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 of more than 3,500 megawatts.
About the Opportunity
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 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 – 35 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 62 facilities, with over 3.3M square footage of facility space, across our territory of Ohio, in addition to approximately 245 properties and substation facility needs.
RESPONSIBILITIES
•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
•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
•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
Akron, OH
Full-time
