Consultant – Utility Finance & Rates

Description

At 1898 & Co., part of Burns & McDonnell, we help clients navigate the evolving financial and regulatory landscape of the electric utility industry. Our Utility Finance & Rates team supports investor-owned utilities, electric cooperatives, public power entities, water and sewer utilities, and other industry participants by providing data-driven insights and practical guidance related to financial planning, rate design, regulatory strategy, cost-of-service analysis, and other utility financial matters.

We combine deep industry knowledge, analytical rigor, and a collaborative approach to help clients make informed decisions and achieve sustainable results.

We are seeking a Utility Finance & Rates Consultant who will contribute directly to the execution of client engagements. This role will analyze utility financial, operational, customer, and regulatory information; develop financial models and rate-related analyses; and communicate findings and recommendations to client and project teams. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, comfortable working with complex data, and able to translate financial and regulatory concepts into clear, actionable insights.

• Perform consulting services related to utility financial planning, rate design, cost-of-service studies, revenue requirement analyses, depreciation studies, load forecasting, and regulatory strategy.
• Collect, organize, validate, and analyze utility financial, operational, customer, load, and billing data to support project objectives.
• Develop and maintain financial models, supporting schedules, and analytical tools used to evaluate revenue requirements, cost allocation, rate impacts, and utility financial performance.
• Analyze historical results, forecasts, capital plans, operating expenses, debt and financing assumptions, and other financial inputs to identify trends, risks, and key business drivers.
• Support the development of cost-of-service and rate design analyses for utility customer classes, including evaluation of billing determinants, allocation methodologies, and customer impacts.
• Assist with preparation of regulatory filings, testimony support, data requests, exhibits, work papers, reports, presentations, and other materials for proceedings before public utility commissions or similar oversight organizations.
• Conduct research regarding utility industry trends, regulatory developments, financial practices, rate structures, and benchmarking information relevant to client engagements.
• Apply sound analytical judgment and quality control practices to confirm the accuracy, consistency, and traceability of project data, calculations, assumptions, and deliverables.
• Develop clear reports, presentations, models, and other client deliverables that summarize analyses, findings, and recommendations.
• Participate in client meetings, interviews, workshops, and project reviews, and communicate analytical results to technical, financial, regulatory, and executive audiences.
• Collaborate with project managers and multidisciplinary teams to complete assignments in accordance with project scope, schedule, budget, and quality expectations.
• Identify project risks, data limitations, and emerging issues, and communicate them promptly to project leadership.
• Support proposal development, project planning, budgeting, and other business development activities for Utility Finance & Rates opportunities.
• Contribute to the development of intellectual capital, internal tools, training materials, white papers, and presentations related to utility finance and regulatory trends.
• Comply with all company policies and quality standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The successful candidate will possess a strong…