Job Information
FirstEnergy Director, Operations - Altoona Region in Altoona, Pennsylvania
FirstEnergy at a Glance
We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers’ lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.
FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.
About the Opportunity
This is an open position with FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. [PN]
Location: The selected candidate may sit anywhere within the Altoona region.
Summary:
The Director serves as an executive for a portion of the State’s 24/7/365 electric utility operations, managing a multi-functional unit comprised of lines, substation, meter and fleet.
The position is responsible and accountable for the safe delivery, and reliability of electricity in the most cost-effective manner, in compliance with regulatory requirements and with an eye toward ensuring future sustainability of operations. Specific areas of responsibility include:
T&D Electric System Construction and Maintenance project identification and safe execution.
Partnering with T&D Engineering, Customer Support, System Operations, Vegetation Management, Transmission and other support departments to ensure efficient and effective system operations.
Ensuring all Meter maintenance, readings and regulatory requirements for metering are met.
Overseeing all aspects of Fleet maintenance as it pertains to T&D Operations
This position will provide leadership consistent with our core values, holding safety, DE&I, ethical and complaint behavior, stewardship and customers service as essential to success. This position will lead, direct, and provide technical expertise and guidance to the operational groups managed, including essential personnel required to respond to and react to a variety of emergency / urgent situations. Financial responsibilities include the management of the electric system’s budgets, including capital and O&M. The director is also charged with providing leadership and ensuring actions and goals align with the operation’s strategic direction. As well, the director will engage with public officials, suppliers, regulators, environmental groups, and customers to ensure FirstEnergy continues to meet and/or exceed its objectives. This position will also oversee the execution of capital projects and manage outside contractors to provide necessary services.
This position will provide direction and leadership from the following perspectives:
Foster a high-performing safety culture where employees own, promote and reinforce safe behaviors and feel empowered to speak up
Monitor, mentor and coach staff to further the cultural attributes identified in our core values and behaviors.
Closely collaborate with peers across the state to ensure consistent application of values, behaviors, strategy, and direction. This position must not lose sight of strategic benefit of consistent application of processes throughout their area of responsibility.
Establish and develop substantive working relationships with peers, staff and union leadership, and create an environment and implement changes where needed to enhance FirstEnergy’s culture of safety, compliance, inclusion, accountability, and innovation
Initiate and monitor implementation of appropriate safety and environmental safeguards in accordance with applicable regulations and professional practice to ensure that employee, community and environmental hazards and impacts of operational activities are eliminated or reduced to acceptable risk levels by identifying and eliminating exposures.
Establish strategic working relationships with community partners, governmental officials and regional agencies
Plan, organize, develop and monitor the performance of assigned managers, supervisors and staff, establishing performance requirements and personal development targets, monitor performance and provide executive direction for performance improvement and development
Plan, organize, control, integrate and evaluate the work of the operational group
Engage with employees and union leadership to create a culture of inclusion and teamwork
Ensure appropriate staffing levels and provide cross training to ensure uninterrupted services
Develop, implement and monitor work plans to achieve organizational mission, goals and performance measures
Direct and prepare operational and multi-year capital improvement program budgets, establish budgetary control measures, allocate resources and personnel and monitor diverse work programs for compliance with budget guidelines
Continuously review, implement and modify internal policies, procedures and processes to improve efficiency, accuracy and standardization of internal operations, analyses and reports
Operate electric systems in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, to include environmental and State reliability standards
Operate, control and maintain substation and distribution systems, meters, and fleet
Qualifications:
Accomplished and approachable leader, with a demonstrated track record of ethical behavior, safe operations excellence and inclusive people leadership
Demonstrated technical and financial acumen and ability to inspire and lead a large team through industry shifts in operational requirements
Ten (10) plus years of progressively responsible experience in the electric utility industry, to include at least five (5) years of management experience in any one or combination of the following areas: utility operations, construction and design services; transmission and distribution support
An undergraduate degree or equivalent training and experience is required. PE or MBA is also preferred
Strategic vision and continuous improvement mindset
Skilled in labor / management relations including building relationships, administering collective bargaining agreements and working through grievance resolution
Specific knowledge and experience requirements include:
Administrative principles and methods, including strategic goal setting, organizational analysis, program development and implementation
Federal, state and local laws, regulations affecting the utility industry such as environmental compliance and reliability
Operational and capital expense management
Electric utility design, engineering, system planning and operations and maintenance practices
Engineering and construction best practices
Reliability performance monitoring
Contracting management practices, performance standards and contract modification
Related electric industry organizations, policy-setting boards and committees
General understanding of rate making and tariffs
Directing, planning, and coordinating work
Ability to:
Lead by example, facilitate and lead teams through change, promotes the values of trust and integrity
Analyze difficult and complex issues and strategies, reach sound and logical fact-based conclusions and recommendations
Understand, interpret, explain and apply local, state and federal policy, law, regulation and court decisions as they relate to operations
Lead, facilitate and/or participate in the strategic planning, organization design, implementation and monitoring of comprehensive programs
Evaluate departmental practices and make sound recommendations for improvements; develop and implement appropriate procedures and controls
Exercise sound expert independent judgment and political acumen within general policy guidelines
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of employees, elected officials, business and community leaders, media representatives and the public
Read and interpret technically complex documents, drawings and engineering specifications
Communicate and respond to inquiries or complaints from employees, customers, regulatory agencies or members of the community
Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity
At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at www.firstenergycorp.com to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.
Safety
Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.
Position Classification
Exempt
FirstEnergy Human Resources Team