Please Note: If you are a current Hydro Ottawa employee with access to Workday, apply to this job via the Workday application.

At Hydro Ottawa, we empower the lives of the people in the communities we serve.

As the electricity distributor to the Nation’s Capital, our work powers the essential activities that make up our lives - at home, at work and at play. And as Ontario’s largest municipally-owned producer of green power, we are leading the way to a greener tomorrow.

We are seeking a Director, System Operations, a change champion and innovative leader ready to embrace the opportunity to guide and mentor others, and enable them to do their best work. And in doing so, to leave a legacy.

Are you ready to make a difference in our community?

JOB SUMMARY

The Director, System Operations is a pivotal leadership role responsible for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the company's electrical grid. This encompasses strategic oversight and operational management of Stations, System Operations (including the control room), Data Services, and Metering. The Director, System Operations translates corporate strategy into operational reality, driving innovation in operational resilience, optimizing performance, and ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements and industry best practices. Utilizing a strong understanding of grid technologies and operational processes, the Director, System Operations makes data-driven decisions while leading a diverse team towards achieving operational excellence and preparing the grid for future challenges and opportunities.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Accountable for the safety performance of the entire System Operations group, maintaining an uncompromisingly high bar for safety and operational integrity through strict adherence to all regulatory standards, industry codes, and safety protocols.
• Oversee System Office ensuring effective system monitoring, fault management, and emergency response protocols are in place and adhered to.
• Ensure organizational readiness for outage restoration by providing effective Control Room oversight and ensuring the availability of specialized equipment, materials, and technical personnel required for station and metering-related emergencies.
• Participate in the company’s Electricity Emergency Response Program (EERP), Crisis Management Team (CMT), or other response structures as required, maintaining active leadership and availability during emergency events.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks, developing robust contingency plans for potential disruptions.
• Direct system operations and control room functions to ensure top-tier reliability outcomes and operational performance, and foster a culture of continuous improvement by challenging teams to develop new operational tools and workflows that optimize outage management, restoration coordination, and grid performance to minimize the duration and frequency of interruptions for our customers.
• Drive and sustain close collaboration with Engineering and Asset Planning to provide strategic oversight for the proactive maintenance and lifecycle management of station infrastructure, ensuring operational requirements are explicitly integrated to optimize performance and grid reliability.
• Manage inter-utility coordination and regional grid reliability by maintaining strong operational relationships with the IESO, Hydro One, and adjacent Local Distribution Companies (LDCs).
• Oversee the strategic management of metering and data services to ensure accurate data collection, processing, and analysis for billing, operational insights, and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure continuous improvement relating to the Metering Quality Management System to maintain ISO9001 certification.
• Exercise primary accountability to support capital and maintenance programs through effective grid operation and planning, and direct the successful execution of stations and metering related capital and maintenance programs.
• Lead the development and execution of effective strategic, operational, and human resources, to ensure resource availability and program execution support.
• Exercise final fiscal responsibility and accountability for sub-divisional budgets, ensuring optimal resource allocation that balances long-term financial sustainability with the highest standards of safety and reliability for our customers and shareholder.
• Execute the annual operational plan and ensure a multi-skilled workforce that maximizes labour productivity, minimizes costs, and protects worker and public safety.
• Oversee workforce planning, talent acquisition, and training programs to ensure the team has the necessary skills and resources.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of managers and professionals across various operational functions; fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and engagement by monitoring the effectiveness of operational processes and implementing necessary enhancements to drive efficiency and innovation within the group.
• Foster a collaborative relationship with union leadership to ensure operational flexibility and workforce engagement.
• Represent the company in discussions with regulatory bodies and industry associations as required.
• In collaboration with the Vice President and fellow Directors, develop, implement, and maintain group objectives, policies, and procedures that align with the organization’s strategic direction and corporate objectives.
• Identify operational gaps and future needs to advocate for emerging grid technologies and automation solutions that will enhance long-term efficiency, reliability, and safety for customers.
• Provide operational leadership for grid modernization and technology initiatives (e.g., ADMS, SCADA, AMI); championing the adoption of implementations that integrate field and control room requirements into long-term planning to improve system visibility, control, and restoration performance.
• Collaborate with Digital Transformation and Engineering teams as a key technology user to define operational requirements, ensuring that systems integration, data analytics, and equipment procurement effectively support system visibility and risk mitigation.
• Perform other duties as required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in the electrical utility or related industry
• An equivalent combination of 15 years of progressively responsible and relevant experience, formal training, and demonstrated performance and ability in electrical utility operations may substitute for stipulated academic requirements
• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation or equivalent is highly desirable
• Progressively responsible management experience, including extensive experience at a senior management level, preferably in the electrical industry
• Strong computer skills; proficient in the use of office productivity and collaboration tools, preferably Google Workspace

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• English essential, both oral and written.
• Bilingual (English/French) considered an asset.
• Valid driver’s license –minimum Class DZ; AZ preferred.

This is a management group opportunity and salary will be commensurate with qualifications.

Hydro Ottawa offers a Hybrid Work Model. Hybrid work is position specific, details of the hybrid model will be discussed with successful candidates.

Hydro Ottawa may use artificial intelligence (“AI”) during the recruitment process to aid in the screening and selection of candidates.

##Location:

Ottawa, ON

This is a management group opportunity. The annual salary range for this position identified below depends on experience, education, and professional designation. The successful candidate will be offered a salary within this range based on their qualifications.

##Pay Range Minimum:

$128,808.26

##Pay Range Maximum:

$178,153.00

##Posting End Date (if applicable):

April 26, 2026

Hydro Ottawa is committed to establishing a qualified workforce that reflects the diverse population it serves and we encourage applications from all qualified individuals. We are also committed to preventing and removing barriers to employment for people with disabilities, and we invite you to inform us should you have any accessibility or accommodation needs.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada.