Commercial Negotiations Specialist

Powered by water... and by people like youProviding clean electricity to 4 million customers takes a diverse workforce and that’s where you come in. We need your talent to help us build major projects to meet growing demand. To help our customers find clean energy solutions for their homes and businesses and to be ready to respond during storms and outages to keep our system reliable.Working for BC Hydro is meaningful. And now, the stakes have been raised as we work towards a solution to climate change while safely providing clean, affordable electricity to our customers.We offer a healthy work life balance, training opportunities and career progression. We're proud to be ranked as one of B.C.'s Top Employers and one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers. Join us as we build an even cleaner B.C.JOB DESCRIPTION
Duties:
BC Hydro acquires power from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to help meet B.C.'s electricity needs. BC Hydro’s IPP Portfolio Management team is responsible for managing business and contractual relationships with IPPs that develop and operate electricity generation projects such as wind, water, biomass and solar and sell power to BC Hydro. BC Hydro’s portfolio of IPP contracts includes about 130 agreements and IPPs collectively provide about 25% of BC Hydro’s electricity supply.Our team comprises senior professionals from diverse backgrounds who bring strong commercial judgment to the management of complex contractual and business issues. This role provides commercial negotiation leadership for BC Hydro’s portfolio of electricity purchase agreements with Independent Power Producers. The successful candidate will lead and support complex negotiations involving contract amendments, commercial settlements, dispute resolution and other portfolio initiatives, while also managing an assigned portfolio of contracts and commercial relationships.Activities may include contract interpretation, strategic evaluation, business case development, financial and economic analysis, commercial negotiations, dispute resolution and day-to-day contract management.This role is suited to an experienced commercial professional with a demonstrated record of planning, leading and concluding complex negotiations. The successful candidate will combine strong negotiation judgment with contract interpretation, financial analysis, risk management and relationship management skills.What you’ll do
Leading commercial negotiations, and providing senior commercial support to other negotiations, with IPPs concerning new or renewed contracts, contract amendments, settlements, disputes, emerging commercial issues and other portfolio initiatives;
Developing negotiation strategies, mandates and recommendations based on commercial, contractual, financial and risk analysis;
Identifying the interests, alternatives, risks and potential trade-offs relevant to a negotiation and developing practical options that protect BC Hydro’s interests;
Conducting negotiations within approved mandates, assessing proposals and counterproposals, and recommending changes to negotiation authorities where appropriate;
Coordinating multidisciplinary negotiation teams and working with legal, regulatory, technical, financial and operational specialists;
Preparing business cases, briefing materials and recommendations to obtain internal negotiation mandates and approvals;
Documenting negotiated outcomes and supporting the development and implementation of definitive agreements;
Establishing negotiationplans and maintaining clear records of mandates, proposals, decisions, commitments and approvals;
Managing a portfolio of electricity purchase agreements and acting as the primary commercial contact for assigned IPPs;
Interpreting contractualrights and obligations, resolving contract-administration issues and monitoring contractual compliance;
Identifying opportunities to reduce costs, manage risk and improve portfolio value;
andDeveloping and applying financial models in support of contract development, negotiation and commercial evaluation.Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Commerce or Engineering, ideally combined with additional graduate or post-graduate education in business or law and/or a professional designation (e.G., CPA, CFA). Equivalent experience will be considered.At least eight years of relevant professional experience, including a minimum of five years directly involved in planning or leading commercial negotiations, or playing a significant role in them. Experience should include the application of contract interpretation, financial analysis, risk assessment and business judgment to the development and execution of negotiation strategies.Demonstrated experience achieving negotiated commercial outcomes in situations involving competing interests, incomplete information, material risk or complex contractual issues.Commercial or technical experience in the energy, infrastructure, natural resources, regulated utility or similar sectors is an asset.Applicants who do not meet the full qualifications or those with lesser work experience may be considered for a lower-level position.Demonstrated experience leading complex projects and initiatives that involve cross-functional teams.Strong business acumen and the ability to make strategic decisions that consider competing interests, material risks and emerging policies.A resilient and positive self-starter who can provide effective leadership through organizational change and shifting priorities.Strong service orientation and experience working with executives, as well as with all levels of an organization.Proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel for analysis and modelling.Demonstrated strong written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, problem-solving and ability to work well in a fast-paced environment.Excellent communication and relationship-management skills, with the ability to build productive relationships with Independent Power Producers, First Nations, internal stakeholders and other business partners.Skills:
Demonstrated commercial negotiation expertise, including:
Developing negotiation strategies and mandates;
Identifying interests, alternatives, leverage, risks and trade-offs;
Leading multidisciplinary negotiation teams;
Negotiating complex contractual and commercial terms;
Using financial analysisto evaluate offers and develop options;
Managing difficult negotiations and resolving disputes;
Securing internal alignment and executive approvals;
andTranslating negotiated outcomes into clear contractual documentation.
Strong understanding of risk management and financial analysis, valuation and risk management;
Strong analytical ability to identify key issues and develop practical solutions;
Exceptional communication and stakeholder-engagement skills;
andProven ability to lead change and implement new business processes in challenging, fast-paced environments.Strategic Thinking & Commercial AcumenCommercial NegotiationStakeholder Engagement & CommunicationADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Before you apply, please confirm you meet BC Hydro’s time in role requirement. M&P employees must meet the time in role requirements specified in the updated M&P TIR policy. For MoveUP and IBEW employees, the current time in role as outlined in the Collective Agreements will apply.This role is categorized as an Energy Procurement Tech Lead at BC Hydro.Minimum 3 Days in Office according to the Hybrid Flexible Work model, including Wednesdays, Thursdays and one other day. Subject to change based on business needs.We're always looking for exceptional people to bring new ideas, fresh thinking and the motivation to help shape the electricity system in B.C. It's an exciting time to be a part of our team as we invest in our system and prepare to meet the challenges of tomorrow.Our values guide our work. Want to join us?We are safe.We are here for our customers.We are one team.We act with integrity and respect.We are forward thinking.BC Hydro is an equal opportunity employer.We include everyone. We welcome applications from anyone, including members of visible minorities, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities.We are also happy to provide reasonable accommodations throughout the selection process and while working at BC Hydro. If you require support applying online because you are a person with a disability, please contact us at View email address on ca.hrm.tc
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