops rate, system development charges and fees methodologies with estimates of revenues to be generated for retail and wholesale services.
4. Works with wholesale customer advisory groups regarding cost of services and programmatic cost allocation as needed.
5. Development of overhead labor billing rates for cost recovery of billed services.
6. Formulates mathematical models after analyzing management and operational programmatic cost allocations in order to find solutions using computer programming methods or other mathematical techniques.
7. Prepares request for proposal (RFP) requests and scopes of work for consulting services.  Prepares and presents exhibits and testifies during rate adjustment hearings, as needed.
8. Studies problems and prepares mathematical model of problem areas in form of one or more equations that relate constants and variables, restrictions, alternatives, conflicting objectives, and their numerical parameters. Gathers, relates, and identifies data with variables by applying personal judgment and mathematical tests.
9. Prepares written reports to the CEO and CFO, indicating solution or range of possible alternatives in rank of desirability and probability of success.
10. Reviews the approved budget to ensure that the proposed budget reflects reasonable funding levels, considering revenue estimates and general economic conditions or projections.
11. Interprets regulatory changes and requirements for utility ratemaking and system development charges.  Reviews proposed legislative and regulatory rate requirements. Performs other related duties as required.

Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Utility rate setting strategies, procedures, methods, and variables
• Principles and practices of general and municipal accounting and budgeting
• Debt service requirements, Revenue trends, General municipal operations and procedures
• Mathematical models development and application
• Specialized computer applications used in utility rate setting and financial plan development
• Methods and techniques used to conduct a variety of analytical studies
• Related municipal and state legislation
  
  

SKILL IN:

• Microsoft Office
  
  

ABILITY TO:

• Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing
• Work with details in analyzing various factors involved in rate setting
• Collect, prepare and present data
• Manipulate data in spreadsheets and perform analyses of data
• Project inflation rates
• Identify pertinent data for establishing service costs, and cost projections
• Prepare and present clear and concise reports
• Research and determine problem-solving approaches
• Communicate research, studies, reports, and service cost information to wholesale customers
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions
• Operate a variety of computerized equipment including various software and mainframe programs
• Operate specialized computer systems used in financial reporting and rate setting
  
  

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATIONS AND/OR LICENSES:

The following are the minimum qualifications for this position. 

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting, finance, business administration or a related field and 4 years of experience in utility rate setting and cost of services methodologies.

Upon selection, candidate must possess and maintain a valid State issued driver's license.

Additional Information

Reasonable Accommodation
Applicants who require reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any phase of the application process should contact Human Resources at 503.681.3600 or TDD 503.681.3601.
 
Equal Employment Opportunity
Clean Water Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, national origin, marital status, age, uniformed service, sexual orientation or disability in the admission or access to the recruitment process or any aspect of employment.