Assistant Operations Manager

Job Title

This is a highly technical and management-level supervisory position.

Job Description

This position schedules and directs the operations, maintenance, and environmental activities of multi-fueled, high-pressure steam, combined-cycle, and reciprocating internal combustion engine power-generating units at multiple plant site locations. An employee in this classification is responsible for coordinating the activities of the rotating operating shifts, providing 24/7 coverage at all three plant facilities, and working under the direction of the Operations Manager at Lakeland Electric's Production Division. Work is reviewed through work orders, written reports, conferences and meetings, and the overall availability and reliability of the generating units.

Essential Functions

• Manages the safe and reliable operation of modern gas, oil, and reciprocating engine electric power-generating units at three separate plant sites.
• Ensures environmental compliance related to operational performance and work activities.
• Enforces employee compliance with the City of Lakeland's and Lakeland Electric's Energy Production department rules and policies.
• Resolves conflicts within Operations' workgroups and assists in resolving conflicts between subordinate workgroups and other peer workgroups.
• Reviews and reports on system malfunctions and unit trips, ensuring actions are taken and conclusions are documented.
• Oversees water chemistry and verifies we operate within specified limits.
• Maintains sufficient chemical inventory to ensure Operational continuity.
• Supervises and manages Operations personnel, including the selection, training, and development, assigning and monitoring work, and individual performance, including recognition and issue resolution within Production, all in accordance with established operating procedures, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Oversees the scheduling of five rotating shifts to ensure proper coverage is maintained for safe operational continuity.
• Directs and reviews operational work performed by skilled and semi-skilled workers engaged in keeping plants and equipment operating safely and with good physical appearance.
• Coordinates work between shifts and provides continuity through effective communications regarding equipment status and operational changes.
• Provides guidance and performance reviews to direct reports and subordinates.
• Plans and/or coordinates the schedules of unit maintenance and operational testing with Engineering, Maintenance, Environmental, outside contractors, and Florida Municipal Power Pool (FMPP) Dispatch.
• Manages assigned contracts (Everllence Long Term Maintenance, Siemens Training, etc.).
• Manages divisions of responsibility by coordinating vendor support and directing internal resources.
• Identifies training and qualification requirements of direct reports and subordinates, and identifies required training in the production annual training budget.
• Reviews water chemistry and oil analysis data, as well as a variety of inspection reports on plant equipment.
• Ensures follow-up actions or work orders are written, prioritized, and scheduled accordingly.
• Manages preventative maintenance (PM) requirements for each generating facility and provides guidance and follow-up review for assigned tasks.
• Manages all operating procedures and reviews updates as needed.
• May be required to participate in and/or facilitate training to support departmental or City initiatives and requirements.
• May be required to work overtime and/or alternate hours, as necessary to manage a 24/7 operating schedule for the efficient operation of the department.
• May be required to work alternate hours as necessary for the efficient operation of the department.
• Position is designated as Mission Critical.

Qualifications (Education, Training and Experience)

• High school diploma from an accredited school or a GED.
• Ten years of experience in operation, maintenance, support services, and budgeting for an electric / water utility and/or industrial manufacturing plant, including at least five years of experience in operation, maintenance, and construction of electric generating units (gas turbine, steam turbine, RICE).
• Seven years of experience in a supervisory role, power plant control room operations, project management, incident response, or a combination of these areas totaling seven years.

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and other competencies necessary for success in the target position may be considered.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Generation dispatch and marketing processes and how generation unit availability, reliability, and efficiency affect dispatch and operation within the connected transmission system.
• Regulatory requirements, including environmental (EPA, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), etc.), safety (Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)), and security (NERC and DHS).
• Personal computers, including the following computer applications: Maximo, Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• Operation and maintenance processes associated with multi-fueled power generators, including high-pressure steam units, combined cycle units, combustion turbine peaking units, diesel peaking units, reciprocating engines, and associated supporting and environmental systems.
• Power generation policies and procedures, safety regulations, chemical hazards, and other precautions as required to promote an effective and safe workplace.
• Equipment, process specifications, and operating functions required to safely and efficiently operate and maintain equipment and systems that are an integral part of the generating units.
• Locations, operating and maintenance characteristics, and requirements of the various parts of the power plant system, such as controls, lube oil system, seal oil system, etc.
• Electric generating unit designs similar to Foster-Wheeler, Nooter-Eriksen, GE and Siemens, MAN/Everllence

• Excellent communication skills.
• Managing people, generation processes, budgets, and material supplies.
• Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Maximo software.

• Create, maintain, and support a safe work environment.
• Establish and communicate directives and goals to peers and subordinates.
• Effectively delegate responsibility and authority to subordinates and effectively manage people.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, co-workers, and a large staff of technical, skilled, and semi-skilled employees, other City employees, and the general public.
• Calculate flow rates, ratios, percentages, and heat rates.
• Assess pressures and temperatures, steam tables, and generator capability curves.
• Coordinate and manage the economic dispatch of generating units and respond to service interruptions or loss of generating capacity.
• Plan and determine the proper course of action based on personal observations and experiences.

• Some sedentary work with some walking or standing, exerting up to 30 pounds of force regularly, and routine keyboard use.
• Occasional exposure to traffic, electrical voltage, heights, pollen, dust, noxious fumes, toxic chemicals, extreme cold/hot temperatures, adverse weather conditions, bright/dim light, and loud noise.
• Normal hearing, speaking, visual perception, field of vision, color perception, depth perception, sense of smell, and texture perception.

All City of Lakeland positions are subject to testing (e.g. written, oral, performance, computerized, interview, and/or any combination). Candidates selected for testing will be notified via email or telephone. Please check your e-mail and telephone messages regularly, including "junk" folders. Test times and locations to be announced.

The City of Lakeland is a drug free workplace. This position is considered a mandatory testing position, which is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. All City of Lakeland positions are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing. As a condition of employment you will be required to pass the pre-employment drug test in accordance with Florida Statute 440.102.

THE CITY OF LAKELAND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/EQUAL ACCESS EMPLOYER AND A DRUG FREE WORKPLACE