Director of Operations and Maintenance

Kern Energy is seeking a visionary leader to champion operational excellence across our operations, maintenance, process engineering, pipeline, and laboratory teams. If you’re passionate about safety, reliability, and strategic innovation, this is your opportunity to shape the future of energy in California.

As our Director of Operations & Maintenance, you will:

• Lead and empower multidisciplinary teams across refinery, turnaround, and pipeline operations.

• Champion safety, compliance, and environmental stewardship

• Drive performance and reliability through data analytics, CMMS advancements, and continuous improvement.

• Collaborate across the organization to integrate cutting-edge technologies and deliver key strategic projects and initiatives.

• Shape the future of Kern Energy through cultivating talent, mentorship, and embracing a growth mindset emphasizing continuous improvement.

We’re looking for a leader with deep technical expertise, proven people leadership, and a passion for building high-performing operations.

Job Function

• Provide vision and strategic direction for refinery operations and maintenance, ensuring safe, compliant, and reliable facility performance.
• Develop and oversee long-term plans for refinery operations, maintenance, reliability, and turnaround activities.
• Align operational and maintenance strategies with the company’s business objectives, budgets, and performance goals.
• Lead daily operations across refinery processes, laboratory services, and pipeline systems, ensuring production targets, quality standards, and regulatory compliance.
• Direct all maintenance activities, including preventative and reliability-centered programs, equipment repairs, and large-scale projects such as turnarounds.
• Optimize use of the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to track, manage, and improve workflows.
• Oversee pipeline operations, ensuring safe and efficient transportation and integration into refinery processes.
• Collaborate with engineering, supply chain, and project teams to integrate new projects and technologies with minimal operational disruption.
• Champion a culture of safety, accountability, and environmental stewardship across all operations and maintenance activities.
• Partner with Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) teams to develop and maintain emergency response plans, manage incident investigations, and ensure compliance with all laws, regulations, and permits.
• Drive reliability initiatives by analyzing performance data, monitoring key metrics, and implementing corrective and preventive actions.
• Lead initiatives to improve operational efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness using data analytics and performance benchmarking.
• Develop and manage operational and maintenance budgets, including refinery, laboratory, pipeline, and turnaround costs.
• Identify opportunities for resource optimization, cost control, and sustainable improvements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors, contractors, regulators, and community stakeholders.
• Ensure effective third-party integration into refinery operations while safeguarding safety, compliance, and quality standards.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly oversee operations, maintenance, turnaround, laboratory, and pipeline leadership teams.
• Provide coaching, mentorship, and succession planning for department leaders, supervisors, and staff.
• Set performance expectations, conduct evaluations, and ensure accountability to high-performance standards.
• Promote workforce development by identifying training needs, career path opportunities, and leadership development.
• Allocate resources effectively, manage workloads, and resolve conflicts within the team.

Qualifications

Knowledge Skills

• Extensive knowledge of refinery processes, pipeline operations, laboratory systems, and maintenance best practices.
• Strong expertise in turnaround planning, reliability programs, project integration, and emergency response.
• Proven ability to lead large multidisciplinary teams and drive organizational change.
• Demonstrated financial acumen in budgeting, cost control, and resource allocation.
• Proficiency in CMMS and use of data analytics to optimize operations and maintenance.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills, particularly under pressure.
• Commitment to safety, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Education/ Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field or equivalent refinery operations leadership experience.
• 7 years of refinery or chemical plant leadership experience in operations and/or maintenance, including significant supervisory or managerial roles.
• Experience leading turnaround projects, reliability programs, and cross-functional initiatives.