Director Strategic Operations

Overview:

Kindle Energy LLC (“Kindle”) specializes in the management, optimization, and development of power generation in the United States and Canada and is a portfolio company of The Blackstone Group. Blackstone is a leading global alternative asset manager with more than $1 trillion of total assets under management. Currently, Kindle manages 9+ GWs of generation in Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, and Texas with a 700 MW CCGT project under construction in Louisiana. 

We are seeking an experienced individual for the position of Director of Strategic Operations to support new initiatives related to the development and operations of power assets. The position is approved to work remotely with a travel requirement of < than 25%.

Primary Responsibilities:

Support Kindle Business Development, Asset Management, and Plant Operations on strategic and business aspects pertaining to development projects, M&A opportunities, and long-term equipment and maintenance strategies. Duties are expected to include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Promote safety through proactive involvement in safety training, adherence to safety policies, and inclusion of company safety initiatives in project deliverables.
• Communicate with project owners to ensure alignment to project goals.
• Work at a very high level in multiple knowledge areas or functions as an advanced contributor.
• Focus on continuous optimization and improvement of project support and cost estimation.
• Execute RFP processes and manage project procurement activities for both Kindle development projects and for Kindle managed asset contracts, including equipment and long-term service contracts.
• Develop O&M budgets for development projects, including collaborating with commercial and origination teams on to ensure appropriate tolling agreement pricing for O&M cost recovery.
• Negotiate long-term service agreements and construction contracts with third-party service providers.
• Maintain catalogue of turbine technologies, indicative pricing, and estimated cost of deployment to support parallel development projects.
• Develop and maintain unit characteristics and O&M budgets for M&A opportunities, support due diligence efforts, and manage Independent Engineer report development.
• Manage interconnection application processes for development projects and asset uprates.
• Provide sound recommendations based on operational experience and project knowledge.
• Utilize business acumen to understand and manage the financial aspects of a project, including budget management, expense, and cost control.
• Collaborate and solve problems – work with others to resolve significant issues, clarify, or interpret complex information.
• Identify and resolve roadblocks and challenges that arise during project execution.
• Provide routine project updates regarding strategy, adjustments, and progress to various stakeholders across organizational departments.
• Provide support, as needed, to the VP of Strategic Operations or other key stakeholders.
• Demonstrate organizational, teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Train and mentor employees in technical skills.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree or 10 years equivalent experience within power generation and/or energy industry
• Minimum of 10 years of proven experience in the energy field, with substantive operational and business knowledge
• Must have an extreme focus on safety and environment-over-production
• High proficiency in effectively leading individuals and projects
• Experience in procurement and procurement practices, including negotiating large-scale contracts
• Must have a high level of self-awareness, motivation, and ability to communicate openly and timely with team members
• Proven operational expertise in fossil fuel power generation  
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving abilities
• Excellent time management and organizational skills