Senior Vice President of Operations

Overview

Exec leads ops strategy, safety, capital, and stakeholder relations for natural gas utility

Key Responsibilities

• crisis management
• asset modernization
• project oversight
• resource optimization
• performance reporting
• operational excellence

Tasks

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

Requirements

• advanced degree
• executive presence
• operations management
• continuous improvement
• stakeholder management
• leadership experience

What You Bring

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

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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