STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Assistant Rate Specialist

Hybrid

Recruitment #240131-6548AR-001

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Introduction


Do you have the desire to make a difference on a dynamic team?  
If so, we have the opportunity for you!

The State of Connecticut, Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is recruiting for an Assistant Rate Specialist to join our team in New Britain, CT. This position will be part of the Education and Outreach Unit housed within the Office of Education, Outreach, and Enforcement.

State of Connecticut employees participate in a competitive benefits plan that includes: 
  • NEW: A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown’s Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings.
  • Sick and personal leave.
  • We encourage a healthy work/life balance to all employees.
  • State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
Discover the opportunity to: 
  • To work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
  • Engage in a rewarding career.
  • Assist our employees so they can achieve success.
  • Make a difference in the public sector.
  • Work together in a collaborative team environment.
Position Highlights
  • The schedule for this position is Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
  • The Assistant Rate Specialist will be responsible for performing a range of tasks related to independently reviewing consumer complaints and participating in examinations and investigations of complex complaints and filings. 
  • The person in this role may be expected to attempt to resolve complex disputes over rate and service issues, interact with customers directly via phone and email regarding complaints or inquiries, and participate in drafting recommendations for department decisions.
  • The selected candidate will play a crucial role on upcoming assignments associated with PURA's implementation of its Equitable Modern Grid Initiative and key portions of Public Act 23-102, known as “An Act Strengthening Protections for Connecticut’s Consumers of Energy” (“Take Back our Grid Act”) including but not limited to, utility company rate cases, a deep dive into the distribution interconnection procedures employed by the electric utilities, and inspections, audits, and investigations into the regulated electric, gas, and water utilities, and telecommunications companies.
  • The Assistant Rate Specialist may support the agency’s proceedings related to Connecticut’s energy affordability programs administered by the state’s investor-owned utilities and support the agency’s mission of better educating the public regarding utility companies and assistance available to the public. This may include but is not limited to assisting in preparation for staff participation in formal hearings before department, assisting in research projects, writing reports and analyzing data and information that support the department’s overall mission and work.
  • For more information regarding the impact and potential associated with being a member of the EOE, applicants are encouraged to review recent publications regarding the office’s accomplishments, such as these 2021 and 2023 articles. 
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 statutorily charged with regulating many 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, reviewing mergers and acquisitions in all the above regulated sectors, conducting periodic utility rate cases, overseeing service quality, safety, and investment for the state's telecommunications infrastructure, and implementing federal requirements for natural gas pipeline safety.

Selection Plan

For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:  Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

To Apply
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
  • The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. 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 not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
Important Information After You Apply
  • 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 questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • Note: 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, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Nicholas Naples at Nicholas.Naples@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, this class is accountable for receiving training in analysis and research of electric, gas, water, telephone and cable television companies for the purpose of verifying rate structures in accordance with revenue allowed and improving rate design.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • Receives generalized training in rate analysis;
  • Performs studies, analysis and research of rate structure of various companies under jurisdiction of the Department;
  • Reviews rate and tariff schedules for compliance with regulations and departmental findings and orders;
  • Assists in preparation for staff participation in formal hearings before commission or agency;
  • Reviews actions taken by regulatory or legislative bodies which have a bearing upon policies and practices of regulated companies;
  • Assists in performance of economic analyses in area of rate structure design and impact on consumer;
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Knowledge of
    • economic, financial and statistical methodologies used in analyzing rate structure;
    • principles and practices of rate structure design;
  • Skills
    • interpersonal skills;
    • oral and written communication skills;
  • Ability to utilize computer software.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Five (5) years of professional experience in electric, gas, water, telecommunications or cable television regulatory matters.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • 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.
  • A Master's degree in a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
  • Successful completion of a Connecticut Careers Trainee program approved by the Department of Administrative Services may be substituted for the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • A bachelor’s degree.
  • Experience working in utility regulation, telecom, broadband, utility infrastructure or energy policy.
  • Experience working on energy affordability.
  • Experience with public outreach, social services and resolving customer complaints. 
  • Experience working to mediate disputes.
  • Experience public speaking.
  • Experience in writing reports and communications that provide recommendations or conclusions. 
  • Experience interpreting technical or legal documents and communicating information to non-technical stakeholders.
  • Experience with database management and synthesizing results after conducting quantitative and qualitative analysis. 
  • Experience with project management, working on 2 or more projects simultaneously, while adhering to deadlines.
  • Experience coordinating, scheduling and managing outcomes with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Experience working independently to meet Team and personal deadlines and goals.
  • Experience using Microsoft Office 365 applications including Sharepoint and TEAMS.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

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

Conclusion

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.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.  As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.





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