Summary:

Responsible for the Cooperative’s effective and efficient operations and maintenance of the natural gas distribution and garage, and fleet management are maintained, operated, and constructed in a safe and efficient manner consistent with industry standards and regulations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties include but are not limited to the following.

Operations

• Ensure timely and efficient maintenance of the natural gas distribution and garage departments, safety, and general facilities including fiscal oversight.
• Direct the construction of new distribution lines by planning the overall design, preparing specifications, estimating costs, overseeing preparation of contracts, hiring consultants when necessary, overseeing the purchase of materials and equipment, and planning equipment installation.
• Regularly inspect the distribution systems.
• Responsible for outage management and required mitigation measures.
• Support the company’s vision of excellent member service by ensuring reliable system operation and encouraging crews and contractors to work in a courteous and member friendly manner.
• Provide day-to-day supervision and development of the natural gas and garage crew.

Personnel Supervision

As per terms of collective bargaining agreement when relevant:

• Ensure the efficient use of time for the gas and garage crew.
• Hire temporary crews as needed.
• Develop employees and direct training as needed.
• Provide technical advice and assistance to support the crews.
• Performs on-call duty, responds to outages and system emergencies when necessary.
• Ensure gas crews construct facilities in accordance with approved staking sheets and industry standards by performing in-progress inspections of work.
• Review and approve job descriptions that are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and qualifications of all direct reports, keeping them current, and assure that all personnel reporting to Natural Gas Superintendent understand and accept the responsibilities and authorities described in their job descriptions.
• Interview and select candidates for all positions reporting to the Natural Gas Superintendent within limitations of the approved budget in coordination with HR and Hiring Policy. Appraise the performance of personnel reporting directly to the Natural Gas Superintendent and counsel with such employees to discuss their performance and to encourage their growth and development.
• Administer the managerial responsibilities of Cooperative’s progressive discipline policy and union contract as it relates to direct reports.

Staking & Member Service

As per the tariff rules and regulations when relevant:

• Work in close coordination with the Billing Supervisor to address and assist the Billing Department to resolve member and internal inquiries regarding member needs. These may include but are not limited to utility service consumption irregularities, and quality complaints.
• Assure prompt, efficient, and reliable staking service to include preparing estimates for natural gas construction projects and/or system improvements.
  • Receive requests for natural gas service, meet with BUECI members and contractors, determine the best type of service at the most reasonable cost.

• Prepare staking sheets within BUECI guidelines.

1. • Obtain easements and right-of-way when needed.

• Prepare staking sheets.

• Communicate scope of work project estimate prepayment requirements and review final invoices for work order close.
• Ensure accurate revenue metering through meter reading, meter testing, and replacement.
• Interface with membership, third-party project personnel, consultants, vendors, regulators, and developers as required, particularly as it relates to construction estimates and construction scheduling.
• Advise and assist in promoting good relationships, participate in public affairs, and develop increased understanding and acceptance of the Cooperative by the public.

Metering Management

• Responsible for meter testing, meter reading, meter inventory and new installations.
• Supervise meter readers.
• Support existing and new electronic and automated meters, if applicable.
• Meter programming and software updates, if applicable.

Planning and Reporting

• Develop Cooperative standards and enforce the requirements per the tariff rules and regulations. Provide technical assistance to members and contractors.
• Advise the General Manager in all matters related to natural gas distribution, as well as garage services (fleet management) including written monthly reports that are shared with the board.
• Collaborate with Cooperative leadership and other departments, advising and providing solutions for distribution and fleet management needs.
• Evaluate the Cooperative’s natural gas distribution systems on a continual basis. Determine when major system improvements should be made and work with CFO to budget these in a timely, long-term manner.
• Responsible for the preparing, developing, and implementing studies dealing with long range plans; long and mid-range construction work plans; and special studies as assigned by the General Manager.
• Timely prepare and submit annual O&M budget to include revisions and updates for a rolling five-year construction work plan.
• Responsible for updating records and reporting all system failures/leaks, monthly and annual report of outages for submission to General Manager and Accounting and Administrative Manager.
• Research, create, review, and revise relevant policies and procedures. Provide leadership and support to the natural gas and garage crew(s).
• Provide documentation for internal controls, compliance, audits, and financing matters when requested.

Mapping

• Supervise improvements and updating of system maps at least annually to accurately delineate existing units of property and the BUECI service area and infrastructure. Arrange for necessary copies of such maps to be distributed to appropriate BUECI personnel.
• Responsible for the preparing right-of-way and easement maps in connection with highways, government, Native, and private lands.
• Must be knowledgeable and comply with all Cooperative policies and procedures including applicable work order procedures per the work order workflow reference guide.

Inventory Controls

For Natural Gas and Garage/CNG:

• Manage inventory levels to absolute minimum value without compromising emergency and ongoing construction requirements, including determining and maintaining adequate levels of inventory for new construction and maintenance activities.
• Responsible for identifying items which are obsolete to be removed from inventory and disposed of at least annually.
• Participate in specification of new equipment and material standards.
• Responsible to perform and submit a timely year-end inventory count.
• Perform, direct, and monitor required work in connection with design, staking, and inspection; direct required work for the construction, maintenance, and operation of gas distribution, ensuring safety practices are observed by crews during their work and that work meets specifications.
• Ensure the accuracy of information submitted by foremen (timecards, work orders, materials, etc.).

