Knowledge Operations Manager Jobs in Montana (NOW HIRING)

PURPOSE AND ROLE:

The Operations Manager is responsible for the safe, efficient and environmentally responsible operation of all processing units and the Tank Farm/Loading areas at the Great Falls refinery. This position is accountable for manufacturing products to meet sales requirements, within the Company’s constraints and will require interaction between Sales, Marketing, Technical, Operations and Logistics groups and must possess strong business acumen, good analytical, and management skills. The Operations Manager will supervise salaried managers and supervisors and will report to the General Manager.

The Operations Manager plays a critical role in setting operational discipline, developing leaders, driving continuous improvement, and fostering a strong safety culture. This position is a key member of the refinery leadership team and partners closely with Maintenance, Technical, Safety, Environmental, and Commercial teams.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Safety & Compliance

• Lead with an uncompromising commitment to personal and process safety.
• Ensure compliance with all OSHA, EPA, PSM, DOT, and company safety and environmental standards.
• Champion hazard identification, risk management, and incident prevention efforts.
• Lead or support investigations of incidents, near misses, and process safety events and ensure effective corrective actions.

Operations Leadership

• Provide leadership and oversight for refinery operations, including refining units, tankage, utilities, and offsites.
• Directly lead and develop Operations Superintendents and ensure alignment across shifts and operating areas.
• Ensure operating discipline and adherence to procedures, operating envelopes, and management of change requirements.
• Drive consistent shift-to-shift communication and operational excellence.

People Development & Culture

• Build and sustain a strong team environment focused on accountability, respect, and engagement.
• Coach, mentor, and develop operations leaders and frontline personnel.
• Support succession planning and capability development within the Operations organization.
• Reinforce Calumet values and expectations through visible leadership and presence in the field.

Operational Excellence & Reliability

• Deliver safe, reliable, and costeffective operations aligned with refinery production plans.
• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering to prioritize work and execute unit outages, turnarounds, and planned maintenance.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to improve reliability, energy efficiency, and operating costs.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and take corrective actions as needed.

Business & Stakeholder Integration

• Collaborate with Planning, Supply, and Commercial teams to meet production and product quality targets.
• Provide input to annual budgets, operating plans, and capital project prioritization.
• Support audits, regulatory inspections, and internal reviews as required.
• Communicate effectively with site leadership and corporate stakeholders.

Additional duties as assigned.

REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCES:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or a related technical field preferred (or equivalent refinery experience).
• Minimum 10 years of refining or petrochemical operations experience, including 3+ years minimum in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, complex operating teams in a 24/7 environment.
• Strong working knowledge of:
• Refinery operations and process safety management
• Operating procedures and unit optimization
• Regulatory compliance (PSM, OSHA, EPA)
• Proven ability to lead through change with clarity and steadiness.
• Participation in oncall rotation and afterhours support as required.

PREFERRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCES:

• Renewable fuels operations experience.
• Previous experience as an Operations Manager, Superintendent, or equivalent role in a refining environment.
• Strong turnaround and outage planning/execution experience.
• Experience leading cultural change or operational improvement initiatives.
• Excellent communication, decisionmaking, and conflictresolution skills.

EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:

• Visible safety leadership and sound judgment
• Strong people leadership and coaching mindset
• Operational discipline and attention to detail
• Ability to prioritize and make decisions in a dynamic environment
• Collaborative approach with crossfunctional teams
• Calm, steady leadership during abnormal or highpressure situations