Chief Legislative (Public Utilities) Analyst

City of Santa Fe Springs; Tallahassee (FL); On-site; USD 69,000 - 153,000; Full time

Job summary

The Office of Public Counsel seeks a Chief Legislative Analyst to evaluate complex utility cases and provide technical guidance across accounting, finance, economics, engineering, and tax for Florida’s 18 million customers.

You will develop expertise in public utility regulation and support deliberations on affordability, energy technologies, and storm restoration costs while leading a team of analysts and collaborating with attorneys.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and six years of professional experience in research, analysis, program planning and evaluation, or administrative work.
• A master’s degree from an accredited college or university can substitute for one year of the required experience.
• A doctorate from an accredited college or university can substitute for two years of the required experience.
• Professional experience as described above can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required college education.

Responsibilities

• Learn and grow to master public utilities regulation and become a multidisciplinary analyst.
• Lead the fight for regulatory change by recommending improvements that benefit customers.
• Provide in-depth analyses of complex utility filings and explain findings in briefings and emails.
• Draft technical questions for depositions and cross-examinations highlighting weaknesses in each utility’s case.
• Assist attorneys in retaining and preparing expert witnesses for depositions and hearings.
• Mentor and develop junior analysts and attorneys in a collaborative environment.

Skills

multidisciplinary analysis

analytical reasoning

leadership

communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree may substitute for one year

Doctorate may substitute for two years

Job description

General Summary

The Office of Public Counsel seeks a talented and experienced Chief Legislative Analyst to evaluate a variety of complex utility cases and provide technical guidance to promote successful outcomes for 18 million Florida customers. Relying upon a firm foundation of core talents and accomplishments in your current profession, you will quickly develop the necessary skills in accounting, finance, economics, engineering, corporate tax and investment, and public utility regulation to establish multi-disciplinary mastery as one of the high-level industry experts in the state. Your responsibilities are to provide detailed technical guidance on a variety of types of utility cases involving affordability, data center tariffs and agreements, various clause recovery proceedings, storm hardening plans, hurricane restoration costs, and the cost-effective integration of new energy technologies.

OUR ORGANIZATION

The Office of Public Counsel has zealously represented Florida's customers in high profile litigation for the past 52 years. We intervene as the statutory representatives of residential, commercial, and industrial customers in proceedings involving their collective interests. Our advocates actively confront critical affordability issues where the amounts in controversy can exceed billions of dollars in public hearings before the Public Service Commission and Appeals to the Supreme Court of Florida. The Office of Public Counsel performs independent analyses, presents testimony of nationally renowned expert witnesses, deposes and cross-examines utility witnesses, and prepares detailed legal briefs and recommendations. Our attorneys manage their own cases but operate as members of collaborative litigation teams. Our analysts review extensive case filings and provide critical technical advice to guide and support the development of effective legal strategies.

Examples of Work Performed

• Learning and Personal Growth: If you are willing to devote yourself to the mastery of public utilities regulation, we will invest substantial time and resources to prepare you for success as a multidisciplinary Chief Public Utilities Analyst.
• Lead the Fight for Regulatory Change: As you gain subject-matter mastery, you will recommend improvements that promote increasingly positive outcomes for customers.
• Expertise and Guidance: Display your growing subject-matter expertise by providing in-depth analyses of complex utility filings. Effectively explain your findings in helpful briefings and emails.
• Depositions and Cross Examination: Support the effective conduct of written and oral examination of industry experts and executives by drafting technical questions that highlight the weaknesses in each utility’s case.
• Expert Witnesses: Assist our attorneys in retaining and preparing our industry experts for depositions and hearings.
• Lead, Mentor, and Develop: As a member of the leadership team, set a professional example, mentor and encourage the future success of junior analysts and attorneys in a collaborative environment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• to the regulation of public utilities.
• Display increasing mastery of the multidisciplinary skills in accounting, finance, tax regulation, contracts, engineering, and corporate management.
• Review and assess findings from Audit Reports and official audit workpapers.
• Review, assess, and effectively integrate complex industry documents, corporate filings, graphs, charts, engineering schematics, and regulatory filings into our case preparation.
• Apply applicable state and federal legislation, laws, and rules.
• Employ analytical reasoning to anticipate challenges and implement creative solutions.
• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Display independent leadership, cooperative teamwork, initiative, and common sense.
• Work cooperatively with outside office staff, expert witnesses, officials, and public staff.
• Collaborate with in-house staff on an individual basis.
• Conduct effective and efficient meetings and presentations.
• Prepare authoritative and persuasive memoranda to guide industry staff in reaching well-supported outcomes that are fair, just, and reasonable.
• Conduct effective computations to check the accuracy of filed documentary evidence that promote more affordable utility rates for our customers.
• Support the preparation of trial briefs, motions, pleadings, and oral arguments.
• Exercise stewardship over all public funds and property.
• Uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
• Safeguard confidential and sensitive information and reinforce these standards throughout the office.
• Treat all people with courtesy, dignity, and respect.
• Zealously advocate for affordable utility rates and other positive customer outcomes.
• Put forth the full effort required to organize, plan, and achieve our litigation goals.

