Revenue Protection Officer at Nigerian Electricity Supply Corporation (Nigeria) Limited (NESCO)

Purpose of the Job

• The Revenue Protection Officer will head the Corporation’s Revenue Protection Unit and play a crucial role in ensuring the financial integrity of the Corporation by preventing revenue loss through effective metering, monitoring, investigation, and compliance with regulatory standards.
• The position requires a blend of technical expertise, analytical skills, and interpersonal abilities to maintain accurate billing and uphold customer trust.
• The role requires fieldwork and occasional travel to various sites within the distribution network and regular interaction with customers, field technicians, and regulatory authorities.
• The Revenue Protection Officer will provide operational leadership and management of the Revenue protection Function to effectively support the Corporation to ensure optimized Revenue Collection through efficient Revenue protection Operations.
• This function will also ensure effective and efficient utilization of resources deployed in Revenue Collection Assurance.
• He/She will manage loss reduction initiatives and systems and ensure that thorough investigations are conducted in line with preventive and corrective loss reduction programs aimed at attaining high revenue collection efficiency and revenue assurance.

Key Duties and Responsibilities
The Revenue Protection Officer shall therefore be responsible for but not limited, for the following:

Continuous Improvement and Strategic & Business Planning:

• Develop and implement strategies to enhance revenue protection processes and minimize revenue losses.
• Provide operational leadership for effective implementation of Revenue Protection Operations based on annual business plans
• Lead in developing, evaluating and reviewing Revenue Protection strategies, systems and practices.
• Participate in assessing and recommending new Revenue Protection technologies to ensure that the Corporation adopts technologies that are suitable and friendly to both our environment and economy.
• Participate in projects aimed at improving metering infrastructure and technology to enhance accuracy and reliability.
• Mobilizing resources for planned Revenue Protection activities (MD & Non-MD).
• Ensure that there is a strategic fit between the annual work plans and budget.
• Ensuring compliance with regulation and market procedures in relation to Revenue Protection issues.
• Ensure adherence to best practices that will foster safety in all Revenue Protection Operations.
• Ensure effective implementation of Energy flow accounting techniques from Distribution take off points with Generation up to the customer.

Metering and Monitoring:

• Ensure targets set are met and even exceeded to achieve corporate goals.
• Ensure adequate metering at all levels
• Reviewing, approving, and coordinating monthly metering audit plans.
• Conduct regular audits and inspections of metering equipment to ensure accuracy and reliability.
• Ensuring timely meter fault clearance in line with the Customer Services Charter.
• Planning and scheduling of meter testing in the laboratory.
• Monitoring meters on the network and provide availability report.
• Monitor energy consumption patterns to identify irregularities that may indicate meter tampering or theft.
• Analyse meter data and consumption trends to detect anomalies and discrepancies.
• Carrying out meter maintenance, overhauling, recalibration and programming for various customers.
• Testing CTs, VTs and MU and sealing meters.

Investigation and Detection:

• Carry out investigations on detected/suspected cases of electricity thefts or meter tampering discovered through meter audits to ensure preventive and corrective measures are put in place.
• Carrying out door to door investigations on sampled customers to reinforce revenue assurance.
• Investigating issues of over consumption, low consumption and performing load analysis to come up with the correct bill for the customer.
• Coordinate with field technicians and law enforcement agencies to gather evidence, document and build cases against offenders. and providing witness in a court of law.
• Carrying out disconnections on customers found with offences.
• Implement surveillance and monitoring techniques to identify areas with high incidences of theft.
• Elimination of energy theft of all kinds.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Effective Energy accounting: Energy Delivered =Energy Billed
• Compile and analyse data related to energy consumption, meter readings, and revenue collection.
• Prepare reports detailing findings, including the extent of revenue losses due to theft or inaccuracies.
• Present findings to Management and recommend strategies to mitigate revenue loss.

Collaboration and Training:

• Collaborate with other Departments such as Distribution/Services, Customer Service, Legal, and Finance to ensure coordinated efforts in revenue protection.
• Provide training to field staff and contractors on detecting and reporting instances of theft or meter tampering.
• Educate customers on the importance of accurate meter readings and the consequences of electricity theft.

Regulatory Compliance:

• Enforce safety measures to prevent accidents of any type.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and requirements related to metering, billing, and revenue protection.
• Stay updated on industry trends, technologies, and best practices in revenue protection and metering.

Minimum Educational & Professional Qualifications, Experience and Knowledge

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Energy Engineering/Management, Business Administration, Commerce, or Marketing from an accredited institution or related field.
• Applicants must have at least ten (10) years’ post-qualifying practical experience in an electricity supply industry/field, out of which at least five (5) years should be in revenue protection, metering, or energy auditing in a busy electricity distribution, retail and sale environment.
• Relevant Professional Body Membership
• Knowledge and understanding of electricity distribution systems, metering technologies, and regulatory requirements.

Attributes and Competencies:

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data sets and detect patterns
• Critical thinking and assertiveness abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration and customer education.
• The ability to manage time effectively in a high-pressure setting.
• Impeccable skills in Microsoft Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint etc.).
• The ability to operate effectively both independently and as part of a team, manage multiple projects, and prioritize tasks effectively.