Boundary & Lucky Peak Hydroelectric Senior Plant Manager

Full Job Description

Seattle City Light, a department of the City of Seattle, is one of the nation's largest municipally owned utilities in terms of the number of customers served.

Over the years we have worked very hard to keep Seattle's electricity affordable, reliable, and environmentally sound.

Today, City Light is a recognized national leader in energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. Seattle City Light is looking for a Senior Plant Manager to join the team!

This position provides executive-level leadership and oversight of hydroelectric dam and powerhouse operations in a municipal utility setting.

Ensures safe, reliable, and compliant power generation; protects public safety and infrastructure; and advances environmental stewardship and asset management strategies consistent with City values and public accountability.

The Senior Plant Manager position reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer and will be assigned to the Boundary Hydroelectric Project. Boundary Dam is located near Metaline Falls, in the pristine northeastern corner of Washington State along the Idaho and Canadian borders and approximately 100 miles north of Spokane, Washington. Travel to the Lucky Peak Powerhouse in Boise, Idaho and to Seattle should be expected.

Requirements

Operations, Maintenance and Asset Management

• Oversee preventive maintenance programs for turbines, generators, transformers, protection systems, civil structures, and SCADA systems.
• Develop, support, and implement long-range asset management strategies and lifecycle replacement plans.
• Direct capital improvement programs (CIP) supporting dam rehabilitation, powerhouse modernization, and reliability improvements.
• Ensure effective work management systems and resource scheduling practices.

• Support implementation of risk-informed decision making for capital projects and operational changes.

Generation Operations and Regulatory Commitments

• Ensure compliance with FERC license requirements, dam safety programs, and reliability standards.
• Maintain generation availability and forced outage performance targets.
• Ensure compliance with State agencies relevant to workplace safety, industrial construction activities and environmental standards.
• Maintain strong relationships with local, state, and federal agencies in support of dam safety and public protection.

• Promote organizational change and advocate for Seattle City Light initiatives.

• Serve on the Lucky Peak Technical Committee, and as a liaison for the Lucky Peak Steering Committee to ensure successful operations at Lucky Peak Power Plant.

Warehouse and Materials Management

• Oversee warehouse and materials management functions supporting plant operations and capital projects.
• Ensure effective inventory control, procurement coordination, and lifecycle management of critical spare parts.
• Maintain compliance with public sector purchasing policies and internal controls.
• Develop materials strategies that reduce downtime risk while optimizing working capital and storage resources.

Workforce and Labor Relations Leadership

• Champion workplace safety in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration and applicable state safety regulations.
• Ensure employee and public safety; collaborate with onsite contracted security personnel.
• Promote an inclusive workplace aligned with City values of diversity, equity, and social justice.
• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction to approximately 45 professional, technical, and skilled employees; ensure operational cohesion among onsite personnel operating within multiple reporting structures; and serve as the senior site authority for visiting staff, contractors, regulators, and agency representatives.
• Administer labor agreements fairly and consistently; respond to inquiries timely.
• Develop performance management systems and coach leaders at multiple levels.

Financial and Administrative Oversight

• Manage an annual operating budget of approximately $10 million and capital budgets ranging from $15–45 million.
• Align financial stewardship with long-term capital planning and risk-based asset management.
• Provide operational updates and strategic recommendations to senior utility leadership.
• Support procurement, vendor management, and contract negotiations.

Community and Interagency Engagement

• Serve as local/regional representative in community forums and stakeholder groups.
• Support license implementation activities and environmental mitigation obligations.
• Represent the utility in regional coordination related to emergency management, recreation planning, and socioeconomic initiatives.

Strong collaborative leadership skills with the ability to effectively partner with and support multidisciplinary teams in engineering, project management, dam safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance functions based in Seattle.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: In addition to the skills and experience mentioned below, a successful applicant will have experience that reflects a commitment to creating fair and equitable outcomes and has:

Education: Bachelor's degree in industrial technology, engineering, or related field (or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class).

Experience: Supervisory or leadership experience in utility-level mechanical, electrical or industrial technology or related area of responsibility, typically gained through ten years or more of progressively responsible operational assignments, with at least five years as a supervisor in a large, complex organization.

Technical and Operational Experience: Familiarity with hydro plant control systems and technology, scheduling maintenance, managing outages, and ensuring reliability, safety and environmental compliance (L&I, OSHA, FERC, NERC, etc).

Certification/License: Current Washington State Driver's License or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire.

Desired Qualifications:

The most competitive candidates will have:

• A strong safety leadership record in high-hazard industrial environments, with demonstrated accountability for workforce and public safety outcomes.
• Demonstrated expertise in capital planning, risk-based asset management, and long-term infrastructure modernization.
• Demonstrated accountability for large O&M and capital improvement budgets ($10M+ annual oversight preferred).
• Proven executive leadership experience in a municipal or publicly owned utility environment.
• Experience managing warehouse operations, materials control systems, and critical spare parts programs supporting high-reliability generation facilities.
• Demonstrated success leading a union-represented workforce, including labor contract administration and grievance resolution.
• Knowledge of hydroelectric mechanical, electrical, civil, and control systems.
• Demonstrated success leading organizational change in complex, high-hazard environments.
• Strong executive communication skills, including experience presenting to senior leadership, governing boards, elected officials, or community stakeholders.
• Experience living and working in a remote or rural operational setting.

Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Additional Information

The full salary range for this position is $66.88 to $110.35 per hour.

Application Process

Please submit the following with your online application:

• A cover letter in which you clearly describe how your knowledge, experience, skills, and abilities prepare you for the job responsibilities and qualifications outlined in the job announcement
• A current resume of your educational and professional work experience

Incomplete applications may not be considered.

Emergency Response Commitment: Seattle City Light is committed to reliable service during emergencies.

Through our Emergency Response Program, each employee is assigned a role—usually aligned with their regular duties—to support emergency operations.

Your participation is vital to helping the utility stay prepared and serve our community when it matters most.

Who May Apply: This position is open to all candidates that meet the qualifications. Seattle City Light values diverse perspectives and life experiences.

Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Seattle City Light encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.

Job offers are contingent on the verification of credentials and other information required by the employment process, including the completion of a background check.

The background check will involve a criminal history check, which includes conviction and arrest records in compliance with the Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17 and the City of Seattle Personnel Rule 10.3.

A driving history review may be conducted in compliance with SMC 4.79.020. Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans.

Want to know more about Seattle City Light? Check out our web page: https://www.seattle.gov/city-light/about-us/careers.