Director - Right Of Way

This position is responsible for:

• Leading, directing and improving the Kinder Morgan Right of Way Department.
• Overseeing all internal and external aspects of right of way including value added, capital maintenance and operations projects/efforts.
• Assisting with land issues including encroachments, rentals/renewal obligations and file/document management.
• Developing and building strong customer relationships. Soliciting customer feedback regularly.
• Maximizing the department’s performance.
• Guiding, directing, and evaluating the work of other employees, including ROW Managers and Agents.
• Leading, directing, and improving all budget responsibilities including OPEX, CAPEX and G&A costs.
• Leading, directing, and improving organizational culture in the areas of integrity, accountability, safety & excellence.
• Making independent decisions regarding work assignments, personnel, and budget in response to direction received in the form of corporate and team goals, annual objectives, business requirements and company policy.
• Reporting to the Vice President of ROW
• Managing and overseeing all aspects of right-of-way and real estate related activities necessary to secure, maintain, protect and enforce company's property rights.
• Leading a staff that negotiates favorable terms to various land and right-of-way related agreements secured on behalf of the company.
• Ensuring the company acts in the interest of building a long-term relationship with landowners

Essential duties and responsibilities:

• Lead, direct, supervise, evaluate and develop company employees.
• Reflect the KM corporate values of Integrity, Accountability, Safety and Excellence in communication and actions.
• Target Zero EHS Behavior - Establish expectations, ensure education and confirm performance for employees and contractors through observation, conversation & evaluation.
• Hold employees accountable for working ethically and with integrity.
• Ensure work is completed safely and in compliance with regulations and corporate policies.
• Establish operational best practices and ongoing continuous improvement activities.
• Ensure proactive, ongoing, high quality customer service is provided to the supported assets on individual and team levels.
• Demonstrate cohesive teamwork and provide quality staff work through interaction with operational, financial, commercial, and support group peers.
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of project status, current cost & schedule, forecasted results, risks & opportunities, quality, and performance for all projects.
• Lead and organize multi-department meetings and decision-making processes.
• Develop performance milestones for all tasks. Measure progress, evaluate performance, and provide clear feedback against those milestones, for self and for employees.
• Direct Managers of ROW agents that are responsible for company property, funds, easement, and lease acquisitions.
• Mentor staff members in their research, review, and analysis of land titles, identification of defects, and outline curative.
• Support the department’s efforts to acquire right-of-way and other property interests as necessary to accommodate the construction, operation, and maintenance of company facilities in such a manner as to minimize litigation.
• Support the department’s completion of property damage settlements and loss claims associated with capital projects and day-to-day pipeline operations, seeking favorable outcome on behalf of the company.
• Assist the department in obtaining civil permits necessary for the construction and maintenance of company facilities.
• Act with Special Power of Attorney to review, analyze, and execute Land and Right-of-Way related agreements, deeds, easements, leases, permits & licenses.
• Serve as liaison between internal departments in support of right-of-way activities.
• Plan and coordinate quarterly team meetings, quarterly departmental management meetings, and oversee ROW project activity en masse, reporting, and departmental training.
• Travel multiple times a year to visit field ROW Managers and Agents.

Position Requirements

Position Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree.

Experience / specific knowledge:

• 10+ years applicable right of way experience – 15+ years preferred
• 2 or more years’ experience in a managerial role
• Current working knowledge of the industry and the willingness to maintain that knowledge
• Possesses knowledge and experience in Native American Renewals and Natural Gas Storage Fields
• Knowledge of gas transmission and gas gathering (midstream) construction/operations
• Expertise/experience in continuous improvement activities
• Demonstrated success in leadership and supervisory experience
• Demonstrated success in financial & budget activities
• Demonstrated success in change management
• Strong communication, interpersonal and leadership skills
• Innovative problem solving and demonstrated process improvements
• Review and interpretation of right granting documents and related clauses
• Knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel
• General understanding of right-of-way duties and issues, including project management, the acquisition, relinquishment and modification of easements/licenses, purchase and sale of fee land, franchise & permit rights, encroachment resolution, title, appraisal, budgeting, cost forecasting, public relations, community outreach and general regulatory and legal issues.
• Knowledge of condemnation proceedings and condemnation rules of different Business Units is preferred.
• Knowledge of different types of land acquisition and leasing agreements
• Knowledge of real estate law a plus.

Certifications, licenses, registrations:

• Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record.

Competencies, skills, and abilities:

• Proactive decision-making, strong work ethic, keen sense of requirements to achieve success.
• Effective leadership in teaching and executing corporate values and philosophies.
• Deep understanding of individual and team customer service activities.
• General understanding of Environmental, Regulatory Affairs, Surveying, and Construction.
• Understanding and knowledge of how to apply FERC guidelines and the Natural Gas Act.
• Knowledge of federal/state rules and regulations for acquisitions and permitting.
• Proactive vs. reactive thinking & planning.
• Effective written, verbal and listening communication skills.
• Effective leadership, coaching and teambuilding skills.
• High competency in evaluating and making optimum economic decisions.
• High competency in communicating project status, opportunities and risks.
• Effective performance management competencies including skills evaluation, promotion recommendations, development planning, career potential and compensation analysis.
• Ability to initiate, nurture and lead a questioning culture allowing new ideas and methods to be considered.
• Understanding of Kinder Morgan’s 4 business units.
• Knowledge of KMBS and KMBF a plus.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, especially holding employees accountable on performance.
• Demonstrate drive and agile work ethic.
• Coordination with other support functions (i.e regulatory, outreach, engineering, operations, legal, third party contractors, construction and environmental) to ensure successful completion of project objectives.
• Good analytical and reconciliation skills, necessary for problem solving and decision making.
• Be able to successfully perform multiple tasks with abbreviated deadlines.
• Must be able to understand financial impacts of decisions and courses of action, results oriented.

Working conditions:

• Primarily office environment, with occasional field office or field/plant site.
• Working after hours, nights, weekends, holidays and on-call as needed.
• Up to 25% travel (both car and air).

Supervisory responsibility:

• Manager level leaders
• Multi-level supervisory organization (20+ ROW Agents)

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER STATEMENT: We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.