Asset Protection Specialist

Southern Company•Newport News, VA

About The Position

The Asset Protection Specialist protects company assets from damages, encumbrances, and encroachments affecting distribution and transmission pipelines, associated abutments, rights-of-way, and easements. This operational role ensures compliance with state, federal, and corporate pipeline safety regulations and standards for AGL Resources and its subsidiaries. The specialist serves as a company liaison with excavators, municipalities, builders, developers, landowners, logging operators, contractors, and other stakeholders. The role involves damage investigations, quality audits, inspections, compliance monitoring, education, field coordination, and maintaining accurate documentation. The position is primarily field-based, with 95% of time spent in the field, and may require after-hours callouts for damage or high-profile emergencies.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
State driver's license.
At least 3 years of utility field operations experience or related work experience.
Knowledge of quality assurance concepts.
Basic computer proficiency.
Well-developed interpersonal skills, including influencing and/or negotiation.
Operator Qualified in accordance with the Company Plan, or ability to obtain qualification within the required timeline.
Ability to perform physical tasks including stooping, kneeling, reaching above and below the shoulders, frequent bending, climbing in and out of manholes, extensive digging, carrying equipment up to 30 pounds, and walking long distances to inspect facilities.
Ability to walk up to 5 miles per day and work outdoors in rain, sun, heat, and cold.
Availability for after-hours callouts for damage or high-profile emergency situations.

Nice To Haves

Associate, BA, or BS degree, with a Real Estate Appraisal License or equivalent academic education and field operations experience.
Two years of experience locating natural gas.
Knowledge of easement rights, engineering, locating, and surveying principles.
Knowledge and experience with the AGL pipeline system.
Knowledge of real estate terminology and terms used by developers.
Bilingual skills.

Responsibilities

Serve as the company Asset Protection liaison to excavators, municipalities, builders, developers, landowners, logging operators, contractors, and their agents, responding to issues and concerns.
Conduct quality audits of locate and right-of-way contractors and update the required electronic system.
Investigate second- and third-party damages and prepare thorough, accurate reports for submission to the Virginia State Corporation Commission.
Determine the root causes of damages, address issues with locate contractors or excavators on site, and provide training as needed.
Resolve difficult-to-locate issues with the excavating community, internal stakeholders, and locators to ensure proper locating and avoid downtime claims.
Conduct education sessions for locate contractors, excavators, landowners, and homeowners on asset protection.
Monitor and coordinate compliance and safety issues involving locating, right-of-way maintenance, and submerged crossings.
Stand by when work is performed on or near AGL high-profile facilities by second- or third-party excavators.
Inspect rights-of-way under Federal Code 192 requirements, install pipeline markers as needed, document issues electronically, and follow up until they are resolved.
Coordinate submerged crossing inspections, blasting, and excavation activities on and off company rights-of-way.
Respond to asset protection incidents and emergencies involving high-profile facilities on and off rights-of-way.
Monitor monthly compliance reports and ensure issues, such as those identified through aerial patrol, are resolved.
Locate gas mains on rights-of-way for AGL contractors in accordance with AGL construction policy.
Meet with excavators to resolve field conflicts.
Follow company right-of-way procedures, ensuring appropriate forms are used and records—including encroachment agreements, patrols, and maps—are current.
Monitor locate contractor performance and work with the contractor to correct deficiencies.
Attend pre-construction meetings for large projects and monitor progress to protect assets.
Monitor and follow up on daily ticket loads to prevent future damages.
Assist with damage investigations at the time of damage or during subsequent research.
Research easement and encroachment issues.
Represent the company at local damage-prevention meetings.
Oversee and inspect right-of-way maintenance, remediation, mowing, and side trimming in the assigned area to ensure work meets AGL specifications.
Support trade shows, industry committees, and One Call events related to Asset Protection.
Ensure requirements are met for contracts, patrols, inspections, and audits.
Keep required Asset Protection documentation current in Compliance Tracking Systems, SharePoint sites, or other electronic systems.
Review quality issues with management and implement improvements to protect company assets.