Manager - Operations

About the role

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.

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.

Requirements

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

Qualifications

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

Skills

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

Licenses and Certifications

Applicable industry certifications preferred.

Physical Demands

• Sedentary Work – Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently 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.

• 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 (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 (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 (Constantly)
• Fingering: Picking, pinching or otherwise working with the fingers primarily (Constantly)
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects/materials such as size, shape, temperature, texture, movement or pulsation by receptors in the skin, particularly those of the fingertips (Constantly)
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas/information by means of the spoken word (Frequently)
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sound by the ear (Frequently)
• Near Vision: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less (Constantly)
• Far Vision: Clarity of vision at 20 feet or more (Frequently)
• Depth Perception: Three-dimensional vision; ability to judge distances and spatial relationships (Frequently)
• Color Vision: The ability to identify and distinguish colors (Constantly)

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 may be required based on assigned tasks; employee may be assigned a company vehicle requiring the applicable driver's license.

Pay

Expected Salary Range: $138,000.00 – $206,000.00