State Operating Officer (SOO) at Highland Integrated Electricity Services Limited

Job Purpose:

• The State Operating Officer (SOO) is responsible for the overall management, coordination, and performance of electricity distribution operations within the assigned State. The role ensures operational excellence, revenue optimization, regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement, and customer satisfaction. The SOO drives the execution of the Company’s strategic objectives while ensuring that staff and resources are deployed effectively across technical, commercial, and administrative functions.-

Key Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership

• Oversee day-to-day distribution operations, ensuring reliable electricity supply and efficient fault response.
• Monitor performance of feeders, substations, and transformers, coordinating technical and commercial teams for optimal service delivery.
• Implement operational improvement initiatives that enhance network efficiency and customer experience.
• Collaborate with the Chief Technical Officer for efficient network management

Commercial Performance

• Drive revenue assurance initiatives, including metering, billing accuracy, collection efficiency, and loss reduction.
• Monitor energy allocation and ATC&C loss reduction targets, aligning with regulatory assumptions (MYTO) and corporate KPIs.
• Collaborate with the Chief Commercial Officer and Finance teams to ensure revenue growth and debt recovery.

Customer Service & Stakeholder Engagement

• Ensure timely resolution of customer complaints and service requests.
• Lead initiatives to improve customer satisfaction and service delivery standards.
• Serve as the primary interface with state government agencies, community leaders, security agencies, and other stakeholders.

Regulatory & Compliance Management

• Ensure compliance with NERC regulations(and state electoral commission, where applicable), MYTO assumptions, safety codes, and corporate policies.
• Support audits, inspections, and timely reporting to regulatory authorities.
• Ensure adherence to approved tariffs, service bands, and contractual obligations.

People Leadership & Development

• Lead, motivate, and manage all State-level teams across technical, commercial, and administrative functions.
• Foster a culture of discipline, accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Identify capacity-building needs and implement training programs to strengthen staff competency.

Strategic Planning & Reporting

• Contribute to corporate strategy by providing state-level operational insights and performance data.
• Prepare and submit regular operational, commercial, and performance reports to Head Office.
• Monitor KPIs, identify gaps, and propose corrective measures to improve performance.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Energy received versus energy billed
• Collection efficiency and ATC&C loss reduction
• Network reliability and outage response time
• Customer complaint resolution rate and satisfaction index
• Compliance with regulatory standards and franchise agreements
• Revenue growth and debt recovery performance
• Staff performance and training effectiveness

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Energy Studies, Economics, Finance, Social Sciences, Engineering or any other related field.
• Master’s degree or professional certification is an added advantage.
• Minimum 10–15 years’ relevant experience, including leadership roles in energy distribution, utilities, or large-scale operations.
• Demonstrated understanding of regulatory frameworks, commercial operations, customer service management, and operational efficiency.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership, managerial, and decision-making capability
• Excellent operational and commercial acumen
• Stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills
• Financial and performance management proficiency
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• Integrity, accountability, and high ethical standards
• Ability to manage multidisciplinary teams