Manager - Substation and Protection Engineering

GRAND RIVER DAM AUTHORITY; Tulsa (OK); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Grand River Dam Authority in Tulsa, OK seeks a Manager, Substation and Protection & Control Engineering to lead engineering staff, manage project delivery, and ensure technical excellence across substations and protection systems. The role requires ensuring schedules, budgets, and engineering deliverables meet GRDA standards and regulatory requirements.

You will oversee consultants and internal teams, foster collaboration, and drive safety, accountability, and continuous improvement while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited institution is required.
• Minimum eight years of progressively responsible engineering experience in electric utility transmission, substation, or Protection & Control.
• Minimum three years of supervisory, project management, or engineering leadership experience.
• Valid Oklahoma driver’s license; PE registration in Oklahoma preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, supervision, coaching, mentoring, and performance management for Substation and Protection & Control Engineering staff.
• Direct the execution of substation and protection engineering activities for capital projects and maintenance initiatives.
• Coordinate engineering services with consultants and external firms to ensure compliance with GRDA standards.
• Provide technical oversight of designs ensuring compliance with standards and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Communication

Mentoring

Team coordination

Education

ABET-accredited degree

Job description

This job posting will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on the date listed below.October 08, 2026We deliver affordable, reliable ELECTRICITY, with a focus on EFFICIENCY and a commitment to ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. We are dedicated to ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, providing resources and supporting economic growth. Our EMPLOYEES are our greatest asset in meeting our mission to be an Oklahoma Agency of Excellence.The Manager, Substation and Protection & Control Engineering provides leadership, direction, and management for GRDA’s Substation and Protection & Control Engineering functions. The position is responsible for developing personnel, managing engineering resources, overseeing project execution, and ensuring the timely delivery of high-quality engineering designs supporting the Authority’s transmission, generation, and substation assets.The Manager establishes priorities, allocates engineering resources, coordinates multidisciplinary projects, and fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, and technical excellence. While maintaining sufficient technical knowledge to provide engineering oversight, the position relies upon subject matter experts within the department to provide discipline-specific technical leadership. This is an unclassified, exempt position.Essential job functions include, but are not limited to:Leadership• Provide leadership, supervision, coaching, mentoring, and performance management for Substation and Protection & Control Engineering staff.• Establish departmental priorities, assign work, balance workloads, and ensure engineering resources are effectively utilized.• Promote employee development through mentoring, training, succession planning, and performance feedback.• Build a culture emphasizing safety, accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.• Conduct performance evaluations, establish employee goals, and provide regular feedback regarding individual and team performance.Project Delivery• Direct the execution of substation and protection engineering activities supporting capital projects, maintenance initiatives, and system improvements from planning through construction support.• Monitor project schedules, budgets, milestones, and engineering deliverables to ensure successful project completion.• Coordinate engineering activities with internal and external stakeholders.• Identify project risks, resource conflicts, and schedule impacts and develop mitigation strategies.• Coordinate and oversee engineering services performed by consultants, contractors, and external engineering firms to ensure compliance with project requirements and GRDA engineering standards.• Maintain accountability for the quality, timeliness, and completeness of engineering deliverables produced by the Substation and Protection & Control Engineering teams. Technical Oversight• Provide technical leadership and engineering oversight of substation and Protection & Control designs, ensuring compliance with applicable engineering standards, utility practices, regulatory requirements, and GRDA design standards.• Oversee assigned engineering compliance activities, ensuring appropriate technical personnel fulfill responsibilities associated with NERC Reliability Standards, GRDA engineering standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.• Represent GRDA, as appropriate, in regional organizations concerning substations, Protection & Control, and related topics.• Perform other duties as assigned.Skills, Knowledge, Qualities:• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams.• Ability to prioritize multiple concurrent projects and allocate engineering resources effectively.• Strong organizational and project management skills.• Ability to build collaborative working relationships across departments.• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills.• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop engineering professionals.• Ability to evaluate technical recommendations and apply sound engineering judgment in decision-making.• Knowledge of electric utility project development and engineering workflows.• Knowledge of substation and Protection & Control engineering principles, practices, standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.Education, Training, Experience:• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited institution is required.• Minimum eight years of progressively responsible engineering experience, preferably in electric utility transmission, substation, or Protection & Control engineering.• Minimum three years of supervisory, project management, or engineering leadership experience.Certificates, Registrations, Licenses:• Valid Oklahoma driver’s license.• Professional Engineer (PE) registration in Oklahoma is preferred.Physical/Mental Requirements & Working Conditions:• Ability to walk, climb stairs, crawl, work from ladders and elevated platforms.• Must not have a fear of heights, confined spaces, or working around high-voltage equipment.• Ability to lift, move, and carry weights of up to 30 pounds on an irregular basis.• Must possess the mental, visual, and auditory acuity necessary to maintain attention to visual and auditory detail.• Manual dexterity is required for operation of test equipment and small tools and for the installation, adjustment, and repair of control devices.• Work is primarily performed in an office environment, with outdoor excursions for design, testing, and troubleshooting of equipment as necessary.• Repair work may be performed outdoors and/or indoors in high-noise and high-temperature environments, including possible work in confined spaces.• Emergency repair work may be required during inclement weather and at any time of year.Other information:• This is an exempt position.• The position reports to the Director, Power Systems Engineering.• The position supervises Substation Engineering and Protection & Control Engineering personnel.• This position will primarily be located at the Engineering & Technology Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.• Travel may be required to specific work sites and substation locations throughout the northeastern quarter of Oklahoma.• Compensation will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.• Highly competitive benefits package.If you’re passionate about growth, teamwork, and making an impact, you’ll love building your career with us.