FirstEnergy at a Glance
We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers' lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.
FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.
About the Opportunity
This is an open position with FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp.
The client-facing Facility Operations function within the Administrative Services department seeks to maximize the value and efficiency of our facilities to assure the built environment will perform the functions (https://www.wbdg.org/design-objectives/functional-operational) for which it was designed and constructed. Facility Operations provides support to other sites through collaborative and effective facilities management, maintenance and preservation strategies, ensuring performance to standards (e.g., OSHA, FE, and the department).
The Manager, Facility Operations is accountable for leading a diverse Facility Operations team of employees - 45 employees and 5 unions - in addition to managing contractors, in facility-related jobs providing safe, environmentally responsible, and fiscally judicious operations. Responsibilities include leading the team, implementing safety programs, ensuring compliance, driving financial management and reporting, applying business processes, employing records management, guiding staff development, identifying and implementing process improvement, establishing strategic facility improvement plans, working with external contractors and affecting certain facility project management. Duties include the efficient use of resources, prudent labor relation actions, and an understanding of and ability to proactively implement maintenance, technical, and business requirements and trends in the industry. The position is accountable for ensuring that certain facilities within the territory are maintained, secured in a safe manner and in compliance with regulations within budgetary guidelines provided. The position is a trusted resource to internal and external stakeholders within the department and throughout FE, respected and capable driving facility improvement strategies and, to achieve exceptional operational performance. Works closely with FEU operations teams.
This position will be responsible for approximately 64 facilities, with over 3.1 million square footage of facility space, across our territory within the state of Pennsylvania. (Note - also responsible for one facility in West Virginia - Weirton). This person can be based at any location in our PA service territory but preferred locations are Greensburg, York, Erie and Reading.
RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
Actively participate in and promote FirstEnergy's Safety Philosophy; work safely to advance the FirstEnergy Safety Vision; ensure and promote a safe work environment for all persons working in or visiting a facility
Support a safety culture where work is performed in accordance with the Accident Prevention Handbook and other company safe work practices and policies in accordance with Leading with Safety approach
Ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations (e.g. Federal, environmental, state, NFPA, ANSI and OSHA regulations)
Maintaining a positive and collaborative relationship with internal and external business partners
Ensuring maintenance of all equipment meet FirstEnergy maintenance practices
Ensuring the coordination of forward-looking preventative maintenance schedules achieve goals related to safety, compliance, and cost effectiveness
Maintaining building summaries and an up-to-date status of each facility that reflects the current and future maintenance and repair projects that have been identified and entering the appropriate information into the portfolio process and facility management system
Conducting effective monthly safety meetings and documenting the safety meeting minutes
Provide overall leadership to the Facility Operations team
Actively coach, develop and manage direct reports (in addition to contractors)
Implement FE's performance management process by providing insightful feedback and consistent coaching throughout the year, including discussion of development opportunities, performance issues and changes that are occurring within FE
Engage employees to establish and achieve scheduled milestones and appropriate benchmarking measures for safety, reliability, customer service, financial performance, and compliance
Encourage open, honest, direct, and ongoing conversation across the team(s)
Lead efforts to increase productivity and goal accomplishment across the department functions
Create an environment of accountability and a sense of urgency for meeting agreed upon expectations and deadlines
Improve and document processes in playbooks for work activities within the department's functions
Be a visible and accessible business partner and resource to internal customers, to understand their initiatives, and develop and execute plans to support the same, including the contact for union leadership in state and work collaboratively on solutions
Formulate and implement strategic business improvements concerning all FirstEnergy facilities
Ensure critical equipment is monitored and actions taken to protect critical assets; maintain cognizance of facility equipment status including abnormal or degraded conditions and ensure appropriate actions to correct those conditions
Be available to oversee all emergency operations during outages. This requires communication through the PROC-1 process and ensuring on site staff are addressing needs to resolve issues. Coordinating storm and other emergency situations as appropriate, including site set up and logistics
Works with director, managers, and supervisors across Administrative Services to identify facility performance opportunities; opens lines of communication with building occupants for same; benchmarks facility performance against Industry Standards (IFMA Utility Council); and leads the team to develop and implement recommendations to make the most of these opportunities to increase reliable, efficient and safe operation of the facilities
Works with director, managers, and supervisors across Administrative Services to develop short-term and long-term business process improvement objectives
Responsible for state facility budget
Collaborates to develop or improve operations and maintenance processes including KPIs and metrics
Ensure timely processing of facilities documentation through efficient execution of transaction and project closure processes
Develop or improve departmental reporting for ongoing business, operational and/or organizational priorities
Hazardous communication coordinator
Successfully execute other projects and responsibilities, as requested
Communicating in a proactive and transparent manner in order to maintain a company-wide awareness of safety concerns or other facility issues
QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDE:
Bachelor's Degree in Facilities Management, Engineering or Engineering Technology, or a related field, supplemented with a minimum of seven (7) years related experience. Advanced degree is a plus. In lieu of a degree, a minimum of ten (10) years' work experience in Facilities Management or related field. Related field or experience includes: Prior leadership experience, experience in facility operations or operational experience within the electric utility industry
A minimum of five years of supervisory experience or leading a team
Strong leadership and analytical skills including financial analysis spreadsheets
Effective project management skills, with strong organizational skills in planning and coordinating multiple activities and projects
Experience understanding, applying, and enforcing labor agreements and working with labor unions
Thorough understanding of the company's Accident Prevention Handbook, the National Electric Safety Code, and the company's policies, procedures and standards
Proficient in MS Office applications (Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Word and Visio). SAP experience preferred
Highly driven, self-motivated, proactive and enthusiastic leader capable of communicating, motivating, and driving workforces toward positive change and improvement
Exceptional relationship management, leadership, teamwork, interpersonal, and managerial skills
Superior customer relations skills - establishes trust and projects integrity and honesty
Direct experience in building operations, construction management, budgetary formulation and administration, engineering practices, and customer and employee relations
Working knowledge of building systems, health and safety mandates, engineering disciplines, financial objectives, construction practices, and construction documentation
Strong written communication skills, including the ability to make clear, accurate, and concise written and verbal reports and presentations
Proven ability to clearly assess multi-faceted situations with multiple stakeholders and work towards innovative solution in an organized manner
Strong collaboration skills, ability to interact well in a team-based and diverse working environment, and model FE Values and Behaviors
Ability to adapt communication styles to a wide variety of audiences, internal and external to the company
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and lead others in achieving goals
Ability to drive development and execution of agreed upon strategies through entrepreneurial approaches while comprehensively analyzing situations and recommending solutions
Travel to sites throughout territory is required
Must be available after hours for emergency facility needs
Possesses and maintains a valid state driver's license
Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity
At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at www.firstenergycorp.com to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.
Safety
Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.
Position Classification
Exempt
FirstEnergy Human Resources Team
