Field Operations Regional Manager – Midwest

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The Field Operations Regional Manager – Midwest will support our expanding team locally and help grow our portfolio of photovoltaic (PV) solar and solar+storage facilities while connecting the region to the broader Field Operations network.

A day in the life of the Regional Manager will include, but is not limited to:

• Based out of your home and our sites’ field offices, develop, lead, and support the electrical Team Leads and electrical and landscape technicians in some MISO region states and Nebraska.
• Plan, coordinate and manage the safe, efficient, and reliable delivery of Field Operations to AES Clean Energy facilities with a focus on preventative and corrective maintenance and some limited support for ongoing construction activities. 
• Assist the Field Operations Manager in planning to meet regional maintenance obligations, including NERC obligations.
• Work closely with the Field Operations Manager, the field teams, and other parts of the Clean Energy O&M organization to identify and remediate site issues and enhance the operating portfolio’s performance.
• Coordinate and manage contractors engaged to support maintenance activities.

The successful candidates will have a depth of technical and leadership experience in the energy industry with a solid background in safely and successfully operating utility-scale facilities and distributed assets, as well as a strong understanding of the commercial aspects of energy facilities. The position is flexible on location within the region and will require regular regional travel to attend to site and team needs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide performance and developmental leadership and feedback to the members of the region’s growing team.
• Actively communicate with other regional Field Operations teams and pursue opportunities for collaboration.  Participate in strategy development exercises to improve organizational structure, talent retention, general skill level, and resilience.
• Ensure timely, complete, and high-quality reporting of field service activities.
• Support, or lead as necessary, warranty claims processes with EPC providers and equipment vendors.
• Develop a strategic plan, including budget and headcount, for addressing needs of assets throughout the region.
• In collaboration with the Maintenance Support team, assist in the integration of new Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and facilitate its use for outage and work planning, ticket processing, warehouse materials management and re-ordering, and the tracking of team skills and equipment inspections.
• Support Field Operations staff in communicating with AES Clean Energy staff and local off-takers and authorities regarding operations and maintenance events on a routine basis through phone calls, emails, and other business software such as our CMMS.
• Ensure that Team Leads establish and maintain work schedules, including on-call schedules, and communicate those schedules as needed to internal and external parties.
• Provide safe practice and technical expertise to address specific needs in the field.
• Find opportunities for continuous improvement of O&M activities to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable delivery of Field Operations.
• Acquire and retain vendors and third-party contractors as needed to support our plants. 
• Participate in the construction/commissioning of the facilities within the region, working closely with the AES Clean Energy Construction team to ensure a high-quality build, successful commissioning, timely project punch list closeout, and smooth transition of responsibility to the Operations team.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Appropriate Electrical trade qualification with at least 8 years working on utility scale electrical systems.
• Experience working with C&I or utility scale PV systems and Battery Energy Storage systems is strongly preferred.
• College degree in a related field, a plus.
• High degree of commitment to a quality safety culture and an incident-free work environment.
• At least 4 years of demonstrated ability to lead and develop hard-working teams to achieve organizational goals.
• Ability to read and comprehend equipment/facility schematics.
• Knowledgeable in the systems, processes and protocols guiding the operations and maintenance of industrial PV solar plants and electrical systems (NERC standards, OSHA standards, NFPA 70e, Lockout/ Tagout/ Grounding, etc.).
• Knowledgeable of the programs and protocols associated with SCADA, DAS and remote monitoring.
• Ability to work remotely and apply technology to stay connected to colleagues throughout region and in the Louisville, CO and Salt Lake, UT headquarters.
• Self-starter, very self-reliant and capable of operating with minimum direct supervision.
• Personal values consistent with those of the AES: Safety First, Highest Standards, and All Together.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in the use of the Microsoft Office software suite.
• Willingness to travel regionally in a company provided service vehicle and using regional air travel to support company’s solar and storage assets.

AES is an Equal Opportunity Employer who is committed to building strength and delivering long-term sustainability through diversity and inclusion. Respecting all backgrounds, differences and perspectives enables us to improve the lives of our people, customers, suppliers, contractors, and the communities in which we live and work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and/or expression, race, national origin, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law. E-Verify Notice: AES will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's I-9 to confirm work authorization.