Specialist Central Services

INDEPENDENT ELECTRICITY SYSTEM OPERATOR (IESO)

Who we are

Our central role includes managing the provincial power grid in real-time, overseeing and evolving Ontario’s electricity market, engaging with government, municipalities and Indigenous communities, and planning for Ontario’s future electricity needs. Our employees play a key role in driving grid innovation, protecting the system from threats, advancing the province’s energy conservation programs, and forecasting and procuring the electricity resources we’ll need in the decades to come.
This role is a part of the Power System Development business unit. As a member of the Central Services team in the Demand Side Management (DSM) division, the Specialist, reports to the Supervisor. The Central Services team is responsible for procuring services, managing contractual and financial obligations for the division’s support and program delivery contracts, and for overseeing framework and program budgets. Our team ensures vendors deliver cost-effective services, and coordinates the development and enhancement of the information systems that support the delivery of DSM programs and services. This role is unionized.

The Opportunity

The energy sector is rapidly evolving, offering exciting new opportunities for those who want to make a difference.

The Specialist, Central Services, leads daily contractual and settlement functions to support the delivery of Demand Side Management (DSM) programs and services. The Specialist develops, evolves, and implements contractual, financial, and administrative controls and processes within the Portfolio Excellence department and DSM broadly. This ensures DSM initiatives uphold IESO’s policies and fiduciary responsibilities to ratepayers while addressing partner and customer needs.

The Specialist, Central Services manages DSM’s Procurement Plan and possesses the expertise to handle procurement, contract, budget management, and settlement functions. They work closely with the IESO’s Procurement, Legal, Finance, Market Settlements, and IT teams to resolve issues independently. Additionally, the Specialist provides training and guidance to junior team members on less complex functions and collaborates with the Senior Specialist, Business Information Systems, to enhance DSM information systems, when required.

What you’ll do

In this role, you’ll make a meaningful impact by contributing to the IESO team and supporting the electricity needs of the province through:

Leadership

• Provide thought leadership and innovative solutions for enhancing efficient contract and finance-related operational controls and processes
• Support the development and implementation of Demand Side Management framework programs and initiatives in Ontario
• Manage more complex service provider relationships and contracts on behalf of the DSM division
• Take a proactive approach to implementing training and support initiatives that add value to the team and the division
• Guide team members and staff from other business units and manage their inputs to support key projects and responsibilities for Central Services
• Take the lead on the development of presentations on matters related to contracts, budgets, and settlements of DSM framework programs for various audiences, including but not limited to IESO senior management, the IESO Board of Directors, the Ministry of Energy, and others as required

Technical

• Responsible for monitoring contractual financial obligations, deliverables and vendor performance of assigned contracts
• Independently address issues that arise and proactively develop recommended solutions to management
• Develop and recommend controls for contract and finance-related operational risks
• Communicate risk(s) to the Supervisor and impacted internal stakeholders
• Support the development of summaries and databases, and organize information as required for DSM reporting, evaluations, audits and other functions
• Work closely with DSM teams to understand ongoing and planned needs and develop recommendations to facilitate procurement, contract, information systems or program enhancement requests
• Support management of data and provide recommendations on data and information systems needs.
• Act as Central Services subject matter expert on relevant DSM projects, as needed

Financial

• Monitor and control DSM framework budgets and financial expenditures
• Develop budget forecasts and monitor performance of assigned central services contracts
• Ensure spending, contract commitments, and purchase order amounts are within approved budgets
• Responsible for managing and maintaining the integrity of DSM framework settlement data and work with Finance to reallocate as required
• Prepare and seek approval of DSM framework budget reallocations
• Manage monthly and annual accruals and other financial activities for all DSM fees and charges.
• Work with other DSM teams to track and ensure accuracy of program expenditures and commitments
• Responsible for accurate processing of DSM framework programs settlements through the appropriate IESO financial system (i.e., accounts payable or market settlements) as per contract
• Responsible for issue identification, documentation and resolution of settlement exceptions
• Create, amend and monitor purchase orders for contracts that are settled through the accounts payable system
• Support various IESO business units by participating in settlement audits and other financial activities, as required

Customer Focus

• Effectively engage and collaborate with staff in DSM and other IESO business units for successful implementation of DSM framework programs and initiatives
• Effectively cultivate and manage relationships with service providers and other IESO business units and partners to best ensure their input is heard and their needs are met
• Coordinate the effective development and delivery of training and support initiatives to the satisfaction of internal and external clients, as needed

And other duties or responsibilities as may be assigned

Role Requirements

Our team consists of experts from diverse backgrounds, each bringing their unique perspectives and skills.
To succeed in this role, you’ll need:

• Strong planning, organizational, and financial skills
• Extensive knowledge and experience in contract and budget management
• Technical and analytical expertise in business operations
• Proven ability to develop and execute successful strategies
• Demonstrated people management and team-building capabilities
• Experience in building strong work relationships to achieve long-term objectives
• Essential knowledge of energy issues and a solid understanding of demand side management
• Understanding of control strategies, systems, processes, and procedures to mitigate risks and achieve objectives
• Experience with information systems is an asset

Education:

The education required to complete the responsibilities associated with the position is typically obtained through 4 years of university training

Experience:

The minimum level of experience for the incumbent to perform at a satisfactory level of proficiency is 8-10 years including the period of adjustment on the job itself

How We Support You

From a comprehensive total rewards program to dynamic learning and development opportunities—including job rotations to broaden your expertise—we empower you to define and shape your own success. When you join the IESO, here’s what you can expect:

• Best-in-class benefits and long-term support in the form of a defined benefit pension plan.
• A commitment to flexibility where 95% of our workforce participates in a hybrid model. Employees work in-office a minimum of four days and work remotely up to six days over a two-week period with a goal of maximizing in-office time through the use of established team days. Remote work can be done from anywhere in Ontario.
• Work in a dynamic and evolving sector that offers exciting opportunities and the chance to explore new career paths.
• Leadership that values meaningful discussions, welcomes feedback, and prioritizes career development.
• A strong, inclusive culture and a collaborative team environment with a shared passion for impactful work.
• Compensation packages that are regularly reviewed to remain competitive and to best accommodate the diverse needs of our employees.

Deadline

July 25, 2025. For future reference, please save a copy of the job posting as it will no longer be available once the posting closes.

Thank you for your interest in a career at the IESO. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note that the successful candidate must be legally eligible to work in Canada and will be subject to applicable background checks. 

We believe in opportunities for everyone. At the IESO, we know that achieving great results depends on embracing diversity by attracting, developing, and retaining people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We do this by ensuring our recruitment and advancement policies are fair and equitable, and by creating an accessible and inclusive environment—one that values every team member’s unique skills and experiences and ensures they have the support they need to
achieve their potential. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know.  

We’re proud to say we’ve been recognized as a supportive, inclusive employer.

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