Supervisor - Damage Prevention

About the Role

Responsible for supervising and executing assigned Damage Prevention program activities in support of ONEOK's enterprise-wide pipeline safety, regulatory compliance, risk reduction, and asset protection objectives. Provides tactical leadership and oversight for one or more Damage Prevention supervisor assignments with capabilities including One-Call, Right-of-Way (ROW) Surveillance, Public Awareness, and associated compliance programs. Ensures compliance with federal and state regulations, industry standards, and company procedures while driving continuous improvement, operational excellence, program effectiveness, and performance expectations across all ONEOK operating companies and business segments.

This position is considered safety-sensitive due to the potential impact of decisions on pipeline safety, regulatory compliance, public safety, environmental protection, and company assets.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and Personnel Management
  • Provide first-line supervision, coaching, and leadership to Damage Prevention Specialists and Regulatory Compliance Specialists.
  • Conduct performance evaluations, establish goals and development plans, provide employee coaching, and administer corrective action when necessary.
  • Manage contractor and vendor performance to ensure compliance with contractual requirements and company expectations.
  • Ensure adequate staffing, workload management, and coverage for assigned Damage Prevention activities.
  • Promote a culture focused on safety, compliance, accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Program Execution and Compliance
  • Administer assigned Damage Prevention programs in accordance with company policies, System Integrity Program requirements, federal regulations, state regulations, and industry standards.
  • Support compliance with applicable requirements contained within 49 CFR Part 192, 49 CFR Part 195, state One-Call laws, API RP 1162, API RP 1185, and other applicable regulations and standards.
  • Participate in regulatory inspections, audits, assessments, and compliance reviews.
  • Review regulatory changes and support implementation of program, process, and procedural modifications as needed.
  • Coordinate required federal, state, and internal reporting activities related to Damage Prevention program performance.
  • Support investigations involving excavation damages, one-call violations, ROW encroachments, and related compliance events.
  • Develop corrective actions, lessons learned, and improvement initiatives based on program findings and performance results.
• Assigned Program Support: One-Call, ROW Surveillance, and Public Awareness
  • Oversee assigned activities associated with One-Call ticket management, excavation damage prevention, locate coordination, violation tracking, and contractor outreach.
  • Coordinate ROW surveillance activities including aerial patrols, patrol reporting, encroachment identification, follow-up actions, and contractor management.
  • Manage Public Awareness program activities including stakeholder communications, effectiveness evaluations, educational outreach, mailings, public official engagement, emergency responder engagement, and awareness campaigns.
  • Monitor program effectiveness and develop recommendations to improve compliance, consistency, and performance.
  • Coordinate with Operations, Engineering, Asset Integrity, Regulatory Compliance, GIS, Public Affairs, and external stakeholders regarding Damage Prevention initiatives.
  • Support qualification, training, and awareness efforts associated with assigned Damage Prevention programs.
• Regulatory Reporting, Analytics, and Performance Monitoring
  • Develop, review, and distribute program performance metrics, dashboards, reports, and management presentations.
  • Monitor key performance indicators related to excavation damages, one-call effectiveness, ROW surveillance findings, public awareness effectiveness, contractor performance, and regulatory compliance.
  • Evaluate trends and identify opportunities for risk reduction, process improvement, and increased program effectiveness.
  • Assist in the preparation of management reports, audit responses, regulatory submissions, and compliance documentation.
• Financial and Contractor Management
  • Manage vendor contracts and service providers supporting One-Call, Public Awareness, ROW Surveillance, and related Damage Prevention activities.
  • Ensure activities are completed in accordance with company performance expectations.
  • Develop and administer budgets, monitor expenditures, forecast budget needs, and identify opportunities for cost-effective program execution.
  • Ensure contractor and vendor activities are completed in accordance with company requirements and performance expectations.
• Enterprise Collaboration and Continuous Improvement
  • Establish relationships with operational stakeholders.
  • Support enterprise standardization of Damage Prevention processes and procedures across all ONEOK operating companies and business segments.
  • Recommend process improvements, technology enhancements, and operational efficiencies to improve program effectiveness.
  • Support implementation of emerging Damage Prevention initiatives, technologies, data analytics tools, and regulatory requirements.
  • Participate in special projects and strategic initiatives as assigned.

Requirements

• High School Diploma required; Associate's Degree or Bachelor's Degree in a related field preferred.
• Five (5) years or more of experience in pipeline operations, regulatory compliance, damage prevention, public awareness, right-of-way surveillance, asset integrity, engineering, or related industry experience required.
• Previous experience leading teams, contractors, projects, or programs preferred.
• Experience with federal and state pipeline safety regulations and risk mitigation initiatives preferred.
• Experience researching, evaluating, and resolving operational or compliance-related issues preferred.
• Experience developing procedures, reports, presentations, and process improvements preferred.

Skills

• Knowledge of pipeline operations, Damage Prevention principles, regulatory compliance requirements, and industry best practices.
• Knowledge of One-Call programs, Public Awareness programs, ROW surveillance activities, excavation damage prevention practices, and contractor oversight.
• Knowledge of 49 CFR Part 192, 49 CFR Part 195, state One-Call laws, API RP 1162, API RP 1185, and related industry standards.
• Ability to supervise employees, contractors, and vendors while maintaining accountability for safety, compliance, and performance.
• Ability to analyze complex information and make sound decisions using independent judgment to evaluate program effectiveness and implement data-driven improvements.
• Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to prepare reports, presentations, performance metrics, and compliance documentation.
• Ability to develop and implement process improvements and corrective actions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, GIS-based systems, reporting tools, and emerging business technologies.
• Ability to learn and adapt to new technologies and software applications.

Travel

Travel up to 25% may be required to support field operations, contractor oversight, regulatory activities, inspections, training, stakeholder engagement, and enterprise Damage Prevention initiatives.

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.
• 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 such as size, shape, temperature, or texture 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: Ability to identify and distinguish colors.