Strategic Advisor: Market Risk Governance & Integration

Full Job Description

Seattle City Light, is one of the nation’s largest municipally owned utilities in terms of the number of customers served.

Over the years we have worked very hard to keep Seattle's electricity affordable, reliable, and environmentally sound.

Today, City Light is a recognized national leader in energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

The Energy Risk Governance and Policy Advisor leads risk governance and risk-informed decision-making for City Light’s wholesale trading and market participation activities.

This role focuses on identifying, assessing, and communicating energy, environmental, and market-structure risks- particularly those arising from evolving regional markets, regulatory change, and increasing market integration.

The Advisor oversees risk controls, reporting, and governance frameworks to ensure alignment with internal risk expectations and external regulatory requirements.

This is a strategic, cross-functional role suited for candidates from power/commodities trading, investment/portfolio risk, market policy, or quantitative analysis who want to apply their skills in a dynamic power and environmental commodities environment.

The Advisor partners closely with internal teams (Trading, Settlements, Risk, Finance, Regulatory/Policy, Operations, IT) and engages external stakeholders (market operators, vendors, industry groups, and counterparties) to anticipate emerging risks and translate them into actionable strategies, controls, and recommendations.

A key component of the role is identifying embedded and systemic risks in power, transmission, and environmental commodity markets and converting those insights into measurable, decision-ready risk metrics, monitoring, and reporting.

The position also supports the configuration and enhancement of Energy Trading and Risk Management (ETRM) systems to accommodate new products, market structures, and services by coordinating with internal system owners and external vendors.

The Advisor supports portfolio risk alignment, ensuring new opportunities and market participation decisions are consistent with risk tolerance, and may contribute to credit risk frameworks, policy updates, governance documentation, and new market entry assessments.

This position reports to the Manager, ISO Settlements, Risk Control & Governance.

Requirements

Here is more about what you’ll be doing:

·Market integration, policy, and regulatory risk assessment: Participate in market/operator and stakeholder forums (e.g., CAISO EIM and related efforts), evaluate implications for City Light operations and portfolio risk, and translate findings into clear recommendations for internal teams and leadership.

·New market initiative support & participation strategy: Provide risk, governance, and operational guidance during implementation and post go-live phases of initiatives such as EDAM/SPP Markets+ (or similar), including recommendations on participation strategy, bidding/market behavior considerations, and downstream impacts.

·Settlements, metering, and OATT/suballocation lead: Serve as a technical resource for EIM settlements and metering; design and manage settlement validation methodologies (including suballocation); and support process development for settlements and suballocation billing to transmission customers under OATT-related initiatives.

·Environmental and emissions markets risk & reporting: Advise on risks and reporting implications tied to environmental and emissions attributes (e.g., RECs and other environmental commodities), including market activity impacts to compliance and reporting requirements.

·Risk monitoring, analytics, and decision support: Identify embedded and systemic risks across power, transmission, and environmental commodities; develop measurable risk monitoring and reporting (dashboards, metrics, analyses) using tools such as Python, SQL, Tableau, and Excel/Power BI; and communicate insights to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

·Risk governance, systems enablement, and cross-functional delivery: Maintain and enhance risk control, reporting, and governance frameworks; support ETRM configuration/enhancement for new products and market structures by coordinating with internal owners and vendors; provide operational coverage as needed; and contribute to credit risk frameworks, policy updates, and new market entry assessments.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

In addition to the skills and experience mentioned below, a successful applicant will have experience that reflects a commitment to creating fair and equitable outcomes and has:

Education: A bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, business, public administration, public policy, or risk management is required.

Experience:

4 years experience in program/strategy development, project coordination, or designing and implementing new programs.

3+ years experience in energy, energy markets and/or environmental emissions attributes.

Desired Qualifications - You will be successful if you have the following experience, skills, and abilities:

• Four - Five (4-5) years’ experience in program development, project coordination, or designing and implementing new programs; and a bachelor’s degree in public administration, public policy, business or a related field as stated above (or a combination of education, training, and/or professional experience that provides an equivalent background to succeed in the role).
• Strong understanding of wholesale energy markets, including market structures, pricing mechanisms, and operations within RTOs/ISOs such as CAISO, SPP, ERCOT, or PJM, including experience supporting or executing trading activities in day-ahead and real-time markets, including bidding strategies, position management, and risk mitigation.
• The role requires strong analytical and quantitative skills, with the ability to assess portfolio risk, interpret complex data, and guide strategic decision-making.
• A solid grasp of emerging markets, including power, environmental products, and transmission, is essential, along with the ability to evaluate embedded risks and market impacts.
• project management capabilities, particularly in leading cross-functional initiatives and coordinating internal and external audits.
• Experience with trading and risk systems (e.g., ETRM/CTRM platforms) is important for supporting new product integration and process enhancements.
• Effective stakeholder engagement and communication skills are critical for collaborating across trading, finance, compliance, and IT teams, as well as with external regulators and market operators.
• Strong communication skills, including writing, facilitating, and presenting in professional settings.
• Confidence working with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, and the ability to make complex information easier to understand.
• Familiarity with infrastructure or capital project delivery work, or experience in a related field where you’ve supported technical teams or translated complex information for broader audiences.
• A commitment to equity, inclusion, and public service.
• A proven track record of taking initiative, following through, and adapting to new challenges.

Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Additional Information

The full salary range for this position is $51.88 to $77.82 per hour.

Application Process

Please submit the following with your online application:

• A cover letter in which you clearly describe how your knowledge, experience, skills, and abilities prepare you for the job responsibilities and qualifications outlined in the job announcement
• A current resume of your educational and professional work experience.

Who May Apply: This position is open to all candidates that meet the qualifications. Seattle City Light values diverse perspectives and life experiences.

Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Seattle City Light encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.

Job offers are contingent on the verification of credentials and other information required by the employment process, including the completion of a background check.

The background check will involve a criminal history check, which includes conviction and arrest records in compliance with the Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17and the City of Seattle Personnel Rule 10.3.

A driving history review may be conducted in compliance with SMC 4.79.020.Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans.

Want to know more about Seattle City Light? Check out our web page: https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/about-us/careers.