The Board of Directors at Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) seeks an experienced, ethical leader to join the organization as its next President and CEO. The preferred start date is March 1, 2022. NOVEC’s new leader will replace Stan Feuerberg, who is retiring after 30 years of exceptional service to NOVEC’s members as CEO.
NOVEC has engaged GreatCo-Ops (www.greatcoops.com) to assist with this search.
NOVEC’s new leader must personify the co-op’s values of Integrity, Accountability, Safety, Commitment, and Excellence. This new leader must have a thorough understanding of the challenges that lie ahead for large, complex electric cooperatives, as well as a strategic focus that produces innovative solutions to those challenges. He/she must have a collaborative leadership style and excellent communication skills. He/she must have the experience and competencies required to help NOVEC continue to achieve high levels of safety, employee engagement, member satisfaction, operational excellence, financial soundness, and corporate responsibility. NOVEC’s new CEO must also be able to negotiate effectively with the IBEW union.
NOVEC is looking for a leader who can work productively and synergistically with the board and co-op staff to achieve outstanding results.
About NOVEC
Headquartered on the outskirts of Washington, DC, in Manassas, VA, NOVEC delivers power to more than 177,000 meters in a thriving, high-growth region across six counties, plus the City of Manassas Park and the Town of Clifton. NOVEC also powers 28 data centers and will soon be serving many more that are currently under construction.
In addition to two facilities in Manassas, NOVEC has offices in Aldie, Gainesville, and Woodbridge.
NOVEC’s members are among the most educated and affluent electric consumers in the nation, and they are highly satisfied with the service they receive from the cooperative. NOVEC has scored among the top electric utilities in the United States on the J.D. Power & Associates Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM. Moreover, NOVEC’s reliability is among the best at 99.99% average system reliability.
NOVEC is also a committed and valued corporate citizen in the communities it serves. The co-op contributes to more than 100 charitable and civic organizations, supporting a wide variety of educational programs, health causes, performing arts, youth sports, and more. NOVEC HELPS (Hands Engaged in Local Public Service) is a certified 501(c)(3) that provides employees the opportunity to volunteer their time, money, and skills in ways that add lasting value to communities throughout the NOVEC service territory.
A NOVEC subsidiary, NOVEC Energy Production, operates the cooperative’s 49.9-megawatt biomass plant that was commissioned in 2013.
Another subsidiary, NOVEC Energy Solutions, has been a leading supplier of natural gas in five deregulated utility markets (District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) for more than 20 years. A third subsidiary, NOVEC Solutions, offers a variety of services, such as commercial fiber optic solutions, solar installations, and home standby generators.
NOVEC is governed by a well-functioning, experienced board of directors.
Fast Facts about NOVEC
- Meters: ~177,000
- Meter Density: 23 meters per mile
- Annual Operating Revenue: ~$600 million
- Annual kWh Sales: Nearly 7 billion
- Assets: >$1 billion
- Employees: ~340
- Board Members: 7
- Service Territory: 651 square miles
Additional Information about NOVEC
About the Northern Virginia Area
Northern Virginia offers almost unlimited opportunities for professional and personal growth. The region is home to excellent public and private K-12 education, as well as numerous universities. Entertainment and cultural events can be found throughout the area, along with outstanding healthcare, housing, shopping, and dining. In Northern Virginia, there is truly something for everyone.
In addition, NOVEC’s headquarters office is only 18 miles from Washington Dulles International Airport and 31 miles from the heart of Washington, DC. NOVEC is ideally located near a major metropolitan area, while at the same time being a short drive to the mountains of Shenandoah National Park, the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, and numerous historic sites.
Qualifications
Required*
- Seven years of verifiable, successful leadership experience at the Vice President level or above (or equivalent positions/experience in law, consulting, finance, or government)
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
- Excellent leadership and communication skills
- An unwavering commitment to ethical conduct
- Knowledge in electric utility operations, systems, safety, power supply, customer/member needs and expectations, finance, accounting, technology, and cybersecurity
- An understanding of electric utility industry trends, their likely effects on large cooperatives, and ways to leverage those trends for the benefit of NOVEC and its members
- An understanding of – and an appreciation for – the cooperative business model and cooperative principles
- A demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with boards of directors, executive teams, and support staff
- The ability to represent NOVEC effectively with members, business partners, professional associations, investment banks, government officials, and other key stakeholders
* Applications from those who do not meet the required qualifications will not be considered.
Preferred
- A minimum of 5 years of electric utility experience at the Vice President level or above
- A master’s degree or JD
- Experience managing significant P&L responsibilities
Application Process and Deadline
Interested individuals who meet the required qualifications must email a cover letter and resume to Monica Beavers, Director of Client Services at GreatCo-Ops, at mbeavers@greatcoops.com.
In addition to discussing the applicant’s fit for the role, the cover letter should also include the individual’s perspectives on one significant trend in the industry and how it is likely to affect NOVEC, given the co-op’s unique characteristics.
References will be requested at a later time for applicants who progress through the process. Finalists must be willing to undergo a comprehensive background check.
Applications will be accepted until September 30, 2021 at 5:00 pm Eastern time.
NOVEC is an equal opportunity employer.
