Operations Manager – Hydro Department

Xcel Energy

Operations Manager leading safe, efficient operations teams at Xcel Energy. Ensuring compliance and driving continuous improvement in energy production across multiple facilities.

Posted 7/17/2026full-timeChippewa Falls • Wisconsin • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $112,200 - $159,400 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates strong leadership in supervising operations teams, ensuring safety compliance, and driving continuous improvement in utility systems. Possesses operational knowledge of asset management and effective communication skills to engage stakeholders and achieve performance metrics.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Safety LeadershipOperational EfficiencyPerformance Metrics AchievementTeam DevelopmentUtility Finance Understanding

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Utility Systems OperationsConstruction ManagementEngineering PrinciplesMaintenance ProceduresAnalytical ReportingProcess AdherenceGovernment RegulationsAsset ManagementChange LeadershipBargaining Unit Experience

Soft Skills

Effective CommunicationEmployee EngagementCollaborationCoachingProblem Solving

Tools & Technologies

Work Management SystemsReporting ApplicationsSafety Management Systems

Certifications & Qualifications

Completion of Approved Apprentice ProgramAssociates or Technical Degree Preferred

Industry Keywords

Power GenerationUtility IndustryRegulatory ComplianceContinuous ImprovementCustomer Satisfaction

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Supervise a high performing, safe operations team across multiple functions, facilities, or commodities while driving the efficient and cost-effective use of numerous resources through consistent and effective application of policies and procedures.
Assure safe, reliable, and regulatory compliant operations, drive continuous improvement, and ensure customer satisfaction.
Drive attainment of corporate and business unit strategies, goals and objectives, and process and performance metrics.
Provide visible safety leadership and actively contribute to the creation, implementation, and continuous improvement of a strong, sustainable safety culture in partnership with Safety Consultant.
Drive real time safety accountability by engaging the team through safety meeting participation, job briefs, audits, training, accident investigation/event assessment, and job site observations.
Evaluate team performance based on operational efficiency, reliability and quality metrics and take corrective action where appropriate, focusing on process adherence and data integrity.
Identify continuous improvement opportunities and drive adoption of process changes through effective collaboration and expectation setting.
Provide direct leadership over crew effectiveness, quality and productivity.
Maintain a continuous presence in the work environment and assist in removing barriers with pre-requisites, materials, stakeholder, and other issues.
Ensure correct crew composition and skills are in place to meet operational, reliability, customer and financial objectives.
Assist in preparing resource forecasts and providing input to longer-term work plans.
Recruit talented employees, participate in workforce and development planning efforts, establish clear expectations, and effectively manage performance.
Provide training, coaching and oversight and drive employee engagement.
Effectively represent the organization in bargaining unit discussions, grievances, corrective actions and development.
Build and maintain effective internal and external relationships with areas that support Operations.
Provide strong working knowledge of necessary systems and resources to assist employees, other work groups, and/or customers and stakeholders.
Enable crews to provide solutions to issues and improve customer/stakeholder satisfaction.
Oversee and coordinate the execution and documentation of work in accordance with Xcel Energy policies and procedures, labor agreements, and regulatory standards.

Requirements

What you’ll need

5+ years in design, construction, operations, engineering or maintenance of utility systems/power generation plants or related industries/fields or equivalent.
Associates or technical degree preferred.
Demonstrated technical expertise in specific functional area including standards, procedures, and applicable government/environmental regulations.
Operational knowledge of work and asset management and analytical/reporting applications.
Effective change leader with demonstrated ability to effectively communicate company and business area strategies and objectives to a variety of stakeholders.
Proven results at achieving performance and operational metrics and driving process adherence.
Preferred: 3+ years of supervisory experience.
Completion of an approved apprentice program in an appropriately related craft.
Demonstrated understanding of utility finance.
Demonstrated experience working as or with bargaining unit employees.
Will be required to work rotating shifts and/or be on call.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Annual Incentive Program
Medical/Pharmacy Plan
Dental
Vision
Life Insurance
Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
Health Care Reimbursement Account
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Limited-Purpose FSA
Transportation Reimbursement Account
Short-term disability (STD)
Long-term disability (LTD)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Fitness Center Reimbursement
Tuition reimbursement
Transit programs
Employee recognition program
Pension
401(k) plan
Paid time off (PTO)
Holidays
Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO)
Parental Leave