Job Details

The successful candidate must be able to communicate effectively with a diverse membership as well as team members and employees. The candidate must have strong business insight with an ability to grasp complex industry specific practices (both electric utility and broadband) and general business practices and their impact on the membership. It is preferred that the candidate live in CNMEC's service area. The CEO / General Manager reports to an eight (8) member Board of Trustees and will supervise the management staff.

Job Summary

The CEO will manage the operations of the Cooperative in a prudent, ethical, and legal manner and in accordance with policies, plans, and objectives established by the Board of Trustees. Will keep the Board informed of progress and results achieved by the Cooperative. The CEO's responsibilities are divided into four equally important areas: Financial Management, Customer Relationship Management, Internal Process Management, and Innovation and Use of Technology. The responsibilities of the CEO may be handled personally by the incumbent or delegated to an appropriate staff member; in either case the accountability shall always remain with the CEO.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Shall assure that a sound budgeting process is in place to assist in forecasting the financial needs of the organization. The capital budgeting process shall be based upon the strategic plan; a maintenance plan and a construction plan as approved by the Board of Trustees. Will monitor expenditures for budget adherence and prudent utilization of funds. Any significant deviations in the budget should be thoroughly analyzed for need and return on investment.
• The total compensation package for non-bargaining employees should be reviewed on an annual basis, including employee direct compensation as well as fringe benefits. Careful analysis should be conducted to assure that salary ranges and benefit levels are both competitive with the local, regional and industry labor markets and a reasonable and prudent expenditure for the Cooperative.
• When negotiating union contracts, will strive to obtain a contract that balances the needs of both the bargaining unit and the Cooperative.
• With the assistance of the Manager of Finance, shall manage the debts of the Cooperative to assure that funding is obtained from the most cost-effective sources. Debt should be managed in such a way to maintain TIER and margin targets as established by the Board. Investments shall be managed in a prudent manner to assure the appropriate balance of risk and return for the Cooperative.
• Shall support an annual audit process as prescribed by the Board.
• Shall undertake on an appropriate basis a rate review in collaboration with the Board as a part of strategic planning to assure rates are appropriate for funding Cooperative operations.
• Shall assure that all engineering and administrative requirements are met and that relationships are maintained with financial institutions and other funding sources.

Customer Relationship Management

Customer Relationship Management is divided into the following three areas:

Members

• Will assure that regular member satisfaction is established and that follow-up action is taken on any negative comments received.
• Will assure that members are provided with appropriate notification of annual meetings and that members are provided with sufficient information for decision-making.
• Will assure the use of a program for key accounts, as defined by management, with special attention to customer satisfaction and business development, as necessary.
• Assures that the Cooperative shall maintain an effective system of communication to members regarding Cooperative issues such as planned outages, rate changes and member programs.
• Shall assure that appropriate policies, procedures and rules, in accordance with the PRC (Public Regulation Commission), are in place to resolve member complaints in a manner that is reasonable and fair to the member and is cost effective.
• Shall provide the membership with reliable electric service at the lowest possible cost and keep the members informed of plans, challenges and progress of the Cooperative and strives to develop a sense of ownership responsibility to the members and be sensitive to their changing needs.

Board of Trustees

• Will provide information to the Board of Trustees that enables them to make informed and timely decisions in accordance with their fiduciary responsibility to the Cooperative members, with content and frequency determined by the Board.
• Assists the Board in fulfilling its governance functions and facilitate optimum performance.
• Helps the Board to articulate its own role and accountabilities and to encourage best thinking and involvement among themselves.

