Senior Director of Plant Operations

Insight Global is hiring a Senior Director of Plant Operations to join a higher education university in Houston, TX. The Senior Director of Plant Operations provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all central utility systems serving the university campus. This role drives long-term planning to modernize aging infrastructure, advance sustainability objectives, improve efficiency, mitigate risk, and ensure utilities are prepared to support the university’s growth. The Senior Director manages chilled water, steam, electrical distribution, emergency power, and related infrastructure to deliver reliable, efficient, and sustainable services essential to academic, research, residential, and administrative operations.

Essential Functions:
- Lead and oversee daily operations of the Central Plant and campus utility systems
- Develop and execute short- and long-term plans aligned with sustainability and energy-efficiency goals
- Drive utility master planning to support campus growth, infrastructure renewal, and carbon-neutrality objectives
- Serve as the technical authority for operation, maintenance, and optimization of central utility systems, including chilled water, steam, cogeneration, and electrical distribution
- Direct plant upgrades, retrofits, and capital improvement projects in collaboration with engineering consultants and project managers

Additional Functions:
- Manage multi-million-dollar operating and capital budgets
- Monitor utility consumption and cost data to identify savings and efficiency opportunities
- Maintain service contracts with major equipment vendors
- Participate in energy procurement and utility service negotiations
- Ensure compliance with all applicable codes and regulations (TCEQ, EPA, OSHA, air and water quality permits)
- Oversee environmental reporting and enforce safety protocols
- Develop risk-mitigation strategies for system failures, redundancies, and disaster recovery
- Supervise plant operators, instrumentation technicians, maintenance staff, and administrative personnel
- Promote staff training, certification, and professional development to enhance capability and retention
- Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and operational excellence
- Act as primary liaison for internal and external stakeholders on utility operations and infrastructure planning
- Collaborate with campus planning, sustainability, capital projects, and academic units to align utility services with institutional needs
- Provide regular reports and presentations to senior leadership

We are a company committed to creating diverse and inclusive environments where people can bring their full, authentic selves to work every day. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer that believes everyone matters. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic factors, age, disability, protected veteran status, military or uniformed service member status, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to HR@insightglobal.com.To learn more about how we collect, keep, and process your private information, please review Insight Global's Workforce Privacy Policy: https://insightglobal.com/workforce-privacy-policy/.

- Professional Engineer (PE) license
- Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
- 6+ years of progressively responsible experience in central utility plant operations
- 5+ years of senior leadership experience
- Strong knowledge of thermal and electrical utility systems, central plants, district energy systems, and distribution infrastructure; familiarity with building codes and specifications
- Expertise in budgeting, procurement, and scheduling for large-scale utility operations
- Strong financial acumen with experience managing large operating budgets and prioritizing multiple projects
· Proven success in designing and implementing energy-efficiency and optimization strategies, including performance monitoring and reporting
· Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences
- Skilled in cross-functional collaboration with internal teams, consultants, and contractors

- Experience in higher education or campus-based utility systems
- Experience with renewable energy integration, energy storage, and decarbonization strategies
- Familiarity with CMMS systems, SCADA, BAS, and energy analytics tools

Benefit packages for this role will start on the 1st day of employment and include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as HSA, FSA, and DCFSA account options, and 401k retirement account access with employer matching. Employees in this role are also entitled to paid sick leave and/or other paid time off as provided by applicable law.