Utilities Principal Finance Specialist

Are you an experienced leader in the complex industries of economics and finance and looking to make a positive difference throughout the State of Connecticut? 

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) currently has an exciting opportunity for an Utilities Principal Finance Specialist to join the Revenue Requirements unit (RRU) within its Office of Technical and Regulatory Analysis. 

Comprehensive Benefit Offerings:

• Industry leading health benefits, including medical and dental coverage;
• Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings;
• Paid time off - including 13 paid holidays per calendar year;
• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities; and
• A healthy work-life balance to all employees!

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• Monday - Friday
• Full-time (40 hours per week)
• First shift, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (flexible)
• Hybrid telework positions with a main office at 10 Franklin Square, New Britain, CT

ABOUT US

PURA is statutorily charged with regulating the rates and services of Connecticut's investor owned electric, natural gas, water and telecommunication companies and is the franchising authority for the state's cable television companies. Ensuring affordable and reliable service from these sectors is critical to maintaining public health and safety and a thriving economy in the state of Connecticut.

PURA is also responsible for regulating many other aspects of Connecticut's utility sector, including but not limited to:

• Ensuring the prudence of electric system modernization, natural gas system expansion, and water system infrastructure investments;
• Conducting periodic utility rate cases;
• Overseeing service quality, safety, and investment for the state's telecommunication infrastructure;
• Implementing federal requirements for natural gas pipeline safety.

Specifically, the RRU oversees all financial and accounting assessments in order to ensure efficient, and prudent operation of Connecticut’s regulated utilities. It leads all utility rate cases, in coordination with and assistance from the other TRA units. The RRU leads all other dockets that are primarily financial or accounting in nature, such as, applications for the issuance of debt, land sales, small water acquisitions, applications for change of control, and rate and revenue reconciling mechanisms. The RRU may also be tasked with reviewing and approving tariff rates, as necessary and appropriate, particularly when the rate design has largely or entirely been previously determined.

YOUR ROLE

The Principal Finance Specialist will support the work of RRU by performing complex tasks relating to utility economics and finance and for serving as a team leader for technical staff. This position will plan and conduct financial and economic analyses and studies, analyses of cost of capital, and recommending rates of return on investments.

More details can be found in the job classification.

Learn more about what it's like to work for the State of Connecticut: 

This is a competitive recruitment, open to the public.

TO APPLY

• Complete a Master Application and directly apply to this recruitment.
• Please ensure that your application and professional experience is thorough and complete. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State of Connecticut.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOU APPLY

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board daily to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders daily in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.

At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.

Should you have any questions about the position, please contact Samantha Rivera, Human Resources Specialist – Talent Solutions at Samantha.Rivera@CT.Gov

In the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection or Office of Consumer Counsel this class is accountable for performing the most complex tasks relating to utility economics and finance and for serving as a team leader for professional technical staff. Performs a full range of tasks in the planning and conducting of financial and economic analyses and studies, analyses of cost of capital, and recommending rates of return on investments.

Independently performs the most complex duties relating to a full range of utility economics and financial issues such as conducting rate of return analyses including specific costs of all components of capital; evaluates financial operations and financial viability of utility companies; oversees or performs analyses and evaluations of complex financial statements, studies and statistical exhibits; develops and conducts cross-examination of expert witnesses regarding complex financial, accounting and economic issues in rate cases and other proceedings; exercises independent judgment as to propriety of proposed issues of securities by utilities in light of current security markets and accepted utility capital structures; reviews past or prospective capital operations of utilities including financial aspects of construction projects; examines and audits books and records of utilities subject to regulation and recommends appropriate revisions and/or new financial accounting methods; develops evaluations concerning transfer of public utility assets, mergers, acquisitions and other divestitures; performs special studies including those regarding generic financial concerns, utility corporate, organizational and financial structure and conditions; designs and performs special financial analyses on an as needed basis; prepares and presents comprehensive reports and testimony on an array of financial matters; prepares interrogatories; serves as an expert finance witness in court and regulatory proceedings; directs development of computerized financial models; prepares and presents policy recommendations regarding utility economic and financial matters; develops and recommends final departmental orders on utility economics and finance matters; trains finance specialists and other professional or technical staff of lower grade; may assist in the preparation of briefs and draft decisions; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of principles and practices of finance especially as related to operation and capitalization of public utilities; considerable knowledge of public utilities performance in stock and bond markets and impacts of those markets on utilities; considerable knowledge of public utility corporate financial structure; considerable knowledge of rate of return and cost of capital analyses including computer applications; considerable knowledge of philosophies and practices concerned with corporate economics and finance in a regulated environment; considerable knowledge of financial aspects of company mergers and divestitures; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable ability to deal effectively with others under circumstances often adversarial; supervisory ability.

Eight (8) years of professional experience in business, finance or quantitative analysis.

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have involved complex financial analysis.
Note: Complex financial analysis is interpreted as performing comprehensive, detailed and difficult financial studies resulting in reports and recommendations to management.

1. College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in finance, economics, accounting, business, mathematics, computer science or other closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

• Experience working in energy policy or utility regulation;
• Experience analyzing public utility financing applications; 
• Experience with corporate restructuring; 
• Experience with analyzing company benefit plans;
• Experience conducting inflation analysis for utility companies;
• Experience conducting quantitative analysis other than utility inflation analysis;
• Experience writing technical reports, white papers, position papers, policy papers, and/or academic articles for a general audience that provide conclusions or recommendations supported by documented evidence;
• Experience with project management methodologies;
• Experience using Microsoft Office 365 including Excel, Word, SharePoint and Teams.

1. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's license.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.