Company: Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. ("KEPCo")
Job Title: Vice President/Chief Financial Officer
Job Classification: Exempt, Full-Time
Location: Topeka, KS
Work Schedule: Regular Office Hours, Monday through Friday
Reporting Relationship: Executive Vice President/CEO

Primary Accountabilities:

The primary objective of the Vice President/Chief Financial Officer is to be responsible for development and administration of effective financing programs, accounting procedures and reports that effectively meet the requirements of the Members, management, bankers and jurisdictional agencies. The Vice President/Chief Financial Officer is also responsible for the management/supervision of the activities and programs of the Accounting and Finance Department in accordance with established policies, procedures, objectives, and budgets.

Major Duties:

Planning and Policy

• Participates with the Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer (EVP/CEO) and top management in developing objectives, policies and procedures for KEPCo and guides the development of policies for Committee and Board consideration that affect the finances of KEPCo and KEPCo Services, Inc. (KSI).
• Develops and presents KSI’s and KEPCo's annual budget for consideration by the Executive Vice President, appropriate Board Committees and the Board.
• Develops the financial components of KEPCo's strategic and operational long-range plans.
• Assists the EVP/CEO in the formulation and recommendation of operational policies for KEPCo.

Departmental Management

• Develops annual departmental budget and reviews periodically to determine whether goals and budgets are being met.
• Conducts departmental staff meetings to interchange information, confers on mutual problems, and develops plans for future action.
• Interviews and selects new employees for the department, disciplines and terminates employment of personnel, and recommends promotions in accordance with KEPCo policy and procedures.
• Reviews departmental organization structure periodically and recommends changes or new positions to meet assigned responsibilities and long-range objectives.
• Appraises departmental personnel periodically and counsels with employees to help them develop and improve.
• Reviews position descriptions and job specifications to ensure currency in detailing responsibilities of positions.
• Ensures that departmental personnel are trained adequately for their respective positions.
• Reviews wages and salaries for departmental personnel and recommends adjustments in accordance with wage and salary program.
• Directs the activities of the departmental personnel, making work assignments, and delegating responsibility and authority to perform assignments in accordance with accounting policies and procedures.

Accounting and Tax

• Reports at least monthly to the KEPCo Board, Board Committees and management on the financial condition of KEPCo, including the results of operations of KSI.
• Coordinates actions of the Accounting and Finance staff to develop accounting policies and procedures that assure the keeping of KEPCo's records in accordance with established RUS guidelines and GAAP, and in conformity with KEPCo's by-laws and Board adopted policies. Reviews KEPCo's accounting practices with staff and outside auditors to assure they are correct.
• Assumes ultimate responsibility for KEPCo's overall accounting functions, including accounts payable and receivable, payroll, preparation of monthly financial statements, general ledger and other operating and statistical reports.
• Supervises preparation of KEPCo's annual financial reports and respective filings with bankers, regulatory authorities and governmental agencies.
• Supervises and coordinates appropriate outside audits conducted by KEPCo's independent auditor, KCC auditors, RUS field personnel and other regulators or agencies as required. Provides recommendations to the KEPCo Board, Committees, and Management regarding the use of consultants to meet audit and other financial requirements.
• Determines proper tax accounting methods are followed by KEPCO and any subsidiaries, and that all required tax returns are completed by KEPCo. Provides recommendations to the KEPCo Board, Committees, and Management regarding the use of consultants to meet tax filing requirements, and to do tax planning.
• Monitors KEPCo’s appraised value for property tax purposes. Performs analysis to determine whether value is reasonable. Responsible for presenting an appeal to the Kansas and Missouri Directors of Property Valuation when value appears to be unreasonable.

Finance

• Acquires needed financing to meet KEPCo’s operational and capital requirements.
• Establishes investment policies, and provides recommendations to the EVP/CEO, KEPCo Finance Committee and Board to maximize returns of KEPCo funds, with a reasonable level of risk. Supervises KEPCo's cash management, including investment of construction funds and general funds.
• Determines and recommends the EVP/CEO, Finance Committee, and KEPCo Board the investment policy for KEPCo’s decommissioning trust fund. Makes investment decisions regarding the investment of the funds by the trustee with the advice of the investment manager. Supports and testifies in regulatory filings regarding the required contributions by KEPCo into the fund.
• Provides recommendations to the EVP/CEO on the financing of KEPCo’s capital projects, and determining whether KEPCo’s working capital needs are being met. Performs cash flow analysis and financial analysis on potential financing alternatives. Maintains outside contacts with potential financing organizations.
• Supervises KEPCo's requisitioning and accounting for loan funds from the Federal Financing Bank (FFB), US Treasury, CFC and Co-Bank, including the lines-of-credit.
• Administers all of KEPCo’s financing.
• Coordinates with KEPCo's regulatory staff and consultants as needed regarding rates, billing and collections, and regulatory issues. Includes exhibit preparation and formulation of data request responses, and writing testimony related to KEPCo regulatory filings.

Audit

• Assists Board in selection of KEPCo’s outside auditor.
• Assists KEPCo’s outside auditor in completing an annual comprehensive audit of KEPCo’s books and records to meet all applicable accounting rules and requirements, including those of RUS, CFC, CoBank and others.

Employee Benefits

• Administers employee benefit programs. Ensures compliance with all wage and hour laws, 401k plan requirements, health insurance and all other benefit programs.

Additional Responsibilities and Authority

• Represents KEPCo, as assigned, at meetings of associated organizations including civic and community organizations, technical advice committees, Member annual meetings, KEC committee and board meetings and WCNOC committee and board meetings.
• Serves as a resource person for committee meetings and Board of Trustee meetings for KEPCo and KSI.
• Performs other duties, as requested or assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science from accredited college or university with degree in finance or accounting. Post-graduate degree or professional certification also required. 
• CPA Certification Preferred. 
• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience required, five (5) of those years in a regulated utility environment. Desirable experience would include exposure to the Rural Utility Services, and other electric cooperative entities.
• Management experience is highly desirable.
• Valid Kansas Drivers’ License is required.
• Must be knowledgeable in accounting, tax, finance and audit, with experience in each area.
• Basic knowledge in other utility functions such as power supply, engineering, rates, insurance and benefits administration also required.
• Must have good computer skills and be able to operate various accounting and other software packages used by KEPCo.
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be able to communicate clearly and concisely.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across all levels of KEPCo.
• Ability to work independently and in team settings.
• Ability to support the goals, plans, and programs of KEPCo.
• Must have ability to assimilate sometimes-disparate data and information and synthesize this information into a workable plan.
• Must possess good analytical and computational skills. Must have ability to present ideas and information in a persuasive manner.
• Possess the necessary personal characteristics that make an employee a productive team member, including: high integrity, good personal habits, and regular attendance at work.
• Ability to gain and maintain respect of others, both inside and outside of the organization.
• Ability to organize, multi-task, plan and set priorities with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrate poise, tact and diplomacy with the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information and situations.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to read computer screens and email, mail and talk on the phone.
• Ability to lift up to twenty (20) pounds.

Work Environment:

• Professional and deadline-oriented environment in an office setting.
• Interaction with staff and customers.

Additional Duties:

Additional duties and responsibilities may be added to this job description at any time. The job description does not state or imply that these are the only activities to be performed by the employee(s) holding this position. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related responsibilities as requested by their supervisor.

KEPCo provides a competitive salary, pension plan, and benefits package including health and dental insurance and 401K.