Arlington, VA (National Landing)
Alexandria, Virginia
Urbana, Illinois
Posted: 31-Oct-23
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Type: Full Time
Required Education:
The Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) Board of Directors has announced a national search for their next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The incoming CEO will assume leadership of this highly successful and well-respected Generation and Transmission Cooperative in its 75th year of proudly serving its growing member-owners across three states.
The power supply industry continues to experience exponential change due to technology innovation, regulatory oversight, and the ever-evolving needs of members in the new energy landscape. To address the opportunities resulting from change, ODEC seeks a highly strategic innovator and leader with an exceptionally strong member-centric focus. The ideal candidate is a professional who will employ a highly creative and fact-based decision methodology and is able to transform complicated energy industry issues into solvable business solutions. This new leader must also be adept at anticipating the opportunities presented by a rapidly changing energy landscape and lead the organization, the Board and its members through the complexities and complicated power supply and energy demand challenges facing cooperatives today. This may include energy agreements with investor-owned utilities to acquire surplus energy, maintain relationships with local regional transmission organizations and assist in reprogramming regulatory change through legislation.
The 11 distribution cooperatives that own ODEC and form its foundational financial strength, are proud to be associated with ODEC, and look forward with great anticipation to the organization continuing its legacy of bringing value to its member-owners and providing them the opportunity to share equally in its success. The next CEO will be asked to lead with an unprecedented focus on taking the company to an even greater performance level, and the elevation of its accomplishments.
Duties & Key Responsibilities
Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the CEO will be responsible for:
- Making the development of innovative and creative new energy solutions and strategic relationships the highest priority to solve ODEC’s unique challenges.
- Employ proper risk management practices while evaluating complex, capital intensive, environmentally sensitive industry initiatives.
- Constructing, operating, maintaining and auditing the ODEC’s facilities and assuring payment of debts and obligations in accordance with appropriate direction and delegation from the Board of Directors.
- Reporting to the membership and the Board of Directors on the condition of the ODEC in safety, financial, fiscal, government relations, power supply, technology, operations, consulting services, and any other areas affecting the operations of the system or deemed important by the Board or Membership.
- Overseeing the adequate staffing of ODEC at every level with specific focus on employee skills, abilities and goals required to carry out the efficient and successful operation of ODEC’s electric system.
- Developing, approving, and implementing operating and safety procedures, plans and improvements to meet established goals, policies, and objectives.
- Negotiating and executing agreements with partners, suppliers, legislators, contractors, power suppliers, regulatory agencies, and any other entity
or individual necessary to maintain an adequate power supply to meet member-owner needs. - Directing and participating in matters dealing with Federal, state and local governments, lending institutions, rating agencies and other agencies, and
attending and/or testifying at hearings regarding such, as necessary to meet system needs and achieve agreed upon results. - Overseeing Human Resources, Salary Administration and Benefits Programs to assure the hiring, retention, and release of employees, assuring the highest quality performance and expertise from the employee team and other contractual matters such as compliance, grievances, arbitrations, etc., subject to final approval by the Board.
- Evaluating the overall performance and results achieved by staff members and administer management and supervisory wage and salary plan.
- Planning, development and recommendation of goals, objectives, resources, physical property, policies, programs, capital and maintenance work plans and budgets, that meet the requirements of FERC, NERC and PJM, and ensures compliance with same, addresses system reliability goals, and ensures the continuity of business.
- Providing continuity and merit for the organization and earning and retaining the support and respect of the members, employees, public and all stakeholders.
- Providing the Board with information and reports regarding progress made, and results achieved, so the Board may effectively evaluate such results and the effectiveness of the CEO.
- Investigation, negotiation and recommendations for hiring and utilizing consultants, such as, legal, auditing, engineering management.
- Representing ODEC as an Industry Expert, Board Member, Committee Member or Sponsor on associated cooperative and industry organizations, as the need arises, for the benefit of ODEC and its members.
- Developing, executing and administering a state and federal legislative plan that supports ODEC’s goals and objectives and the electric generating and transmission industry.
- Contributing time, resources and leadership expertise to civic and public affairs, supporting the Cooperative Concern for Community principle within the three
state service area, to serve the needs of ODEC, its member-owners, and employees by providing leadership, expertise and the wisdom and skills gleaned from experience. - Lead the development of the company’s strategic growth agenda, including balancing execution of existing projects with innovative new opportunities
and prudent power supply solutions. - Highly adept at strategic planning, including factoring organizational financial and operational risk for existing and unforeseen opportunities.
- Highly functioning commercial orientation / solution development aptitude.