Employees

• Will assure that a performance appraisal on each employee will offer an understanding of employee objectives and be an objective assessment of the employee's performance.
• Will assure that a position description is developed for each position and that incumbents in those positions are aware of the contents. Descriptions should be reviewed on a regular basis to account for job growth, changes in procedure or any other changes affecting the nature of work.
• Will consult with Staff to determine when new positions should be created or positions eliminated to best carry out the basic functions of the Cooperative.
• Develops, in consultation with Human Resources, a policy that provides for a systematic wage and salary program of classifications and salary ranges for each position outside the bargaining unit that assures a fair and equitable salary in conjunction with a systematic program of appraisal and review.
• Reviews the overall wage and salary program periodically with Staff and submits recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
• Assures that the salary level of each non-bargaining employee is reviewed on at least an annual basis to determine appropriateness of level and employee eligibility for salary adjustments in accordance with the approved wage and salary plan.
• Will foster an environment that promotes positive employee relations and will have periodic reviews to measure employee satisfaction with work, management, compensation and benefits and the overall work environment.
• Will deal in good faith with the bargaining unit according to the specifications of the collective bargaining agreement. Will direct negotiations with the employees' union for the collective bargaining agreement and recommend to the Board of Trustees for approval.
• Provides for an effective and appropriate job training and safety program for all Cooperative employees. Assures that regular safety meetings are conducted and that all levels of management strictly enforce safety policies.
• Will assure that training opportunities, providing value to the Cooperative, are made available to employees.
• Selects, appoints and / or terminates employees in accordance with organizational policies, procedures, the Safety Manual and the collective bargaining agreement.
• Reviews, subject to disapproval, all appointments made by immediate staff for positions in their respective departments.
• Reviews all terminations of employment of the Cooperative.

Internal Processes

• Shall support an annual strategic planning as prescribed by the Board.
• Shall assure that appropriate short-term / long-term planning is conducted to include maintenance and construction consistent with the overall strategic planning process. Shall also assure that progress is made on plans and that all work is conducted according to established engineering and applicable governmental safety standards.
• Shall regularly review the organizational structure of the Cooperative to assure the most appropriate utilization of human resources. Will also research opportunities for outsourcing when it is cost effective for the Cooperative.
• Will assure that operations are conducted in a safe manner according to established engineering and applicable governmental safety standards.
• Shall research opportunities for cost-effective, reliable power supply alternatives that are compatible with existing contracts.
• Shall assure that assets and resources of the Cooperative are utilized by all staff in the most prudent and cost-effective manner.
• Collaborates with Staff on operational policies to provide uniform procedures in all areas of operations.
• Reviews policies and procedures periodically to assure their effectiveness. The review will include compliance with applicable laws and continued support of organizational objectives.
• Shall initiate, stimulate, and encourage the development of improvements in operations, construction and member and public relations programs. Will review and approve recommendations from the Staff for major changes in procedures, practices, methods, internal audits, and standards.
• Will keep current in trends and new developments in management, engineering, labor relations, wholesale and retail rates, and administrative functions to obtain ideas which can be used in the Cooperative.
• Studies and keeps informed about legislation and administrative decisions which can affect the Cooperative.
• Attends professional meetings to keep informed in all fields which may influence the Cooperative's operations.
• Directs studies and reviews trends in wholesale power costs, the use of power, continuity of service, adequacy of margins and other items affecting various aspects of the Cooperative's operations.

Innovation and Use of Technology

• Acquisition of new technology should be incorporated into the collaborative strategic planning (long / short-term) process between the CEO and the Board.
• Will assure that a process is in place where technology acquisition is accomplished only after a thorough analysis of need, compatibility with existing systems and return on investment.
• Should take advantage of training opportunities to assure that the Cooperative remains informed of the most effective technologies and management practices.
• In collaboration with the Board, the CEO shall research opportunities for enhancement of the core electric business and subsidiary activities that would add value to the members and improve the financial health of the Cooperative.

