Lead Network/Telecom Admn

Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is about more than power. We’re about the power of relationships. Our employees have the opportunity to work together to ensure electricity is delivered reliably and affordably to the millions of people living in our service territory. We have been voted one of Arkansas’ Best Places to work by Arkansas Business and we are looking for a member of our team who is passionate about our mission to keep the lights on!

We have a core ideology here at SPP that we stand by: Do the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way.

We believe in supporting our employees through a fantastic benefits package:

• Competitive pay with bonus opportunities
• Excellent insurance package including three great medical plans to choose from, employer-paid short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance
• Relocation assistance
• Hybrid working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home 50% of the time
• Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a defined benefit plan fully funded by SPP

Overview:

The Lead Network/Telecom Administrator is responsible for the overall administration of the networking, telecommunications, and network security resources deployed throughout the Southwest Power Pool offices. This job contributes to Southwest Power Pool’s success by providing technology leadership to Information Technology projects and programs. Participates in both strategic and tactical planning activities of IT Infrastructure and system design. Makes decisions on complex or ambiguous technology design issues. Establishes standards appropriate to skill level. Participates in projects as a technical resource. Acts as a project technical lead on complex projects which include leading small projects and sustainment efforts, and providing direct technical oversight to other team members. provide second through fourth level support of a continuously-operational production environment.

Essential Functions:

• Datacenter Operations
• Periodic training
• Crisis management
• Emergency response plan development
• Disaster recovery plan
• Provide oversight for the daily operation of the SPP Data Centers.
• Resource Management
• New resource introductions
• Hardware management
• Hardware acquisitions
• Diagnostics, troubleshooting and resolution
• Planning, configuration and programming
• Resource lifecycle management
• Datacenter Standards
• Adhere to and develop industry standards for data centers
• Maintain a professional appearance with installations
• Perform and Direct Activities Dealing With Vendors and Contractors
• Negotiate with vendors concerning contracts
• Contact vendors concerning orders, services, and maintenance
• Contact members as required for orders, services, and maintenance
• Assist the Supervisor of Network/Telecom
• Day-to-day activities as directed/needed
• Provide assistance with performance review evaluations
• Contracts assessments and negotiations
• Budget development
• Research and development of new technologies
• Recommend and justify needed changes
• Recommendation of needed training for IT Operations staff
• Risk assessments of redundancy and vulnerabilities, with documentation
• Provide technical expertise to the SPP staff, members and the industry
• Manage special projects as assigned
• Flexibility and the ability to function with constantly changing and multiple priorities.
• Flexibility to work all hours of the day as dictated by the needs of business.
• Participate in on-call rotation
• Participate in the Cyber Incident Response Team

• Provide subject matter expertise
• Advanced diagnostics and resolution
• Provide post mortem analysis and reporting
• Adhere to all SPP policies and procedures
• Excellent organizational skills
• Minimal travel is required

The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibility and essential functions of this position, but should not be considered to be an all-inclusive listing of work duties and responsibilities. Individuals perform other duties as assigned including work in other areas to cover absences, or relief to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload.

Qualifications:

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology related field, or equivalent experience

Experience Requirements:

• A minimum of eight years network/telecom infrastructure support experience is required

Required:

• Advanced knowledge of technologies across multiple network, network security and telecommunications platforms
• Advanced Network and/or Telecommunications certifications required
• Advanced Network Security related certifications are required
• Excellent written and oral communications skills are essential

Preferred:

• Previous experience with NERC, FERC, CIP and SSAE16 is preferred
• A wide variety of experience in Information Technology field projects is preferred
• Advanced Juniper, Cisco, Crossbeam, TippingPoint and F5 experience is preferred

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment.

Physical Demands:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to make decisions, interpret data, and problem solve.
• The employee frequently is required to stand or sit for extended periods; use hands to operate a computer keyboard and standard office equipment.
• The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 10 pounds.
• Requires the ability to work and collaborate with managers and employees at all levels to exchange ideas, information, and opinions to facilitate the task.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of workweek are Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Working extended hours be required.

Travel Requirement:

This position requires minimal travel (approximately 10%).

Should you elect to apply for this position SPP will review your qualifications. If after reviewing the qualifications and experience of all applicants, your skills and credentials meet our needs, someone from our organization contact you. Please be advised that the time required to complete the applicant review process typically takes between 30 and 90 days, but could extend beyond that. Once the position has been filled, all applicants will be notified via email.

Southwest Power Pool is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age or any other protected category.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines “reasonable accommodation” as a change or adjustment to a job or work environment that allows a qualified individual with a disability to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of a particular job, and does not cause an undue hardship for the employer. SPP adheres to the ADA and reasonable accommodations be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)