Executive Requirements
The incoming CEO will be an experienced and credible executive who is highly regarded and proven as a selfless leader that maintains the needs of ODEC’s member-owners as the highest priority, and guiding consideration behind every decision and action. The successful candidate will possess a proven track record of successfully operating an electric generating organization, electric utility or similar energy service and solution company with an exceptionally strong passion and cultural alignment with the values and principles of the electric cooperative industry. This servant leader should have the following capabilities:
- Adheres to unwavering ethical standards. Highly regarded by those with whom the executive has interacted.
- Highly experienced utility industry leader (CEO, C-level) with exposure to a wide variety of industry challenges and a track record of solution creation and problem solving.
- Key knowledge of independent system operations, regional transmission organizations, public utility commissions and similar influential/governing organizations. Ideally with multi-state / multi-jurisdictional experience.
- Foundational G&T experience strongly preferred. Highly committed to G&T value proposition and cooperative principles and a strong advocate of the cooperative business model.
- Understands both large scale generation and power delivery as well as power systems at the distribution cooperative level. Can discuss operations knowledgeably with member CEOs and senior staff. Fully understands the complexity, breadth and pressure of a distribution cooperative CEO role.
- Experience with complex power supply operations or asset portfolio of a reasonably similar size; track record leading large scale project development / energy delivery solution creation within challenging political and economic environments.
- Demonstrated capability of negotiating large power supply transactions with multiple partners; understands the context of a deal within the totality of the business.
- Sound financial knowledge of power supply contracts, ratemaking, and the requirements of proper financial planning and load forecasting. Able to lead financial discussion in strategic decision making.
- Extreme member service mindset. Displays calm, collected, and consistent demeanor and approach to member (large and small) issues. Intentional about serving membership. Can relate and wear many ‘hats’ in examining member issues.
- Highly responsive and strong desire to support/assist Board, members, senior leadership team and staff alike. Demands same from staff. Clear, confident, and positive communication style.
- Creative, innovative and forward thinking. Can demonstrate precise strategic thinking skills – to define the next chapter(s); Equally focused and engaged on future requirements as well as current operations.
- Operates with a clear strategic plan as a guide. Strong focus on performance and efficiency of processes. Stable and successful experience leading full P&L function.
- Highly data driven, uniquely creative and thought provoking with the ability and desire to dive deep into detail where required. Know what questions to ask to identify key opportunities and risks.
- Understands complex Board relationships and member dynamics. Proactive, progressive, assertive; maintains appropriate focus on strategic G&T issues as well as individual member challenges, can offer perspectives to all members despite variable missions and risk appetites to effectuate continued unity and collaboration.
- Offers confidence and credibility to Directors and Member CEOs alike; Effective listening and negotiation skills; recognition that all parties have different
needs but fulfills requirement to align around the ODEC mission and desired outcome. - Ability to rapidly develop the respect and trust from the Board; effectively gains the confidence of Board that risk is being managed appropriately while opportunities and innovation crucial to survival are pursued relentlessly. Engaged and involved with new Director development and education.
- Proven commercial judgment; decisive and confident. Provides clear, well-researched direction and options for Board consideration.
- Proven ability to understand network of political relationships key to success of ODEC mission. Willing to engage with key influencers to gain support and seek assistance in ODEC strategic plan.
- Extremely strong external relationship developer. Capable of articulating and clarifying business imperatives to legislators, regulators, and other stakeholders allowing for productive dialogue on critical policy development/issue resolution.
- Proven developer of people to ensure succession. Able to engage and support the development of the most senior executives.
- Engages and embraces ODEC executive team and staff. Experience leading cultures towards positive employee engagement.
- Respects that ODEC is a storied and successful organization with highly evolved values and heritage, and commitment to move G&T to a more nimble and adaptive business model accommodating increasingly rapid industry change.
- Exceptionally capable of building, sharing and creating excitement around a vision. Ability to articulate vision and connect actions and operations to the vision.
- Frequent communicator of vision and progress including performance metrics and required outcomes allowing Board, members, staff, and external stakeholders alike to easily understand and recognize expectations.
- Comfortable navigating ‘Situational Contradiction’ (i.e., Net 0 carbon vs. reliable generation).
- Builds optionality into solution execution but recommends a preferred path and eagerly advocates for a solution through powerful, transparent and data-centric analysis.
- Can analyze and offer appropriate strategic plan adjustments; drives hard to meet objectives with the support of the Board. Easily outlines the strategic plan and convinces people to embrace and own the plan.
Any interested party may contact Chris Guiney at 678.448.0017 or cguiney@carterbaldwin.com.
ODEC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
