Director- Regulation, Policy, Monitoring and Enforcement - (Electricity, Water & Sewerage Sector)

The position is responsible for developing, maintaining and deploying the technical competencies of the OUR with respect to the economic regulation of the Electricity, Water and Sewerage sectors, enabling the Office to discharge its functions efficiently and consistent with its statutory duties.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE:              Director - Regulation, Policy, Monitoring, and Enforcement (RPME) - Electricity, Water & Sewerage                          Sectors (EWS) 

LOCATION:             Kingston, Jamaica 

DEPARTMENT:       Regulation, Policy, Monitoring, and Enforcement (RPME) 

UNIT:                     Electricity, Water & Sewerage (EWS) 

REPORTS TO:         Deputy Director General - Electricity, Water & Sewerage (Directly)

          Deputy Director General - Information & Communications Technology (Indirectly)

       Director General (Indirectly)

 DIRECT REPORTS:           

Manager Regulation & Policy (EWS)

Manager Engineering & Technical Analysis (EWS)

Power System Specialist

Regulatory Economic Specialist

Regulatory Policy Specialist (Principal Analyst)

Project Coordinator/Executive Assistant 

INDIRECT REPORTS:      

Regulatory Analyst

Regulatory Engineer

Utility Monitoring Analyst 

LIAISES WITH (INTERNALLY): 

The Office, the Executive, Senior Managers and other staff members, as required.                                                        

LIAISES WITH (EXTERNALLY):           

1. Officers and senior officials of regulated utilities 

2. Fair Trading Commission (FTC), National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) and other relevant regulatory and public bodies.

3. Ministries with responsibility for: – Energy, Telecommunications, Water, Transportation and Health, Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Water Resources Authority (WRA).

4. Officers and Senior Officials of local and international regulated utilities and regulatory bodies.

5. Senior Staff at Multilateral Entities.

6. Consultants and Auditors

7. Others as necessary

 A.    Job Purpose Statement:

The position is  responsible for developing, maintaining and deploying the technical competencies of the OUR with respect to the economic regulation of the Electricity, Water and Sewerage sectors, enabling the Office to discharge its functions efficiently and consistent with its statutory duties.

 More specifically, the incumbent is required to direct a highly competent diverse team and to coordinate across departments and units being the primary technical and policy advisor to the responsible Deputy Director General and Director General on the regulatory output activities for the Electricity and Water and Sewerage sectors.

 B.    Key Outputs of the Job: 

1. The relevant aspect of the regulatory programme as defined in the Work Plan and agreed with The Office is implemented on schedule.
2. Consultative Documents, Technical Reports, Position Papers, Research Papers and Determination Notices relating to the sectors are produced. These documents should be relevant, of a high technical quality, on time, and professional in presentation.
3. The Unit is well managed; teams perform harmoniously and deliver quality tasks on time.
4. The work of the Unit is well planned to meet expected deadlines.
5. The requisite skills and competencies available to the Unit are motivated and effectively utilized.
6. The personnel/administrative policies as outlined are adhered to.
7. Represents the OUR well in the media as well as in local, regional and international forums.

 C.    Key Responsibility Areas (Duties) 

Management/Administrative

1. Leads the development and implementation of the department’s Corporate/Strategic and Operational Plans, Project Charters, and Budget.
2. Manages the department’s expenditures; ensuring that they are maintained within the approved budget.
3. Develops, for incorporation into the OUR Corporate Work Plan, a yearly indicative work plan, spanning four (4) years, covering the activities and projects of the department.
4. Plans, executes, manages, and reports on the progress of, relevant areas of the Corporate Work Plan.
5. Develops, revises, and or
6.  approves policies and procedures for all department areas and implements systems to monitor compliance.
7. Leads the development/review and implementation of operational systems and procedures to guide the functions of the department.
8. Manages the preparation of responses to audit queries.
9. Manages Corrective Action Requests and other audit-related findings, within agreed timelines.
10. Attends meetings of the Office and makes presentations to advise the Office in its decision making.
11. Represents the OUR at meetings, conferences and other fora as required.
12. Prepares, and submits to senior management, quarterly and annual regulatory reports.
13. Supports and promotes the quality management system (QMS) in the OUR.

 Technical/Professional

1. Plans, organizes and directs the operations of the Electricity, Water and Sewerage Unit.
2. Provides leadership to a team of multi-disciplinary, multi-sectorial specialists in doing economic, financial and policy analysis relative to the recommendations for the issue of licences, tariffs, monitoring and the operations of utilities.
3. Provides guidance to rate review determinations and the design of operating standards, technical parameters and governing rules within which the utilities seek to satisfy their customers and meet their revenue objectives.
4. Provides leadership in the development and implementation of performance monitoring schemes to ensure world-class delivery of utility services.
5. Advises the Office on policies related to setting of rates, performance standards, inputs to the drafting of legislations, licences and enforcement decisions issued by The Office.
6. Directs the technical analyses required for mergers, acquisitions, water and power purchase agreements, licence applications and renewals and other non-routine corporate transactions, carried out by licencees, which may impact their regulation.
7. Serves as the key in-house technical advisor to the Office on economic and technical regulation dimensions of electricity, water and sewerage; giving advice and being involved in important problem-solving discussions and activities pertaining to tribunal disputes, charges and counter-charges between competing utilities/investors, between customers and utilities, as well as contentious and complex issues involving government and civil society at large.
8. Guides the technical benchmarking activities of the OUR, in the on-going effort to identify and incorporate into its practices, world-class procedures and standards relative to the regulatory process.
9. Prepare quarterly and annual regulatory reports relating to the sectors.
10. Attends meetings of the Office and its relevant sub-committees as required, as well as make presentations to advise the Office in its decision-making.

