Manager, Reliability Requirements & Market Support

The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) is responsible for the safe, reliable, and economic planning and operation of the Alberta Interconnected Electric System. We provide open and non-discriminatory access to Alberta’s interconnected power grid and also facilitate Alberta’s competitive wholesale electricity market. The AESO strives to foster an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace where people feel respected and welcomed for who they are, together we deliver high performance and innovative results.

Job Description

Reporting to the Director, Grid Planning & Operations Engineering, the Manager, Reliability Requirements & Market Support leads two integral teams responsible for maintaining system reliability and supporting efficient market operations in Alberta. This is an excellent opportunity for a strategic leader with strong technical and market insight to guide the teams in both the engineering and market support domains, while shaping Alberta’s electricity future.

In the engineering domain, the Manager oversees the development of reliability and interconnection requirements, system performance monitoring, ancillary services assessments, and the delivery of wind and solar forecasts. This includes special studies and tools that enhance operational readiness.

In the market support domain, the role includes customer support and training, administration of energy and ancillary services market accounts, procurement of ancillary services, and the development of technical and system requirements for market operations. The Manager also supports compliance activities related to asset performance.

This full-time permanent opportunity offers room for growth, competitive compensation, and a variable pay program. We also have paid vacation and flex time, health & dental benefits, a defined contribution pension plan, and learning and development opportunities as part of your overall compensation package.

Signs you will enjoy working in this team:

• You thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment and are excited about contributing to the transformation of Alberta’s energy system.

• You enjoy collaborating with a team of bright professionals, engaging in thoughtful discussions, and solving complex challenges.

• You embrace change and adapt quickly, seeing it as an opportunity to drive innovation and improvements.

• You thrive in a diverse atmosphere—our team brings a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, and you excel at bringing out the best in everyone.

• You have a strong desire to continuously learn and take on new challenges, and you lead by example, inspiring others to do the same.

Signs you will enjoy this role:

• You enjoy creating engaging and empowering employee experiences, including onboarding, coaching, performance management, and fostering both technical and professional development. You are passionate about growing your team’s capabilities, from early career professionals to seasoned experts.

• You are skilled at navigating technical, regulatory, and business perspectives and can convey complex information to various audiences. Your expert opinions will be valued in both external forums and in internal discussions with AESO senior leadership and external stakeholders, as you communicate engineering findings, recommendations, and risks.

• You have an innate ability to identify efficiencies and optimize processes. Your enthusiasm for continuous improvement is contagious, and you inspire others to constantly seek out ways to improve.

• You lead teams with a strong desire to develop and mentor employees, providing them with opportunities to thrive and reach their full potential.

• You possess excellent communication skills—both written and verbal—and demonstrate a proven ability to build and develop relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Key Accountabilities:

• Exceptional team building skills with demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and mentor staff.

• Develop the AESO’s Reliability Requirements Roadmap.

• Develop reliability requirements, including but not limited to interconnection requirements for generators and loads.

• Monitor system performance and implement solutions as needed to maintain acceptable balancing and frequency performance and system stability.

• Design, enhance, and assess the efficiency of ancillary services.

• Determine the amounts of various ancillary services the system needs to meet performance targets.

• Perform or support special studies in support of customer interconnections.

• Develop study guidelines and train AESO engineers to perform special studies (such as EMT-based stability studies).

• Deliver tools to enhance operational readiness and efficiency.

• Assist Operations planning as required to investigate major system events and real-time operational concerns in collaboration with other engineering departments.

• Develop the AESO’s synchro-phasor data policy and assess the need for PMUs.

• Procure operating reserves on behalf of the AESO.

• Qualify providers of ancillary services.

• Provide technical inputs to procurements of contracted ancillary services.

• Deliver or support special studies related to system reliability (such as investigating the need for synchronous condensers, studying inter-area oscillations, assessing GMD risk, etc.).

• Deliver the AESO’s wind and solar forecast (for real-time dispatching purposes.

• Provide primary customer support for energy and AS market participants.

• Administer customer accounts in the energy and ancillary services markets.

• Develop business and technical requirements for market operation systems.

• Provide support for the settlement of conscripted ancillary services.

• Train energy and AS market participants

• Implement customer outreach programs and relationship management with ancillary service.

• providers Need to be the Responsible Member in this area.

Skills and experiences that will support your success in this role:

• University degree in engineering, with an emphasis on power systems, control systems, simulation and modeling, or a related area

• Member of APEGA (P. Eng.).

• A minimum of 10 – 15 years related experience in electricity industry. 

• Proven experience in managing and leading technical engineering and market support teams.

• Managing and developing strategic working relationships with business partners and stakeholders

• Supervising and providing technical guidance for engineers and EITs

• Understanding of Alberta Reliability Standards and ISO Rules

• Understanding of the Alberta energy and AS markets.

Application deadline: May 29, 2025

If you are contacted for a pre-screening and/or interview, please advise of any accommodation measures required to enable you to fully participate. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

The Alberta Electric System Operator is unable to accept unsolicited agency resumes.

The Alberta Electric System Operator, and its members, officers, employees and agents (collectively, the "AESO") is committed to protecting personal information provided to it. When you submit your personal information to the AESO for the purpose of pursuing employment with the AESO, the collection, use and disclosure of personal information is in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act) of Alberta.

As noted, the AESO is mandated to maintain the safe and reliable operations of the provincial power grid. As part of meeting its obligations, the AESO may require the successful candidate to undergo a criminal background check for the position. This collection of personal information for the purposes of a check will be conducted in accordance with Section 33 of the FOIP Act.