Sartor & Associates Inc.
 

North Bay Hydro - Vice President of Engineering

NORTH BAY HYDRO – Vice President of Engineering

North Bay Hydro strives to provide high levels of customer satisfaction and reliable electrical service with the lowest feasible number of interruptions of minimum duration. They value employee and public safety and will assist customers in becoming informed about economical and efficient uses of electricity. They are committed to promoting responsible energy consumption and environmental management. With issues such as Global Warming and power shortages/outages in the public eye, and at the forefront of the news, it has become more important than ever to promote the need for responsible energy management.

North Bay Hydro operates a number of incentives designed to reduce the amount of energy being consumed, and to promote effective environmental conservation. Organizing events where customers can exchange their old incandescent light bulbs for new energy-efficient compact fluorescent ones is just one of the things they are doing to fulfill their mandate of a greener North Bay.

Mission: North Bay Hydro is committed to distributing electricity to its customers in a safe, reliable and efficient manner that provides good value for the money while being responsive to customer and community needs and contributing to provincial and local policy objectives.

Quick Facts:
  • 100% self-funded through electrical distribution rates and service charges
  • Pays taxes, not funded or subsidized by taxes
  • North Bay Hydro staff includes 47 full-time employees and 6 full time services
  • Has franchise to distribute electricity in the City of North Bay
  • Only one ‘lost time’ incident in 14 years.
  • Has significant number of customer interactions through store front operations, local call centre, daily contact by employees and a broad community presence.

THE POSITION

Under the direction of and working in partnership with the President and Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President of Engineering is a senior management position tasked with ensuring the health and development of the business. In addition, the VP of Engineering is responsible for the planning and design of the utility's distribution assets including capital expansion, and development of operations and maintenance programs to ensure the efficient and reliable operation of the distribution system.

This senior management position is responsible for recommending changes to utility practices and work methods as well as the development and formulation of engineering plans, forecasts and work programs.  These practices and methodologies are intended to enhance employee and public safety. This position is responsible for providing engineering expertise and guidance to subordinate supervisors and staff.

This position is responsible for achieving financial results including delivery of the capital program and developing and implementing initiatives to reduce costs and to improve performance of the distribution asset base. There is a need for this position to focus on regulatory compliance and to assist with the development and implementation of the broader regulatory strategy. 


KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct staff responsibilities include but are not limited to 12 subordinate positions consisting of:
  • four engineering technicians
  • one distribution engineer
  • one GIS technician
  • one draftsperson
  • one engineer in training (distribution coordinator)
  • one substation operator
  • one substation electrician
  • one meter technician leadhand
  • one meter technician

The Vice President of Engineering is responsible for:
  • Planning and scheduling all work for the Engineering Section.  Setting priorities, meeting deadlines and managing a variable workload.  Coordination is required with the Operations Supervisor to ensure work for crews is organized efficiently and effectively.
  • Creating and closely monitoring the Capital Budget, along with overseeing creation and tracking of departmental operating budgets in Operations, Substations, Metering, and Customer Service. Recommending and implementing appropriate steps to ensure necessary results are delivered
  • Leading a process to ensure that Operation Divisions develop near and long-term goals and objectives and working with them to monitor and assess results.    
  • Developing, managing and implementing the Asset Management Program to maximize the useful economic life of company distribution assets without compromising employee and public safety.
  • Ensuring development and implementation of policies, practices, standards and procedures to optimize asset performance. Balancing performance to ensure compliance with all relevant OEB, IESO, EUSA and Ministry of Energy legislation and regulations.  This also includes the Electrical Distribution Safety Code.
  • Ensuring reliable and flexible operation of the distribution system, through planning and best operating practices.  Leading outage restoration activities, small to large, to ensure outages are kept to a minimum and safety of the public and employees is maintained at all times.
  • Monitoring, investigating, developing and formulating engineering plans, forecasts and work programs to ensure the continuing adequacy of the company’s distribution system to meet the city's present and projected electricity demand in an economic, efficient and reliable manner. Negotiating with outside parties, as necessary, to ensure appropriate and orderly operation and expansion of the distribution system.
  • Analyzing and troubleshooting operational situations and taking positive action to resolve problems
  • Managing special projects such as new substation design and construction, large customer and generator connections
  • Setting performance goals and planned objectives for the section and reporting on achievements and variances. Utilizing technologies and processes (SCADA, work orders, project management etc.) to reduce costs and increase asset performance
  • Being the face of the business during contingency type events and providing real time information on the system status
  • Networking with industry contacts to ensure use of best practices and to position the company as a leader and innovator
  • Developing work and safety procedures and ensuring implementation amongst all Operations staff. Leading by example.
  • Supervising employees including discipline, delegation of duties, explanation of work procedures and problem resolution.
  • Identifying the need for employee development through training and experience to satisfy organizational needs.
  • Providing on call back-up to duty man when required
  • Developing and presenting necessary reports and briefings for the Board of Directors and Shareholder as required
  • Apprising President and Chief Operating Officer of division activities
  • Other related duties as assigned

Health and Safety
  • Ensuring that North Bay Hydro Health and Safety policies and rules applicable to subordinates are reviewed and understood annually and where necessary making recommendations for revisions
  • Being knowledgeable of practices and supervisory obligations in accordance with North Bay Hydro Health and Safety Policies, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and EUSA Rulebook and ensuring employee compliance and informing superiors of related concerns
  • Ensuring that employees use the provided equipment, materials, protective clothing or devices necessary to ensure their Health and Safety and same is used in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act
  • Ensuring that appropriate training, orientation, instruction and supervision are conducted to employees in order to prevent harm to people, damage to property or loss of productivity
  • Ensuring that employees understand the required safety performance standards for their work and that this performance is measured objectively and communicated to them so that they can achieve optimum results
  • Administering a preventative maintenance program for all vehicles, equipment, protective clothing used by subordinates
  • Exercising due diligence by communicating and coaching Health/Safety/Loss Control policies, leadership by example and positive enforcement of rule compliance
  • Ensuring that workers are advised of the existence of any potential or actual danger which the Supervisor themselves is aware of

KEY CHALLENGES
  • The restructuring and changing business environment requires evaluation to ensure that North Bay Hydro responds in an appropriate pro-active manner
  • On-going communication to employees that North Bay Hydro is responding to change and those employees cannot continue with a ‘status quo’ attitude
  • Reviewing existing methods and procedures to evaluate processes to determine required changes to make them more effective and customer friendly
  • Developing strategies and business plans for long term success as the energy sector evolves
  • Simultaneously dealing with multiple business situations including regulated monopoly, competitive goods and services, Conservation Demand Management and renewable generation
  • Ensuring that opportunities within the regulatory environment are maximized at the earliest possible time

QUALIFICATIONS
  • Membership in the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO), with an electrical engineering degree from a recognized university.
  • Competent working knowledge of the utility's distribution system and related construction materials and methods.
  • At least 5 years of experience in a supervisory role in the utility industry
  • Leadership capabilities to provide functional guidance to the Operations Section and supervision to the Engineering and Substations Section.
  • Excellent leadership, interpersonal, written and verbal communications skills.
  • Excellent financial skills to understand cause and effect of actions on the company’s P&L
  • Network of contacts, both local and across the province to ensure adoption of best practices

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Please send your resume in confidence to Larry Sartor at larry@sartorandassociates.com; reference in the subject line: "North Bay Hydro VP Engineering”

Only those applicants selected for an initial interview will be contacted. Thank you for your understanding.