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Manager - Operations

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#WeAreONEOK Fortune 500 company. 100+ years in business. Leading midstream service provider. Safety first. Sustainable operations. Environmentally responsible. Employee focused.

JOB SUMMARY

ONEOK is seeking a Manager - Operations to lead safe, reliable, and efficient operations within the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) Pipelines and Terminals segment. This role will oversee operations across the East Texas coverage area, supporting assets from Weatherford to Lufkin, and will provide leadership to a long-tenured, highly autonomous team with five direct reports.

The Manager - Operations will be responsible for driving operational performance, safety, reliability, regulatory compliance, budget execution, and continuous improvement across assigned pipeline and terminal operations. This position partners closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Commercial, Scheduling, and Environmental, Safety & Health teams to support daily operations, maintenance planning, incident response, cost management, and customer commitments.

This is a multidimensional leadership role that requires broad operations knowledge and the ability to stay engaged across all aspects of field operations. The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership experience along with a background in oil and gas operations, pipeline or terminal operations, safety and environmental compliance, team development, and operational decision-making in a dynamic field environment.

This role may be based in Weatherford, TX or Wortham, TX and follows a hybrid schedule, with Monday through Thursday in the office and Friday remote. The position requires approximately 25% travel within the East Texas coverage area, along with occasional travel to Tulsa, OK. Candidates should be comfortable leading within an established team environment while bringing the initiative, judgment, and technical breadth needed to manage day-to-day priorities with a high degree of latitude.

Job Profile Summary

Responsible for leading the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of oil & gas assets within an assigned area (e.g., pipelines, plants, terminals, or gathering systems). This role oversees daily operations, ensures compliance with regulatory and company standards, and drives performance across safety, reliability, and cost.

The position provides leadership to supervisors and frontline teams while partnering with Engineering, Maintenance, Commercial, and Environmental, Safety & Health (ESH) to deliver consistent operational performance and continuous improvement.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage operations teams, including supervisors and field personnel, ensuring safe and effective execution of daily activities.
  • Oversee the operation of pipelines, processing plants, compressor stations, terminals, or related facilities within an assigned region.
  • Ensure compliance with all applicable safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements, as well as company standards and procedures.
  • Drive a strong safety culture, including adherence to process safety management practices and operational discipline.
  • Monitor and improve asset performance, reliability, and uptime through effective coordination with Maintenance and Engineering teams.
  • Manage operating budgets, track costs, and identify opportunities for cost optimization without compromising safety or reliability.
  • Support planning and execution of maintenance activities, turnarounds, and minor capital projects.
  • Lead incident investigations and root cause analyses; ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented.
  • Coordinate with Commercial and Scheduling teams to meet throughput, production, and customer commitments.
  • Ensure workforce capability through training, development, and succession planning.
  • Maintain effective communication with internal stakeholders and external parties, including regulators and local stakeholders as needed.
  • Leadership
  • Direct leadership of supervisors and/or multi-layer operational teams
  • Accountable for operational performance within a defined geographic area or asset group
  • Responsible for execution of established operational strategy (not enterprise strategy ownership)
  • Owns budget execution and contributes to planning and forecasting

Education

  • Bachelor's Degree Engineering, Operations Management, or related field typically required
  • Equivalent industry experience may be considered

Work Experience

  • 8+ years of progressive Operations experience in the oil & gas industry
  • Leadership or supervisory experience preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Knowledge of: Strong knowledge of oil & gas operations, including pipelines, processing plants, or field operations
  • Knowledge of: Understanding of regulatory requirements (e.g., safety, environmental, pipeline compliance)
  • Ability to: lead field-based teams and manage operational performance across multiple locations
  • Skills in: Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills in dynamic operational environments
  • Skills in: Effective communication and stakeholder management skills
  • Ability to: manage budgets, resources, and competing operational priorities

Licenses and Certifications

  • Applicable industry certifications preferred

Strength Factor Rating - Physical Demands/Requirements

  • Sedentary Work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Strength Factor Description - Physical Demands/Requirements

  • Standing: Remaining on one's feet in an upright position at a work station without moving about (Occasionally)
  • Walking: Moving about on foot (Frequently)
  • Sitting: Remaining in a seated position (Constantly)
  • Lifting: Raising or lowering an object from one level to another (includes upward pulling) (Occasionally)
  • Carrying: Transporting an object, usually holding it in the hands or arms, or on the shoulder (Occasionally)
  • Pushing: Exerting force upon an object so that the object moves away from the force (Occasionally)
  • Pulling: Exerting force upon an object so that the object moves toward the force (includes jerking) (Occasionally)
  • Climbing: Ladders, Stairs (Occasionally)
  • Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling (Occasionally)
  • Stooping: Bending the body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist (Occasionally)
  • Kneeling: Bending the legs at the knees to come to rest on the knee or knees (Occasionally)
  • Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending the legs and spine (Occasionally)
  • Crawling: Moving about on the hands and arms in any direction (Occasionally)
  • Reaching: Extending hands and arms in any direction (Constantly)
  • Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with the hand or hands (Manual Dexterity) (Constantly)
  • Fingering: Picking, pinching or otherwise working with the fingers primarily (Finger Dexterity) (Constantly)
  • Feeling: Perceiving such attributes of objects/materials as size, shape, temperature, texture, movement or pulsation by receptors in the skin, particularly those of the finger tips (Constantly)
  • Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas/information by means of the spoken word (Frequently)
  • Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sound by the ear (Frequently)
  • Tasting/Smelling: (Occasionally)
  • Near Vision: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less (Constantly)
  • Far Vision: Clarity of vision at 20 feet for more (Frequently)
  • Depth Perception: Three-dimensional vision; ability to judge distances and spatial relationships so as to see objects where and as they actually are (Frequently)
  • Vision: Color - The ability to identify and distinguish colors (Constantly)

Working Conditions/Environment

  • Employee is subject to inside environmental conditions

Working Conditions

  • Well lighted, climate controlled areas (Constantly)
  • Frequent repetitive motion (Constantly)
  • CRT (Computer Monitor(s)) (Constantly)

Travel

  • Ability to travel to field sites or project locations as needed

Driving

  • Based on assigned tasks, employee may be assigned a company vehicle requiring the applicable driver's license

ONEOK is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, national origin, gender identity, disability, military/veteran status, genetic information or any other categories protected by applicable law.

The job description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of ONEOK.

ONEOK is committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request an accommodation email HRSolutions@ONEOK.com or call 1-855-663-6547​.

Expected Salary Range

$138,000.00 - $206,000.00

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