 Human Resource

11. Provides leadership and guidance to staff through effective planning, delegation, communication, mentoring,                   and coaching for the staff in the unit to ensure that staff is effectively utilised to achieve departmental                objectives and enhance their professional and/or personal development.

12.Employs strategies that foster a culture of excellence, teamwork, and open communication within the unit to     ensure the maintenance of a cadre of highly motivated and productive employees. 

13.Establish KPIs/targets for Work Plan for direct reports, undertake mid-year reviews and conducts final          performance appraisals

14. Recommends training and other development programmes for the staff in the department.
15. Develops and monitors a Development Plan for each direct report.
16. Participates in the recruitment of staff in the department and recommends transfers, promotions, disciplinary actions in accordance with established human resource policies and procedures.
17. Manages department personnel utilization of leave in accordance with personnel policies and procedures

Other

Performs any other related duties that may be assigned from time-to-time.

 D.    Performance Indicators/Standards (e.g. {i} reports prepared and submitted within time and against established quality; or {ii} recruitment, selection, and orientation exercises conducted within stipulated timeframe; iii} response letters prepared and dispatched within one business day). 

1. Calculations, analyses, and proposed determinations provided to the Executives and Office are accurate and timely.
2. Reports prepared are timely, comprehensive, and efficacious.
3. Sound policies are developed on issues that are indicative of the OUR's interest.
4. Critical support is provided to the Executives and the Office in the implementation of the economic regulations of the relevant utilities.
5. Sound and well-thought-out advice is provided on the impact of the regulatory regime on the efficiency of the relevant utilities and recommendations for adjustments.
6. Contacts with local and international consultants, utility advisors and all stakeholders are conducted with the highest degree of professional standards and consistent with the established demeanor of the OUR.
7. Accurate database of relevant international/national information is developed and maintained.
8. Departmental expenditure is managed and maintained within the approved budget
9. Punctuality and integrity characterize the demeanor of the incumbent.
10. Compliance with OUR’s Policies and Procedures and Quality Management System (QMS).

 E.    (i) Core Competencies (knowledge, skill, abilities, attitudes, and personality that are required to effectively carry out the tasks that are contained in a job). 

 E.    (ii)Technical/Functional Competencies (knowledge, skill, abilities, attitudes, and personality that are required to effectively carry out the tasks that are contained in a job).  

1. Specialized knowledge in Utility Regulation and Tariff Setting.
2. Expert knowledge of the regulatory framework (this includes the OUR Act, the NWC Act, the Electricity Act, the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited Electricity Licence, etc.)
3. Working knowledge of the Data Protection Act
4. Formal exposure to Operational Analysis, Financial Analysis, Problem Solving Tools and Techniques.
5. Outstanding understanding of the financial, economic and technical factors underpinning the performance of the utility sector.
6. Outstanding theoretical appreciation of critical regulatory issues.
7. Outstanding leadership, analytical, strategic vision, negotiation and written and oral communication skills.
8. Ability to use emotional intelligence in understanding, building and directing work teams.
9. Demonstrated ability to interact with senior industry and government personnel.
10. Be computer literate with proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, SPSS and AI software.
11. Demonstrate high level of initiative.
12. Highly developed planning and organizational skills.

 F.      Minimum Required Education and Experience

Demand/Pressure of Position

1. The incumbent works continually in a high stress environment to meet deadlines and deliver accurate and complicated positions in written or verbal formats to The Office and ultimately for external stakeholders.
2. When doing outside work, the incumbent is exposed to the normal hazards involved in travelling as well as the elements.
3. Stress may result from long hours of reading technical data, producing reports and drawings conclusions.
4. The use of computer including exposure to glare from the monitor for long hours may be necessary.
5. Working in excess of the forty (40) hours per week (if necessary) to complete tasks and assignments is a requirement.
6. Making presentations on the work of the OUR.
7. There is the weight of knowing that the findings and conclusions emanating from his/her advice in particular, and the Research & Policy Department generally, inform directly the policy positions and decisions of The Office and by extension the regulated sectors of the economy for which the Office has responsibility and has direct impact on the welfare of consumers. 

Analytical and Cognitive Demand

8.  The job requires mental alertness and application in order to exercise sound judgment in relation to technical     regulatory issues.

9. The job requires a diversity of analytical skills and the ability to simultaneously engage with several complex    issues and deliver on time.

     10.The job requires mental agility to switch from handling complex issues in one utility sector to those in another on     a continuous basis. 

H.   Authority (e.g. authorise purchases up to J$100,000, rent a motor vehicle from reputable vendor, sign agreements, handle confidential matters…)

 The incumbent is authorised to:

1. Represent the Office and make commitments on behalf of the Office in external fora.
2. Recommend changes and improvements (personnel, technology, processes) with a view of enhancing the efficacy of the regulatory process and the operations of the OUR.
3. Approve consultative documents and determination notices, and make recommendations with respect to specific regulatory issues being deliberated on by The Office.
4. Make public statements on behalf of the OUR.
5. Requisition material, equipment and personnel for use in the Department.
6. Approve expenditure up to the approved level.
7. Access confidential information within the scope of duties and deny such access to unauthorized personnel.