Director of Pipeline Safety and Asset Risk

Summit Utilities; Fort Smith (AR); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Summit Utilities, Inc. is seeking a Director, Pipeline Safety & Asset Risk to provide strategic leadership across pipeline safety, integrity management, asset risk, and regulatory compliance.

This hybrid role may be based in Little Rock, Fort Smith, or Fayetteville, AR, reporting to the VP of Operations Support. You will lead cross-functional teams, strengthen PHMSA relationships, and drive risk-informed investment decisions to protect employees, customers, and infrastructure while advancing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Risk Management, Safety, Regulatory Compliance, Business Administration, Construction Management, or related field.
• Twelve or more years of experience in natural gas utility operations, pipeline safety, integrity management, asset risk, engineering, regulatory compliance, or related discipline.
• Five or more years of leadership experience managing employees, technical professionals, multidisciplinary teams, or complex programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide enterprise leadership for pipeline safety, integrity management, and asset-risk strategy.
• Oversee DIMP, TIMP, MAOP compliance, corrosion control, advanced leak detection, damage prevention and public awareness programs.
• Advance Summits Pipeline Safety Management System and related continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strengthen regulatory compliance, audit readiness, and relationships with PHMSA and state regulatory agencies.
• Establish governance, performance measures, and risk-informed practices supporting operational and capital-investment decisions.
• Monitor emerging regulatory and industry developments and provide executive-level reporting and recommendations.
• Develop and lead high-performing teams responsible for pipeline safety, integrity, governance, and compliance.
• Demonstrated leadership of pipeline integrity

Skills

Enterprise leadership

Regulatory compliance

Risk management

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Risk Management

Bachelor's degree in Safety

Bachelor's degree in Regulatory Compliance

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management

Job description

Summit Utilities, Inc. continues to earn national and regional recognition as an employer of choice. Our recognitions include Best Places to Work in Maine (2019 2025); Best Places to Work in Arkansas (2020, 2023, 2025); Best Places to Work in Oklahoma (2022 2025); Best Places to Work in Missouri (2023 and 2026); Best Places to Work in Colorado (2025); Forbes Americas Best Small Employers (2023); and, most recently, Proud and Purposeful Employer (2026). Summit is a growing natural gas utility that’s committed to delivering reliable energy to homes and businesses in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Being part of the Summit team means embracing excellence and innovation, committing to safety each and every day, and doing all that we can to serve each other, our customers, and the communities where we live. We aim to bring warmth and energy to everything we do.

We are seeking an experienced and strategic leader to serve as Director, Pipeline Safety & Asset Risk. This hybrid opportunity may be based in one of Summit Utilities' Arkansas locations: Little Rock, Fort Smith, or Fayetteville.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Pipeline Safety & Asset Risk provides strategic leadership for pipeline safety, integrity management, asset risk, and regulatory compliance across Summits multi-state utility operations. Reporting to the Vice President of Operations Support, the Director partners with executive leadership and key business stakeholders to strengthen safety performance, improve system reliability, advance regulatory compliance, and support risk-informed investment decisions. This highly visible leadership role works across Operations, Engineering, Construction, Regulatory Affairs, and Finance to protect employees, customers, communities, and critical infrastructure while advancing continuous improvement and operational excellence.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide enterprise leadership for pipeline safety, integrity management, and asset-risk strategy.
• Oversee DIMP, TIMP, MAOP compliance, corrosion control, advanced leak detection, damage prevention and public awareness programs.
• Advance Summits Pipeline Safety Management System and related continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strengthen regulatory compliance, audit readiness, and relationships with PHMSA and state regulatory agencies.
• Establish governance, performance measures, and risk-informed practices supporting operational and capital-investment decisions.
• Monitor emerging regulatory and industry developments and provide executive-level reporting and recommendations.
• Develop and lead high-performing teams responsible for pipeline safety, integrity, governance, and compliance.
• Demonstrated leadership of pipeline integrity

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• Bachelors degree in Engineering, Risk Management, Safety, Regulatory Compliance, Business Administration, Construction Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience.
• Twelve or more years of progressively responsible experience in natural gas utility operations, pipeline safety, integrity management, asset risk, engineering, regulatory compliance, or a related discipline.
• Five or more years of leadership experience managing employees, technical professionals, multidisciplinary teams, or complex programs.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.