Vice President of Operations

Summit Utilities; Little Rock (AR); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Summit Utilities, Inc. seeks a Vice President of Operations to lead field operations across multiple states from Little Rock, AR.

The VP will oversee construction, maintenance, distribution, customer field service, safety, compliance, and performance, driving operational excellence and a culture of safety and integrity. This role partners with Engineering, Regulatory, and Customer Experience teams to meet enterprise goals, manage budgets, ensure PHMSA/OSHA compliance, and attract diverse talent

Qualifications

• Requires a BS/BA in engineering, operations management or business.
• 15 years of progressive operations experience in natural gas or distribution.
• Experience in safety, regulatory compliance and budgeting is essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for field operations across service territories.
• Ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective operations of the natural gas distribution system.
• Oversee emergency response protocols and readiness for weather events or incidents.
• Lead safety initiatives to drive a zero-incident culture.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Compliance, Regulatory, and Customer Experience teams.
• Maintain full regulatory compliance with PHMSA, OSHA and state commissions.
• Lead budgeting for O&M and capital programs and drive cost efficiency.
• Identify and implement process improvements and best practices.
• Represent Operations in executive leadership meetings and enterprise initiatives.
• Foster an inclusive workplace and develop diverse talent pipelines.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Safety culture

Regulatory compliance

Budgeting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations/Business

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Job description

• Summit Utilities**

• Join our Growing Team and see why Summit Utilities, Inc was named as

one of the Fastest Growing Denver Area Private Companies 2019 and 2020;

Best Places to Work in Maine 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and Best

Places to Work in Arkansas 2020 and 2023, Oklahoma 2022 and 2023 and

Missouri 2023. Summit was also recently named one of Forbes 2023

Americas Best Small Employers.**

Summit is a growing natural gas utility company providing safe, reliable

and clean burning natural gas service to homes and businesses in

Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri and Oklahoma. Being part of the

Summit team means embracing excellence, diversity 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 have an exciting opportunity for a Vice President of Operation

based in Little Rock, AR.

*POSITION SUMMARY*

The Vice President (VP) of Operations is a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for the strategic and day-to-day management of all utility field operations across multiple states. This includes oversight of construction, maintenance, distribution, customer field service, safety, compliance, and operational performance. The VP will drive operational excellence and foster a culture of safety, integrity, and customer service while ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations.

*PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES*

• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for field operations across all service territories.
• Ensure safe, reliable, and cost effective operations of the natural gas distribution system.
• Oversee emergency response protocols and readiness for operational incidents or weather related events.
• Champion a strong safety culture and lead initiatives to achieve zero-incident performance.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Compliance, Regulatory, Customer Experience, and other internal teams to deliver enterprise wide goals.
• Maintain full regulatory compliance with PHMSA, OSHA, state public utility commissions, and other applicable agencies.
• Lead strategic planning and budgeting processes for the Operations function; manage O&M and capital budgets.
• Identify and implement process improvements, technologies, and best practices to drive operational efficiency.
• Represent Operations in executive leadership meetings and contribute to companywide initiatives.
• Foster a respectful, inclusive workplace while developing diverse talent pipelines within field operations.

*EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE*

Bachelors degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field preferred; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

15 years of progressive operations experience in natural gas transmission or dis

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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