Operations Planner Team Lead - Western

Xcel Energy; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 51,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Spot On Bonus

Medical/Pharmacy Plan

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

401(k) plan

PTO

Job summary

Xcel Energy in Boulder, CO is seeking an Operations Planner Team Lead to oversee multi-regional scheduling and coordinate operational work. You will mentor planners, drive process improvements, and liaise with field operations leadership, design, and external stakeholders.

The role emphasizes strategic scheduling, resource optimization, and safety/compliance, with a focus on achieving operational excellence and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to foster collaboration across teams and departments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheet tools; ability to retrieve and manipulate data from reporting tools.
• Knowledge of and ability to use a wide range of computer applications, including Microsoft products, work management, mapping, and scheduling/project management tools.

Responsibilities

• Oversee development and maintenance of a rolling 0–12+ week schedule for designated regions or commodity areas, ensuring alignment with priorities, compliance, and resource availability.
• Coordinate prerequisites (permits, locates, traffic control, vegetation management) and ensure project readiness; manage equipment, materials, and third-party services.
• Mentor and train Operations Planners/Sr. Operations Planners; set high performance standards and drive continuous improvement.
• Forecast personnel, equipment, and material needs across multiple areas; optimize resource allocation to minimize costs and maximize schedule adherence.
• Analyze scheduling and work execution performance; lead monthly metric reviews and process improvements.
• Engage stakeholders; communicate scheduling and outages with customers and negotiates adjustments in cross-functional meetings.
• Ensure timely job closeout, accurate documentation, and financial stewardship of O&M and capital work.

Skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Associate degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Are you looking for an exciting job where you can put your skills and talents to work at a company you can feel proud to be a part of? Do you want a workplace that will challenge you and offer you opportunities to learn and grow? A position at Xcel Energy could be just what you're looking for.

Position Summary

The Operations Planner Team Lead serves as the subject matter expert and leader for planning, scheduling, and coordinating operational work across multiple functional areas and regions. This role provides strategic oversight of multi-week scheduling and daily coordination activities, ensuring operational readiness, resource optimization, and compliance with safety and regulatory standards. The Team Lead mentors and develops planners, drives process improvements, and acts as a key liaison between field operations leadership, design, and external stakeholders. This position sets high standards for operational excellence and customer satisfaction while fostering collaboration and accountability across teams.

Essential Responsibilities

• Strategic Scheduling & Planning: Oversee development and maintenance of a rolling 0–12+ week schedule for designated regions or commodity areas, ensuring alignment with priorities, compliance, and resource availability. Identify gaps, resolve scheduling conflicts, and make recommendations for resource adjustments to optimize efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Facilitate quarterly planning meetings to forecast workload and resource needs.

• Operational Readiness & Coordination: Review all aspects of projects prior to assigning work, ensuring prerequisites (permits, locates, traffic control, vegetation management) are met. Coordinate equipment, materials, and third-party services to enable timely work execution. Maintain visibility into real-time work queues and manage exception work outside normal scheduling windows.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Mentor and train Operations Planners/Sr. Operations Planners and other team members, providing guidance on scheduling practices, system use, and operational standards. Set high performance standards and encourage continuous improvement across the team. Provide backup leadership to Operations Managers and act as a consultative resource for system improvements and process changes.

• Resource Management & Optimization: Monitor and forecast personnel, equipment, and material needs across multiple areas. Optimize allocation of contract and employee resources to minimize costs and maximize schedule adherence, safety, and compliance.

• Performance Analysis & Continuous Improvement: Analyze scheduling and work execution performance to identify opportunities for improvement. Facilitate monthly metric review meetings and lead process change initiatives to enhance operational efficiency. Drive adoption of standardized work practices and company initiatives for operational excellence.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Customer Focus: Build and maintain strong partnerships with supervisors, field leaders, and external stakeholders. Champion timely and professional communication with customers and stakeholders regarding scheduling and outages. Represent Distribution Operations in cross-functional meetings and negotiate adjustments to meet customer and compliance deadlines.

• Accountability for Results: Ensure timely job closeout, accurate documentation, and financial stewardship of O&M and capital work. Oversee emergency response and storm restoration efforts, prioritizing safety and service reliability.

• All other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

• Associate’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• 8 years of experience in construction, design, maintenance, or operations (utility experience strongly preferred), with 3 years in a senior planning role (e.g. Sr Operations Work Coordinator).

• Demonstrated mastery in scheduling, planning, and operational coordination within utility or construction industries.

• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

• Proven ability to lead teams, mentor staff, and manage complex work activities to meet operational deadlines and customer expectations.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to foster collaboration across teams and departments.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheet tools; ability to retrieve and manipulate data from reporting tools.

• Knowledge of and ability to use a wide range of computer applications, including Microsoft products, work management, mapping, and scheduling/project management tools.

• Valid Driver’s License

Preferred Characteristics

• Openness to travel within area assigned

• Willing to work extended hours as needed

As a leading combination electricity and natural gas energy company, Xcel Energy offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity and 1.9 million natural gas customers across eight Western and Midwestern states. At Xcel Energy, we strive to be the preferred and trusted provider of the energy our customers need. If you're ready to be a part of something big, we invite you to join our team.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Individuals with a disability who need an accommodation to apply please contact us at [e-mail] .

Non-Bargaining

The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $37.30 to $52.23 per hour

• Spot On Bonus
• Medical/Pharmacy Plan
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance
• Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
• Health Care Reimbursement Account
• Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
• Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA)
• Transportation Reimbursement Account
• Short-term disability (STD)
• Long-term disability (LTD)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Transit programs
• Employee recognition program
• Pension
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Holidays
• Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO)
• Parental Leave

Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Deadline to Apply: 08/30/26

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ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT

Xcel Energy endeavors to make https://www.xcelenergy.com/ accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Xcel Energy Talent Acquisition at [e-mail]. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.