Senior Manager Gas Supply Services

Job Specifications

Black Hills Energy is people powered and purpose driven. Our team uses the power of energy to improve life for over one million customers in 800+ communities across the West and Midwest. We seek talented, caring people who embody our core values and contribute to a culture of inclusion and growth. As an organization, we believe the best part of working on our team is our commitment to making tomorrow better than today-for our customers, communities and each other.

Position summary:

The Senior Manager, Gas Supply Services is responsible for overseeing and executing the procurement, delivery and optimization of natural gas supply for an assigned Black Hills energy utility service region. This role involves strategic planning, supplier relationship management, contract negotiations, people management, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. The Senior Manager will lead a team, analyze market trends, and develop strategies to ensure reliability and service quality, while seeking to minimize costs. This role is ideal for a results-driven professional with expertise in gas supply.

Pay Range: $116,500 - $192,400 (This posting includes the full pay range for this position. Pay is based on a number of factors and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity.)

Reporting Relationship: Director of Gas Supply Services

Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas

Relocation Assistance: Relocation assistance is available based on individual circumstances! Details to be shared during the offer process.

Essential Functions:
* Develop and execute purchase and optimization strategies for supply acquisition requirements focusing on cost minimization, gas delivery reliability, and minimizing exposure to daily and monthly imbalances as three key objectives.
* Negotiate purchase and sales transactions with suppliers, ensuring competitive pricing and reliable delivery for term, monthly and daily purchases.
* Manage day-to-day operations including forecasting of daily load requirements, purchase or sale of gas for operational reasons, optimization of transportation and storage contracts, gas supply scheduling and system balancing.
* Coordinate with counterparts in Generation Dispatch and Power Marketing and Integrated Resources Planning to purchase gas supply to meet the fuel requirements for electric generation dispatch, as applicable. This may also pertain to natural gas utility capacity planning. .
* Contribute to annual gas supply plan drafting and execution, with support of Director, Gas Supply Services, and other internal stakeholders as applicable.
* Manage and mentor a team of individual schedulers and forecasters to ensure supply deliverability, mitigation of pipeline imbalances and penalties, and assist with supplier and pipeline actualization and reconciliation as needed.
* Optimize supply portfolios to balance cost, risk and operational needs and maximize the value of pipeline capacity by soliciting interest and executing capacity release (and recall) transactions and asset management agreements, in compliance with FERC rules, and capturing value for customers.
* Participate in, or lead curtailment decisions, which may include internal collaboration with personnel in Gas Load Control, Operations, Regulatory, Business Development and Legal, as well as externally with pipeline companies.
* Collaborate with internal stakeholders on budgeting, forecasting and operational planning.
* Provide back up support to Director of Gas Supply Services for financial hedge execution.
* May be required to present or prepare documentation, including testimony, on GSS topics. Audiences may include state operations, regulatory, state commission staffs, or for industry events.

Additional Responsibilities:
* Participate in, or lead, special projects as a gas supply subject matter expert.
* Regularly use spreadsheets, database and word processing software, ETRM applications, and periodically learn new programs or applications such as PowerBI.
* Works with a wide variety of people with tact, courtesy and professionalism.
* Excellent communication skills, both personal and electronic; must maintain a high level of professionalism; must possess a very high level of verbal skills and be able to listen carefully.
* Maintains a regular, dependable attendance and a consistently high level of performance.
* Required to work non-traditional hours, and extended hours as needed. Work hours do not align with standard 8a-5p schedule, and requires an earlier start time. Additionally, off-hour availability as-needed, and may include weekends and holidays and extended work days, which is typically during winter months during extreme weather events.
* May be required to carry a company provided cell phone and be available to respond in a timely manner, which includes during non-working hours, especially related to company emergencies.

What Is Required:
* Bachelor's Degree in relevant field of work required (e.g. in the discipline of Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or Economics) or equivalent combination of education and experience.
* Minimum of 7 years of gas supply operations, planning, forecasting or applicable function.
* Strong knowledge of gas markets, contractual terms/agreements, tariffs and regulatory frameworks.
* Excellent analytical, negotiation, and communication capabilities.
* Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks and make sound decisions in high pressure situations.
* Proven leadership and team management skills.
* Strong experience with Microsoft Office products, Enterprise Transaction Risk Management applications (preferably ENDUR), and forecasting tools.
* Ability to partner and collaborate with a team and with various departments.
* This role will be required to travel up to 10% of the time.

What Is Desired:
* Course work or experience in statistics, modeling, data analysis, supply chain management or transportation logistics.
* Working knowledge of Front/Middle/Back office responsibilities and interdependence.

This description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, duties, and requirements for employees in this position. Job descriptions may and do change periodically. Where positions are covered by a collective bargaining unit agreement, the terms and conditions of the agreement will apply.

About our Company: We are a customer, growth and safety focused utility company that is dedicated to our communities. We improve life with energy as an energy partner of choice. Our diverse culture fuels unique perspectives, opening doors to new insights and possibilities. Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, we have over 3000 employees and serve 1.3 million natural gas and electric utility customers across eight states (South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Arkansas).

Enjoy our Comprehensive Benefits Package! Annual discretionary bonuses, 401(k) (6% company match and up to 9% company retirement contribution), tuition reimbursement, generous paid time off benefits, including paid holidays and parental leave, company paid life insurance and disability benefits (short and long term), critical illness, accident & group hospital insurance, pet insurance, an employee assistance program and well-being benefits, and competitive medical, dental and vision insurance.

Candidates must successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check. If there is anything that may show up in these reports that may conflict with the position requirements, feel free to contact the Black Hills Energy recruiting team at jobs@blackhillscorp.com.

Black Hills Energy does not sponsor applicants for work visas. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the US.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran. If you require reasonable accommodation, please visit careers.blackhillsenergy.com for more information.