Power Plant Operations Superintendent

Summary

The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Campus has an opening for an Operations Superintendent at the Central Power Plant (CPP). The CPP supplies much of campus and the University Hospital system with electricity, compressed air, domestic hot water, and high and low pressure steam. The Central Power Plant has boilers, HRSGs, steam turbines, air compressors, combustion turbines, and many associated systems.

The facility operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, generating 2 billion pounds of steam and million kwh of electricity per year, as well as compressed air and domestic hot water for use by the central and medical campuses.

This position leads the Central Power Plant Operations group, comprised of 16 operators on rotating shifts, one apprentice operator, and a salaried Operations Coordinator. The primary responsibility of this position is to ensure that these staff are prepared and empowered to carry out their daily work. This includes all aspects of recruitment, promotion, training, scheduling, creation and administration of policies and procedures, and budget oversight.

This individual will plan and guide the work of these employees, administer the union contract, and provide coaching, corrective feedback and discipline as needed. The primary goals of the plant are to maintain and improve facility safety, reliability, and efficiency. The Operations Superintendent is responsible for aligning the operating philosophy of the plant with these goals.

This position is a critical member of the CPP management team and will report directly to the Central Power Plant Associate Director. This person is expected to work with a variety of individuals at many levels of the organization, working both independently and as part of a team. The successful candidate will be self‑directed and is expected to provide insights into plant operation while enacting proactive improvements to processes and programs.

The staff of the CPP hope to achieve excellence in all they do, striving for the utmost reliability, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations, while maintaining fiscal responsibility, and ensuring a safe and positive work environment.

• Ensure compliance with all environmental, health and safety policies, laws and regulations.
• Establish and sustain a culture that promotes a safe and inclusive work environment.
• Ensure that the Lock out/Tag out system is being applied in a compliant manner, as well as the Confined Space Entry and Hot Work control programs.
• Perform all supervisor / human resources responsibilities for the operations team, ensuring that they perform all of the duties necessary to safely and efficiently operate the plant equipment, meet dispatch and availability requirements, and complete all required operational and human resources reports. Communicate effectively to staff members addressing any issues in a proactive manner.
• Responsible for all operational activities of the plant including:
  Developing operating instructions balancing the need for reliability and efficiency of the facility Directing operations team for compliance with dispatch instructions, operational routines, and switching operations Planning and conducting an annual capacity test Monitoring equipment operating trends, taking initiative to prevent equipment trips and damage Reporting of any utility outage cause and effect
• Assist the operating staff in responding to/attend any operational incidents or emergencies on a 24/7/ basis.
• Improve standard plant operating procedures, emergency control procedures and control room practices, including bringing them into accepted industry standards.
• Manage the training program for the group. Ensure operations staff is trained and fully qualified to perform their duties. Continue the improvement and refinement of the operator qualification courses, books, and manuals for all operation systems, including safety programs as they relate to the operations staff.
• Identify opportunities and take actions to improve the CPP efficiency, availability, and reliability.
• Coordinate 13.2kV switching with the Utilities High Voltage team.
• Prepare and manage the CPP operational…