Regulatory Compliance & Safety

• Responsible for implementing the Cooperative’s safety and operational policies for system operations including PHMSA.
• Responsible for establishing, implementing, conducting, and documenting the safety and training program per union requirements and set the tone for culture of safety of the organization. Record and report all “near misses” and submit monthly to Safety Committee, General Manager, and the board.
• Ensure maintenance and testing of natural gas and garage/CNG equipment as necessary or required.
• Work with the Cooperative’s DOT Designated Employee Representative to administer the drug and alcohol testing program under and regulatory compliance with DOT Federal Motor Carrier, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials, and OSHA compliance including the hearing loss prevention program.
• Ensure compliance with BUECI Safety Manual at all times.
• Manage regulatory compliance of natural gas distribution systems.
• Participate in annual review and drills of mayday and emergency procedures, disaster recovery and security response policies for the Cooperative.
• Complete BUECI’s online annual PHMSA report by March 31^st of each year.

Fleet Management

• Manage the Cooperative’s fleet of vehicles and equipment.
• Ensure timely maintenance and safety checks.
• Recommend purchase and replacement of vehicles and equipment or major repair/overhaul following established procedures.
• Coordinate with Electric Distribution & Safety Superintendent to ensure compliance of annual dielectric testing of insulated booms and bucket liners and provide annual inspections reports to General Manager.

Technology & Security

• Keep current on new technologies associated with the natural gas distribution industry.
• Participate with senior leadership in evaluating, proposing, and implementing approved technology systems and infrastructure such as mapping systems, trouble report systems, and fleet management systems as they relate to areas of the Superintendent’s responsibilities.
• Provide feedback on security concerns, threats, risks and recommend solutions for mitigation.

Other

• Keep informed of technical developments outside the Cooperative through study of technical literature and attendance at appropriate meetings, webinars, seminars, workshops, and conferences.
• Develop and use accident investigation procedures as required.
• Prepare estimates for damages to Cooperative plant as is relates to natural gas, fleet and equipment, or the CNG filling station.
• Use considerable independence, initiative, and discretion within established guidelines, while following policies and procedures. Maintain confidentiality with data and maintain a high level of professionalism.
• Extra hours may be necessary when workload demands, during member meetings, and as requested.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledgeable of the Cooperative and the I.B.E.W. local Union No. 1547 agreement operations, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of state and federal statues, rules, codes, and regulations relating to the Natural Gas Distribution and Fleet Management.
• Knowledge of engineering principles, concepts, and practices, construction specifications and contracts, and other appropriate codes, statutes, and utility tariffs.
• Knowledge of preparing reports for management and measuring results.
• Knowledge of budget techniques and practices for efficient and cost-effective management of resources.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of legal, ethical, and professional rules of conduct.
• Knowledge of personal computers in a Windows environment, including use of Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Skill in reading, interpreting, understanding, and applying Cooperative’s policies and procedures along with the agreement between the Cooperative and the I.B.E.W. local Union No. 1547
• Skill in analyzing processes for efficiency and making recommendations for improvement.
• Skill in leadership, coordinating staff, assessing, and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects and demands, and delegating tasks and authority.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relations and work functionally across all levels of the organization.
• Skill in developing and administering a comprehensive budget.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining working relations with coworkers, other Cooperative employees and representatives, and the members.

Education, Experience, Certifications, and License Required:

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Seven years of industry related experience in gas distribution or related field work experience.
• Five years of supervisory experience.
• Valid Alaska driver’s license with a satisfactory driving record.
• Must pass pre-employment drug screen and will be subject to random drug testing per DOT requirements.
• Must pass pre-hire physical examination.
• Relocation assistance available.
• Subsidized housing and vehicle available.

Preferred:

• Experience collaborating with employees who are members of a collective bargaining unit, shop stewards, and the I.B.E.W. local Union No. 1547 representatives and with interpreting and adhering to related collective bargaining agreements.
• Experience with iVUE® utility software.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the incumbent is primarily required to sit, stand, walk, stoop, bend and frequently utilize a keyboard/computer. Specific vision abilities include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Be able and willing to work irregular hours or long continued periods of times to meet the needs of the Cooperative when they arise.

 Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee will occasionally be exposed to extreme weather.

This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. BUECI reserves the right to revise or change duties, responsibilities, and activities and may change at any time with or without notice.

BUECI IS AN EEO/M/F/D/V EMPLOYER

About Barrow Utilities & Electric Cooperative, Inc.

At Barrow Utilities and Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BUECI), we don’t just employ people, we make them part of our family. We employ approximately 70 employees, including two union groups (linemen and operators) and a non-union management and administrative staff, with competitive salaries and excellent benefits. BUECI recognizes that our employees are our greatest asset. Here you’ll have the opportunity to provide vital services in the most unique utility in the country. So, join us today!

Connections working at Barrow Utilities & Electric Cooperative, Inc.