Operations Manager, Power Plant

Operations Manager, Power Plant Location/Hobbs (onsite) Job Summary The Operations Manager leads the safe, reliable, complaint, and efficient operation of the plant. Reporting to the Plant Manager, this position provides day-to-day leadership to the Operations team and works closely with Maintenance, Environmental, Health and Safety, and other plant functions. The Operations Manager is responsible for implementing the plant operating plan, monitoring plant and equipment performance, developing employees, and identifying opportunities to improve safety, reliability, efficiency, and operating costs. This is an opportunity for an experienced power generation professional to lead a critical operating team, solve complex operational challenges, and directly influence plant performance. Key Responsibilities: - Lead the Operations team in maintaining safe, reliable, compliant, and efficient plant operations. - Monitor plant conditions and ensure thermal and electrical output is maintained at appropriate operating levels and efficiencies. - Respond to normal, abnormal, and emergency operating conditions in accordance with established procedures. - Keep the Plant Manager informed of significant operating conditions, risks, and corrective actions. - Partner with the Maintenance Manager to communicate equipment conditions, prioritize maintenance needs, and support equipment reliability. - Analyze operating results, equipment performance, and failures to identify opportunities for improvement. - Develop and implement practical solutions that improve plant safety, reliability, productivity, efficiency, and operating cost. - Lead or support failure analysis and root cause reviews, including the use of the Five Whys methodology. - Oversee the plant water chemistry program, including required testing, inspections, documentation, and treatment activities. - Maintain the Environmental Quality Assurance and Quality Control Manual and support compliance with all applicable environmental permits and regulatory requirements. - Coordinate environmental activities across plant departments and ensure Operations employees are trained to respond appropriately to environmental events. - Ensure plant operations comply with ContourGlobal policies and applicable local, state, and federal requirements. - Maintain current plant operations manuals, policies, and procedures. Develop and revise procedures as needed to reflect safe and effective operating practices. - Ensure plant logs, operating records, and required reports are accurate, complete, and maintained appropriately. - Develop contractor scopes of work and oversee contractor performance to support safe, efficient, and cost-effective execution. - Establish clear objectives, expectations, and accountabilities for Operations team members. - Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, performance reviews, and professional development. - Oversee employee onboarding, technical qualification, and continuing operations training. - Maintain the plant training program and ensure an adequate number of qualified employees are available to support continuous and safe operations. - Build succession plans and prepare employees for expanded responsibilities. - Create an accountable, collaborative, and high performing team environment. - Address employee relations matters promptly and consistently, partnering with Human Resources when appropriate. - Participate in the recruitment, selection, and onboarding of Operations employees. - Encourage team members to identify and implement improvements that enhance safety, reliability, productivity, cost effectiveness, and service quality. - Support the effectiveness of the plant Management System and its integration into daily business processes. - Complete other responsibilities assigned by the Plant Manager. Qualifications and Skills: Your profile is a natural match if you have: - Education: A technical undergraduate degree, military technical training, apprenticeship training, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience. - Experience: Demonstrated experience in power plant operations, including experience supervising Operations employees. Your background should include responsibility for assigning work, managing performance, developing employees, and supporting safe and reliable plant operations. - Travel requirements: Ability to complete occasional business travel as required. - Schedule requirements: Ability to participate in the plant's management on call rotation and work outside normal business hours when required by outages, emergencies, staffing needs, workloads, or plant conditions. Occasional weekend, holiday, and extended hours may be required. - Physical requirements: Ability to access and work throughout an operating power plant. This may include extended periods of standing and walking, climbing stairs and ladders, working around operating equipment, wearing required personal protective equipment, working in areas where hazardous materials may be present, and lifting or moving up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation. Skills: - Strong knowledge of power plant operations, safety practices, operating procedures, emergency response, and environmental compliance. - Leadership and motivational skills with the ability to establish expectations, hold employees accountable, and develop a high performing team. - Sound judgment and the ability to make timely decisions during normal, abnormal, and emergency operating conditions. - Ability to evaluate operating data, equipment performance, plant conditions, and equipment failures. - Strong written communication skills, including experience preparing operating procedures, reports, and work requests. - Strong verbal communication, coaching, and training skills. - Ability to collaborate effectively across Operations, Maintenance, Environmental, Health and Safety, Human Resources, and other plant functions. - Proficiency with Microsoft Office and computerized plant management systems. What drives your application forward: - Combined cycle or gas turbine power plant experience. - SAP experience. - Experience supporting major outages, plant commissioning, or significant maintenance activities. - Experience leading continuous improvement, failure analysis, or root cause analysis initiatives. - A demonstrated record of increasing responsibility and achievement within power generation operations. We recognize that relevant experience can be gained through different career paths. If you meet most of the qualifications and believe your background would enable you to succeed in this position, we encourage you to apply.