Senior Vice President of Operations

Overview

Executes operational strategy, overseeing safety, reliability, and growth for a regional gas utility.

Key Responsibilities

• project oversight
• budget management
• asset modernization
• crisis planning
• regulatory liaison
• safety management

Tasks

-Provide executive oversight of major infrastructure projects, modernization efforts, and system expansions, ensuring projects are delivered on time and under budget. -Direct multiyear operating and capital budgets, ensuring disciplined fiscal management and alignment with growth priorities. -Oversee modernization of transmission, distribution, and system assets to ensure long term sustainability. -Foster an environment of fairness, respect, and broad organizational engagement throughout all levels of the company. -Lead the development, execution, and continual refinement of enterprise crisis response, disaster recovery, and resiliency plans. -Represent Summit with regulators, policymakers, and industry associations engaging on relevant policy, safeguarding company interests, and maintaining regulatory compliance. -Champion a safety-first culture fostering accountability and compliance at every organizational level. -Optimize allocation of workforce, technology, and capital resources to maximize value, resilience, and operational agility. -Mentor, coach and develop a high performing team of operational executives and senior leaders. -Identify, anticipate and mitigate operational, environmental, and safety risks, implementing robust controls and response frameworks. -Define and execute operational strategies that align with corporate objectives, regulatory requirements, and customer needs. -Serve as an ambassador to external stakeholders, strengthening trust, transparency, and corporate alignment with community needs. -Lead enterprise-wide operational excellence initiatives to drive safety, reliability, efficiency, and cost effectiveness. -Ensure succession readiness and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and professional growth. -Report operational performance, priorities, and emerging challenges to the Board and executive team at regular intervals and as needed.

Requirements

• mba
• engineering degree
• utility ops
• regulatory compliance
• stakeholder mgmt
• continuous improvement

What You Bring

-Proven ability to champion continuous improvement and adoption of emerging technologies. -15+ years of progressive leadership experience in the natural gas or regulated utility sector, including 10 years in senior/executive operational leadership roles. -Advanced degree (MBA, MS Engineering, or equivalent) strongly preferred. -Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (ABET accredited), Business, or a related field required, with a preference for Engineering. -Deep knowledge of utility operations, safety standards, regulatory compliance, and industry best practices. -Strong executive presence with the ability to influence at the Board, regulatory, and community levels. -Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and negotiation skills for building partnerships with executives and external entities. -Strategic business acumen with proven track record of success in operational transformation, financial oversight, and innovation. -Demonstrated expertise in large scale operations management, capital program execution, regulatory affairs, and enterprise risk management.

People Also Searched For

About Summit Utilities, Inc.

-Owns and operates subsidiaries across Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. -Typically builds and installs gas distribution systems to support local economic growth. -Financially backed by a major infrastructure investment fund. -Recent expansions include strategic acquisitions and opening a new office. -Recognized with emergency response honors for tornado and wildfire efforts.

Sector Specialisms