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and six years of professional experience in research, analysis, program planning and evaluation, or administrative work. A master’s degree from an accredited college or university can substitute for one year of the required experience. A doctorate from an accredited college or university can substitute for two years of the required experience. Professional experience as described above can substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required college education.

SALARY RANGE

$69,504-$152,952, commensurate with skills and experience.

Benefits

Excellent individual and family health benefits including free dental insurance. Retirement plan options that include employer contributions. Utilize state tuition opportunities to secure advanced degrees. Enjoy a generous upfront allotment of leave, sick leave, and holidays. Achieve work-life balance by embracing the unique opportunity to capture a total of 200 excess hours towards block leave, after supporting 3-5 multi-day cases per year, and a dozen smaller cases, where millions to billions of dollars are at stake.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

This position will remain open until it is filled.

ACCOMMODATION FOR DISABILITY

Please notify Human Resources at [phone] regarding accommodation for persons with disabilities.

Health and Dental Insurance

Employees have a choice of participating in the State Self Insured Plan or a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) if available in the county of residence or employment (Standard and High Deductible Investor plans are available). Full-time employees pay $30 per month for family coverage or $8.34 per month for individual coverage. Part-time employees pay premiums based on the total hours of work. For dental insurance, the Legislature offers a PPO plan that offers choice of dentist and pays from 50 to 100 percent of usual, customary, and reasonable charges. There is a $1500 maximum benefit per plan year. The Legislature pays the total premium for full-time employees and part-time employees pay premiums based on the total hours of work.

Leave Accrual Benefits

Annual Leave accrues as follows based on creditable state service:

Up to 5 years - 11 hours per month
5 to 10 years - 13 hours per month
Over 10 years - 15 hours per month

Sick Leave accrues at 9 hours per month for all full-time employees.

Life and Disability Insurance

Group Term life Insurance with an accidental death and dismemberment benefit provides $25,000 coverage. The Legislature pays the total premium for full-time employees and part-time employees pay premiums based on the total hours of work. For disability insurance, the Legislature offers a Group Long Term Disability Insurance Plan that provides a monthly benefit of 60 percent of covered monthly earnings after an elimination period of 360 days. The Legislature pays the total premium.

Retirement

Participation in the Florida Retirement System is compulsory for all salaried staff, except certain re-employed retirees. New employees have until the end of the eighth month following their first month of employment to select a retirement plan, from the traditional pension plan or the investment plan. New employees will receive an informational packet approximately two months after the hire date. Members and staff contribute 3% of their salary towards retirement and the Legislature pays the remainder of the premium.

Florida Pre-Tax Plan And Deferred Compensation Plan

This state sponsored program includes Supplemental Insurance Plans, Health Savings Account (when enrolled with an Investor Health Plan), and a Flexible Spending Program on a pretax basis. The Supplemental Insurance Plans include hospitalization, cancer/intensive care, dental, vision, and accidental/disability. The Flexible Spending Program includes healthcare and dependent care accounts. A competitive Deferred Compensation Plan is also offered. The State of Florida Deferred Compensation Plan offers a number of investment options including variable annuities, mutual funds, and a bank, with a variety of contract providers.

Paid Holidays

New Year's Day - Martin Luther King Day - Memorial Day - Independence Day - Labor Day - Veteran's Day - Thanksgiving Day - Friday After Thanksgiving - Christmas Day - Personal Holiday

Total Compensation Statement

The Total Compensation Statement provides a monetary value of each benefit listed below as well as a total annual compensation estimate. The annual salary amount used in this example is $50,000. Note: All values are based on individual plans.