Sr Principal, Operational Compliance
American Water

Requisition ID: 107340

Share Our Purpose. Be Yourself. Feel Valued.

People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.

We are Beautifully Different. We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.

About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people across 14 regulated jurisdictions and 18 military installations. American Water's 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company's national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

As one of the fastest growing utilities in the U.S., American Water expects to invest $30 to $34 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, system resiliency and regulated acquisitions over the next 10 years. The company has a long-standing history of executing its core operations, aligned with sustainable best practices, through its commitments to safety, affordability, customer service, protecting the environment, an inclusive workforce and strengthening communities.

American Water has been recognized on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the fifth consecutive year, ranked 18th on Barron's 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies 2023 List, earned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense® Excellence Award, among additional state, local and national recognitions.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Do you have 15+ years of experience in utility or regulatory operations? Are you ready to make an impact in a dynamic, high-performing organization? Apply today for immediate consideration!

Primary Role

The Dir, Operational Compliance is responsible for the day-to-day implementation and performance of American Water's Operational Compliance Program (OCP) for the division and overseeing the state operating company (State) compliance with applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations. The individual will also be responsible for strategic planning around the OCP to ensure that the program remains relevant and viable.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the creation and maintenance of the operating company's OCP with a focus on ensuring compliance with federal and state laws and regulations and maintaining activities under the core elements of the OCP.
• Lead risk assessment activities to identify critical areas for compliance by functional area, develop an inventory of key compliance requirements, identify and deliver compliance controls to operating companies
• Lead and/or support root cause analyses of negative business compliance outcomes/events or significant near misses.
• Develop and deliver training to functional business leaders and support teams on key compliance requirements, systems and processes, and communicating and socializing OCP objectives to the business.
• Manage and expand the visibility of the OCP by engaging in training and awareness with employees and vendors.
• Lead the design, development, and implementation of strategies, processes and tactics focused on ensuring compliance with key compliance requirements within assigned operating companies, as well as the continual effectiveness of the OCP.
• Lead the testing of key compliance requirements through risk assessment tools and solution development to support continuous compliance program improvement.
• Work under the direction of and support the compliance work of the Corporate Operational Excellence Team.
• Continuously coordinate with the subject matter experts (SMEs) responsible for conducting compliance activities, including systems and process controls, within specified areas identified through the risk assessment process to facilitate monitoring and testing of those activities.
• Coordinate tracking and/or automation of appropriate compliance processes.
• Maintain and expand the OCP, by leveraging key relationships with internal organizations and personnel such as SMEs, AW Operational Excellence team, Operations leadership and conduct various monitoring reviews and analysis of the information and data generated from such activities.
• Provide compliance support directly to assigned operating subsidiaries, including but not limited to: inquiries received from regulatory agencies, outside audit agencies, as well as questions and inquiries from operating company personnel.
• Advise management on the status of each operating subsidiary's compliance with laws and regulations through detailed reports.
• Track, analyze and interpret changes to local, state and federal laws and regulations that impact operations.
• Review tariffs and regulatory orders for compliance requirements and incorporate into OCP
• Coordinate and/or perform audits/reviews to test compliance with laws, regulations, American Water policies and practices and State operating procedures.
• Assist in the development of corrective action plans when areas of opportunity are identified in audits/reviews.

Knowledge/Skills

• Excellent working knowledge of standard business concepts, practices and procedures
• Solid knowledge of compliance processes and programs
• Knowledge of utility operations, policies and business activities
• Knowledge of water and wastewater regulatory requirements
• Proficient with Microsoft Office software applications
• Ability to interpret regulatory requirements
• Ability to be both visionary and strategic in thinking, as well as tactical in executing training strategies while anticipating and considering how the business may be impacted by such initiatives
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (e.g., fluency in report writing and presentations)
• Effective interpersonal skills (e.g., persuasion, negotiation, listening, cooperation, tact, diplomacy, problem solving, internal consulting)
• Leadership presence (e.g., ability to deal effectively and maintain collaborative relationships with Company senior management and other key stakeholders)
• Strong project and change management skills (e.g. planning, organizing, directing, monitoring and reporting on project activities, managing concurrent projects).

Experience/Education

• Bachelor's degree in a related field required.
• 15+ years' experience in utility or regulatory operations
• Proven track record of maintaining compliance efforts within a regulatory environment.

Travel Requirements

• Up to 30% within operating company locations, as required

Work Environment

• Indoor office environment

Competencies

Champions safety

Collaborates

Cultivates innovation

Customer obsessed

Drives Results

Nimble learning

Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.

---