Performs Personally

• Advises and counsels with Staff on problems which are beyond their control and makes necessary decisions.
• Sees that personnel make every effort at all times to be courteous to the members and public, promptly handle member complaints and requests for service and do all possible to develop increased member understanding of the Cooperative's objectives.
• Interprets system objectives, policies, and procedures to Staff and obtains their understanding and acceptance and sees that they communicate to the personnel reporting to them.
• Approves vacation schedules, sick leave, or other leave of personnel reporting directly to the CEO.
• Approves travel expenses and other expenses of his / her direct reports.
• Reviews and approves financial and statistical reports.
• Holds regular meetings with Staff to gain benefits of group thinking, problem solving and suggestions.
• Approves contracts.
• Submits monthly reports to the Board of Trustees.
• Attends and participates in national, regional, state and area meetings and serves on committees when appointed, required or directed.
• Approves reports for federal, state and local agencies.
• In collaboration with the Manager of Finance, investigates and recommends to the Board of Trustees, banking relationships.
• In collaboration with the Manager of Finance, investigates and recommends to the Board of Trustees the appointment of consultants and auditors.
• Participates in annual membership meetings to inform members of approved plans, programs, and of the Cooperative's progress.
• Reviews and approves loan applications to lending institutions utilized by the Cooperative.
• Determines compliance of the operation of the Cooperative with the Bylaws; recommends changes in the Bylaws to the Board of Trustees when necessary.
• Answers correspondence regarding special problems of members, and other matters requiring top management attention.
• Performs any other job duties as required or directed by the Board of Trustees in order to fulfill the objectives of the Cooperative.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Directly supervises the CFO, Manager of Operations, Manager of Member Services & Communications, IT Manager, Job Training & Safety Administrator, HR Manager, and Broadband Manager.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Economics, Public Administration, Engineering, Accounting or related studies plus ten (10) years of significant and progressively responsible management experience or equivalent combination of education and / or experience related to the discipline. At least half of these years should involve the direct supervision and leadership responsibilities at the department level and have been in the electric utility field, preferably with a rural electric cooperative or in the rural electric program, or with a consumer owned electric system. College courses in areas such as personnel, budgeting, statistics, public speaking, financial management, economics and engineering is desirable. Experience in supervising and developing people, planning, developing work programs and budgets, developing and presenting reports, and organizing and coordinating operations and measuring the end results of such operations is required. Experience in personally working with boards and member groups is highly desirable. A valid New Mexico Driver's License is required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Extensive knowledge in management functions, utility concepts, economics, rate design and the operations requirement of the electric utility industry is essential.
• Must possess excellent written, oral, interpersonal and presentation skills. Should be able to effectively communicate material of a highly technical nature orally and in writing.
• Must have excellent judgement and creative problem solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Must have the ability to multi-task.
• Requires demonstrated abilities and skills operating a personal computer using Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office Suite applications to include Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• Position has both external and internal contacts, which require a high degree of diplomacy and the ability to interact with and influence persons in all types of positions.
• Should possess a working knowledge of various management areas, such as Board-Manager relations, supervision, budgeting, personnel administration, planning, controls, forecasting, financial management, construction or project management, and be able to translate this knowledge into effective work programs.
• Should be familiar with basic accounting principles, financial and cash management techniques, and construction, operations, and maintenance procedures and requirements in the electric and broadband utility industry, particularly as they apply to distribution and transmission.
• Knowledge of community, industrial, and recreational development. General knowledge of load management and energy conservation. Working knowledge of RUS, CFC, and Co-Bank requirements.
• Should be able to supervise a highly competent professional staff, to develop effective teamwork and to counsel with them to encourage their growth and development.
• Should be able to delegate effectively.
• Should be skilled in planning and establishing effective controls to determine if plans are being carried out. Must be skilled as a leader and teacher of others.
• Must believe in and be dedicated to the rural electrification program and to basic cooperative philosophy and be willing to become a proponent of these concepts.
• Must have a strong interest in growing and developing if a further development is needed.
• Must be willing to develop a team devoted to providing the best possible service to the members, and to develop strong member and public support for the objectives, policies, and plans of the cooperative.
• Must be willing to devote the time required for a position requiring active participation and leadership at state, regional, and national meetings and affairs, with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., and with member and community groups at varying times.
• Must be able to provide leadership to the Board while working under the policy direction of the Board of Trustees.
• Should possess or develop an understanding of the Cooperative's Board Policies, Rules and Regulations, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation.
• Must be able to deal discreetly with confidential information.