Director, Regulatory Compliance

The Director, Regulatory Compliance will establish and lead a scalable enterprise program for emerging electric-reliability obligations affecting large computational loads and company-owned high-voltage infrastructure. This leader will translate evolving regulatory requirements into clear governance, accountable controls, auditable evidence, and practical operating requirements across the asset lifecycle. The role combines NERC compliance leadership, reliability assurance, executive risk communication, regulatory engagement, and cross-functional program execution. This role represents organizational groups to interface with NERC, FERC, Regional Entities, RTOs/ISOs, utilities and industry groups.

RESPONSIBILITIES, other duties may be assigned.

• Develop and execute the long-term regulatory compliance and reliability assurance strategy for QTS utility operations.
• Lead enterprise applicability reviews, registration strategy, new-entity registration activities, and implementation planning for applicable NERC Reliability Standards and related requirements.
• Provide executive-level assessments of compliance posture, emerging obligations, material risks, resource needs, and mitigation priorities.
• Monitor, interpret, and communicate developments from NERC, FERC, Regional Entities, RTOs/ISOs, utilities, reliability coordinators, and transmission providers.
• Lead impact assessments for new or revised standards and convert technical requirements into actionable plans for affected business functions and assets.
• Coordinate regulatory positions and external communications with Legal, Risk, technical subject matter experts, outside counsel, and consultants.
• Design and maintain a risk-based Internal Controls Program that embeds compliance requirements into design, commissioning, operations, maintenance, protection, monitoring, and change-management processes.
• Direct development and maintenance of NERC Compliance Procedures, Reliability Standard Audit Worksheets, evidence requirements, retention rules, and auditable data repositories.
• Build continuous audit readiness through self-assessments, mock audits, evidence quality reviews, issue tracking, corrective actions, mitigation plans, and lessons learned.
• Lead organizational responses to audits, inquiries, investigations, self-reports, enforcement matters, and remediation activities when applicable.
• Integrate requirements with Utility Engineering, Utility Asset Management, Development, Facilities Operations, cybersecurity, enterprise technology, Legal/Risk, and Internal Audit through clear ownership and repeatable workflows.
• Develop scalable internal capability while managing specialist consultants, outside counsel, scopes of work, budgets, deliverables, and knowledge transfer.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, power systems, business, information systems, cybersecurity, risk, or a related field, or equivalent directly relevant experience.
• Minimum ten years of progressive experience in electric utility operations, transmission, system operations, reliability compliance, regulatory compliance, cybersecurity compliance, risk, or a related highly regulated environment.
• At least 5 years of leadership experience managing complex compliance, reliability, operational, risk, or governance programs and teams.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the NERC regulatory framework and applicable Operations & Planning and/or Critical Infrastructure Protection Reliability Standards.
• Experience building or materially improving compliance governance, internal controls, evidence programs, policies, procedures, corrective-action processes, and audit readiness.
• Experience leading or supporting regulatory audits, compliance assessments, investigations, remediation, mitigation, self-certification, or enforcement-response activities.
• Proven ability to analyze complex technical and regulatory requirements, assess enterprise impact and risk, and communicate decisions and recommendations to executive and technical audiences.
• Able to travel up to 30% of the time or as needed to support relationship building and delivery.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Fifteen or more years leading in NERC-related projects
• Direct experience with a NERC-registered entity, Regional Entity, utility, ISO/RTO, independent power producer, large-load customer, or critical-infrastructure operator.
• Experience with entity registration, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program activities, standards development, regulatory committees, or industry working groups.
• Working knowledge of power-system modeling, transmission planning, protection and control, disturbance monitoring, operational communications, voltage/frequency ride-through, large-load interconnection, or system operations.
• Experience implementing GRC or compliance-management technology, structured evidence repositories, workflow automation, and compliance dashboards.
• Experience establishing a compliance organization or scaling a program across multiple regions and assets.
• Professional certification such as CCEP, CISA, CRISC, CISSP, or a relevant NERC credential; advanced degree in a related discipline.

 KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Ability to travel and participate as needed for regulatory meetings, audits, site engagement, stakeholder forums, and industry events.
• Ability to independently manage confidential, legally sensitive, and time-critical regulatory matters.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-growing, evolving, cross-functional environment with competing priorities.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to build relationships and influence cross-discipline teams
• Ability to prioritize, multitask, and deliver high quality work in tight timeframes

TOTAL REWARDS

• This role is also eligible for a competitive benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; 401(k) retirement plan; flexible spending and HSA accounts; paid holidays; paid time off; paid volunteer days; employee assistance program; tuition assistance; parental leave; military leave assistance; QTS scholarship for dependents; wellness program, and other company benefits.
• This position is bonus eligible.
• This job may be eligible for equity.

In accordance with applicable law, the following represents a reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation for this role if hired in Virginia. Please note that this information is provided for those hired in Virginia only, and this role is open to candidates outside of Virginia with compensation that aligns with your location. The successful candidate’s starting salary will be determined based on permissible, non-discriminatory factors such as skills, experience, and geographic location.

The estimated pay range for this role, if based in Virginia, is:

$157,337.25 - 240,610.61

Please note that this information is provided for those hired in Virginia only, and this role is open to candidates outside of Virginia with compensation that aligns with your location.  The successful candidate’s starting salary will be determined based on permissible, non-discriminatory factors such as skills, experience, and geographic location. This role is also eligible for a competitive benefits package that includes: medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; 401(k) retirement plan; flexible spending savings account; paid holidays; paid time off; employee assistance program; and other company benefits.

We conform to all the laws, statutes, and regulations concerning equal employment opportunities and affirmative action.  We strongly encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply to all of our job openings.  We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, age, disability status, Genetic Information & Testing, Family & Medical Leave, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.  We prohibit retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint or discrimination claim.

The "Know Your Rights" Poster is included here:

Know Your Rights (English)

Know Your Rights (Spanish)

The pay transparency policy is available here:

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Poster-Formatted

QTS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.