REMOTE SITE SUPPORT MGR

What you will do

Role Overview:

The Remote Site Support Lead will design, plan, and coordinate IT activities for current or new projects (including field development offices, O&M, construction, substations control buildings, and the main Houston office) for EDP Renewables North America to ensure adherence to IT hardware, software, connectivity, and security requirements.

Main responsibilities:

Define telecommunications and data circuit requirements for new projects (including field development offices, construction offices, substation control buildings, and permanent O&M facilities).

Identify local telecommunications providers.

Participate in project calls for all active projects as IT representative to monitor when the site will be ready for telecommunications and data circuits.

Conduct site visits with local telecommunications providers to explain our requirements and the timing of our project.

Provide inputs for telephone service, and primary/backup data circuits to the service providers according to the technology that has been or will be used (Cooper, Fiber, Microwave, LTE, Satellite, etc.).

Supervising and meeting sub-contracted staff (if needed).

Define and discuss telecommunications and IT services with Engineering and Construction.

Checking and preparing site reports, designs, and drawings.

Monitor installation of all telecommunications and data circuit orders.

Provide hands-on assistance to the network team for the installation and turn-up of new remote locations.

Research and identify and secure alternative data connections (wireless broadband, cellular, etc.) if permanent circuits won’t be installed before they are required.

Review drawings provide comments and develop IT requirements for O&M buildings and/or new projects.

Collect and solve IT issues with the different sites.

Interface between remote sites and the remaining IT team to have issues solved.

Develop and provide IT requirements for the construction of substation control buildings.

Review drawings and provide comments for the construction of substation control buildings.

Review telecommunications and data circuit invoices to ensure proper billing rates are used or to confirm items removed from service are no longer billed.

IT Interface with telecommunications companies and accounting to resolve billing disputes.

Assist remote locations in resolving telecommunications-related issues and other site issues.

Assist with ordering network equipment for new remote locations.

Coordinate configuration of network equipment with the network team.

Install, remove or demobilize network and telecommunications equipment in new remote locations.

Secure, install and manage PBXs or VoIP for remote locations.  Interface with service vendors when required.

Secure, install and manage VoIP systems for EDPRNA with the internal network team and providers.

Coordinate with the internal network team to identify new / upgraded equipment for remote locations.

Manage vendor relationships with telecommunications and data circuit providers.

Support Corporate Services group in use of office access control and video surveillance systems.

Coordinate with asset operations to determine video surveillance needs and obtain and install required systems.  Provide support for systems as needed.

Install and configure badging systems at remote sites.

Support NERC project team in implementation of access control systems at substations.

Monitor new substation control building design and development to ensure they meet NERC requirements.

Additional duties as required

Employment type

Full Time

Work site

On Site- Houston, TX

What are we looking for

Minimum Requirements:

• BS in Telecommunications or related field, with 3-5 years of progressive experience in Field Telecom / Networking Support with extensive experience managing medium to large infrastructure projects (from construction until delivery).
• Experience managing both infrastructure and business application initiatives, including hardware and software upgrades and implementations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Spanish, extensive presentation experience, with the ability to interact effectively with all levels of management and staff.
• Ability to perform discovery and assessment functions and provide technical or functional network solutions in the field.
• Exposure to infrastructure management, security, disaster recovery, business continuity, network operations design and management.
• Understanding of network operations, including switching, routing, firewalls, and Help Desk/technical support for critical environments.
• Experience with Cisco (firewalls, routers, and switches), Checkpoint (firewalls), and Versa (SD-WAN) equipment.

Desired Skills

• Must have a strong technical knowledge of networking.
• Be process-oriented, detail-oriented, and methodic.
• Experience working with 3rd party providers.
• Knowledge of Waterfall and Agile project management practices
• Excellent communication skills with all levels of the organization.

Travel:

40-50%

Behavioral Requirements:

• Ability to operate a motor vehicle and possession of a valid driver’s license.
• Ability to work around low- and medium-voltage equipment.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability and willingness to travel occasionally to other operational sites in North America as required.
• Ability and willingness to work overtime on holidays and weekends, and to work on short notice as needed due to on-call scheduling.
• Experience with power plant operations and maintenance, wind/solar plant operations and turbines (including turbine power converters specifically), high voltage switching, and post-operational repair and maintenance of turbines preferred.
• Ability and willingness to respond to site emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as needed.

Physical demands & working conditions:

• •    Sitting/Standing/Flexibility: Ability to frequently perform physical tasks including standing, sitting, walking, kneeling, bending, twisting, squatting, and reaching approximately 75% of the time while on wind/solar farm sites; ability to stand and sit for 8 or more hours when in an office environment.
  •    Walking:  Ability to walk .5 to 1 mile per day, including across unpaved and rough surfaces when on wind/solar farm sites 
  •    Speech/Reading:  Ability to speak, read, and write English and Spanish proficiently and to deliver a variety of instructions provided in writing, verbally, in diagrams, or scheduled form.
  •    Lifting: Ability to frequently lift items weighing up to 30 pounds and to occasionally lift items weighing up to 50 pounds
  •    Vision/Hearing: Ability to interpret and follow a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal, diagram, or schedule form.
  •    Tolerance to Extreme Weather Conditions: Ability to work in adverse weather conditions 25% of the time while on the control house of power plants.
  •    Safety: Ability to understand and communicate safety precautions when necessary