Manager-Operations Power Generation

Tallgrass•Cheyenne, WY

About The Position

The Operations Manager is responsible for leading and directing all operational activities at the Tallgrass Cheyenne Energy Center-an off-grid, large-scale AI-dedicated critical power, multi‑unit generation campus that is planned to produce approximately 2.5 GW of initial capacity with expansion capability up to 10 GW from a fleet of simple‑cycle gas turbines and combined‑cycle gas turbine (CCGT) technologies. This role ensures the safe, reliable, efficient, and environmentally compliant operation of all generating assets in alignment with Tallgrass Energy’s operational excellence standards, data center commercial commitments, and long-term asset strategy. The Operations Manager provides strategic and daily leadership to the control room and field operations teams, supports optimization of plant output and heat rate, and plays a critical role in maintaining high availability and flexibility. The Operations Manager works closely with Maintenance, Planning, Scheduling, Procurement, Reliability Engineering, Supply Chain, EHS, and the O&M Contractor to meet Tallgrass Energy’s safety, regulatory, environmental, and mission critical data center commercial objectives. The Operations Manager establishes and sustains Human Performance (HP) and Tallgrass culture expectations across plant operations. The manager ensure HP principles and Tallgrass values are embedded in operating procedures, training programs, shift turnovers, and abnormal and emergency response. This role balances safety, reliability, learning, and production demands by reinforcing conservative decision‑making and disciplined operations. The Operations Manager leads learning‑focused investigations of operational events and near misses, addressing latent procedural, system, and organizational contributors and reinforcing leadership accountability for sustained operational excellence. The Operations Manager is accountable for plant‑wide operational execution quality and minimal rework, ensuring production priorities are aligned with safe and reliable execution. Performance is measured through key indicators including plant operations rework rate, first‑pass yield of operational evolutions, event recurrence, schedule adherence, and operational readiness metrics. KPI trends and HP insights are used to drive leadership accountability, continuous improvement, and long‑term operational reliability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, or related field (or equivalent technical experience).
Minimum of 7 years of experience in power plant operations, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or leadership role.
Demonstrated operational experience with large‑frame GT and CCGT technologies.
Strong understanding of DCS operation, power plant thermodynamics, equipment troubleshooting, and operational best practices.
Knowledge of OSHA safety rules, environmental regulations, and NERC operational requirements.
Proven leadership skills with demonstrated ability to make sound decisions in a dynamic plant environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing operations at large-scale (1–3 GW) multi‑unit GT/CCGT facilities.
Experience in markets requiring fast‑start capability, cycling, or flexible dispatch.
Certifications such as NERC Operator, Six Sigma, PMP, or advanced technical training.
Experience with CMMS platforms (e.g., Maximo, SAP) and operational analytics tools.

Responsibilities

Direct daily operation of all GT and CCGT units, including gas turbines, steam turbines, HRSGs, emissions control systems, and balance‑of‑plant equipment.
Coordinates with the data center customer to meet contractual availability and service‑level commitments.
Oversee real‑time plant performance to ensure safe, compliant, and reliable operations across all units in the ~2.5 GW fleet.
Lead and mentor Control Room Operators and Plant Operators; manage scheduling, staffing, performance planning, and training programs.
Maintain operational procedures, black start readiness, emergency response, shift turnover practices, and plant operating guidelines consistent with Tallgrass standards.
Champion Tallgrass Energy’s safety culture with visible leadership, adherence to OSHA regulations, and consistent application of safety policies.
Ensure full compliance with environmental permits, air quality regulations, emissions limits, and all state and federal requirements.
Support and lead investigations, root‑cause analyses, and corrective action planning for operational incidents, forced outages, and safety events.
Analyze operating data, trends, alarms, and KPIs to optimize heat rate, reliability, ramping capability, and overall plant performance.
Coordinate closely with Maintenance, Engineering, and OEM partners to troubleshoot equipment issues and implement corrective measures.
Support tuning, seasonal readiness, testing, and operational improvement projects across all generating units.
Lead operations in planned and unplanned outages, ensuring accurate equipment isolation, LOTO implementation, and operator support.
Participate in long-range outage planning, operational risk assessments, and readiness reviews.
Maintain and update operational procedures, emergency response guidelines, and training materials.
Build and sustain a high-performing operations workforce through coaching, technical development, and leadership engagement.
Support succession planning and capability development aligned with Tallgrass workforce strategies.
Participate in hiring, onboarding, and qualification of operations personnel.
Ensure operating strategies align with commercial obligations, market dispatch requirements, and reliability commitments.
Maintain compliance with applicable regional reliability standards, including NERC and any RTO/ISO requirements impacting dispatch or operations.
Support reporting requirements, audits, and compliance documentation.