Regulatory Affairs Director, Accounting and Finance

Job Description

Position Summary:

This position is responsible for collaborating with professionals across NRECA’s Regulatory Unit, which is focused on electric cooperative advocacy before the Executive Branch and independent regulatory agencies. The Regulatory Affairs Director, Accounting and Finance requires a strong working knowledge of electric cooperative tax, accounting, and finance, and an ability to advocate on behalf of electric cooperative interests before policymakers. The candidate must demonstrate competence in identifying regulatory risk to electric cooperatives and informing policymakers of the unique set of considerations cooperatives as not-for-profit entities must evaluate from a tax, accounting, and finance perspective related to such risk. NRECA’s Regulatory advocacy is directed by the mission of our 900, not-for-profit cooperative members to provide safe, affordable, and reliable energy.

Essential Regulatory Advocacy Responsibilities

Identify Financial Regulatory Risk and Describe its Impact on Electric Cooperatives:

• Leverage strong working knowledge of electric cooperative tax, accounting, and finance to advocate on behalf of electric cooperative interests before policymakers.
• From a tax, accounting, and finance perspective, inventory the policy landscape and identify regulatory risk to, and opportunities for, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.
• Describe the unique set of tax, accounting, and finance-related considerations electric cooperatives as not-for-profit entities must consider in executing their mission to deliver safe, affordable, and reliable energy to end-of-line consumer-members.

Develop Policy Positions that Mitigate Financial Regulatory Risk and Create Opportunities:

• Develop policy positions that mitigate financial regulatory risk to electric cooperatives and create new opportunities in a changing energy environment (e.g., through the shaping of federal incentive programs).
• Agencies of focus include but are not limited to the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), U.S. Department of Treasury, and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).

Advocate on Behalf of Electric Cooperative Positions Before Policymakers:

• Proactively engage, educate, and advocate before policymakers on the unique set of business considerations not-for-profit electric cooperatives must evaluate.
  • This includes describing to policymakers how agency decision-making uniquely impacts electric cooperative resource planning, transmission and distribution planning, and other key business decisions.
  • This includes advocating on behalf of developed policy positions both verbally and in written documents such as agency regulatory filings.
• Successful agency advocacy results in policymakers that better understand the electric cooperative business model, the mitigation of any regulatory risk that drives up consumer-member costs without benefit, and the creation of workable new opportunities for electric cooperatives such as federal incentive programs that make sense for co-op communities and their consumer-members.

Activities that Support Successful Advocacy

• Manage outside consultants to scope of work and budget. Outside consultants may be leveraged to support regulatory filings or other advocacy activities requiring specific policy, technical, or legal expertise.
• Utilize all resources and advocacy paths available, lead, and participate in all agency, legal, media, and other policy advocacy related to the area of responsibility.
• Advocate and negotiate technical and substantive issues directly with appropriate policymakers and staff.
• Build and maintain relationships in the policy community and industry to enhance NRECA’s reputation, access, and advocacy efforts.
• Advocate NRECA positions through regular engagement, including developing and presenting testimony and developing and submitting comments on regulatory activities related to the area of responsibility.
• Participate in and represent NRECA interests in coalitions with other stakeholders.

Member Education

• Inform and educate NRECA members about issues arising in the area of responsibility to help them meet their regulatory obligations and adjust their business activities consistent with industry and policy trends.
• Provide input on agendas, attend, and participate in annual, regional, and other NRECA meetings as appropriate, and provide advice and consultation to the NRECA Board.
• Develop NRECA member engagement resources (e.g., fact sheets, issue briefs, and regulatory summaries) to keep NRECA members and staff informed about activities relating to the area of responsibility.

Education and Continuing Professional Growth

• Possess specialized depth and/or breadth of expertise pertaining to the area of responsibility.
• Build in-depth knowledge about the members’ business needs, policy positions, and internal politics.
• Work continuously to maintain, enhance, and expand knowledge of membership and area of responsibility.
• Build nationally recognized expertise relating to the area of responsibility and work continuously to maintain, enhance, and expand that expertise.

Collaboration, Coordination, and Communication

• Lead project teams to achieve milestones and objectives for projects with notable risk and complexity, including developing the strategy for project execution.
• Communicate complex ideas, anticipate potential objections, and negotiate with others, often at internal and external senior levels, to influence decisions.
• Work closely with colleagues in Government Relations, Communications, Business and Technology Strategies, and others on an enterprise-wide basis.
• Keep NRECA leadership, management, and membership informed on issues relating to the area of responsibility.
• Other duties as assigned.

Direct Reports to this Position:

None

Formal Education Required:

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree with knowledge and/or work experience in cooperative accounting and finance.

Experience and Certifications Required:

• Eight or more years of relevant work experience.

Qualifications

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of and work experience in cooperative accounting and finance.
• Policy experience in the regulatory space.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a diverse membership, federal agencies, employees, and/or vendors in a clear and concise manner to include developing comment packages to agencies, testimony, and briefing papers.
• Ability to be persuasive, negotiate, and collaborate with individuals at all levels throughout the organization and with outside groups.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively to achieve advocacy goals of members.
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment to build consensus and gain agreement on a plan of action.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint) in the day-to-day essential duties of the job.
• Ability to operate various office equipment such as a computer, copier, printer, or other job-related equipment.

FLSA Status:

Exempt

Essential Physical Requirements:

• Close visual acuity to perform activities such as preparing and analyzing data, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, and reading.
• Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or negligible force constantly to move objects.

Disclaimer Statement:

The preceding job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions and does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Additional Information:

• NRECA is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with physical and mental disabilities.
• All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

For more information, please visit www.Electric.coop.

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