Area Supervisor

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

Are you looking for a fantastic career at Aqua? We have a great opportunity for an Area Supervisor based out of Hamilton, NJ. The Area Supervisor III is responsible for the management and financial performance of the Division; oversees operational and maintenance activities, including wastewater treatment, collections system, lift stations, and customer field service functions. This role is responsible for the scheduling and training of the field service representatives and operators.  This role is critical in ensuring the division meets Aqua standards for compliance, operational excellence, and integrity.

Essential Duties:
• Supervises union personnel. Duties include employee selection; mutual developments of performance goals and measurements; provides training and growth opportunities; plans and directs work assignments; creates atmosphere of trust, respect and support; fairly administers company policies affecting staff; and communicates information for effective job performance.

• Responsible for interviewing, hiring, setting high performance standards, and managing performance in accordance with all applicable HR policies and procedures in order to create an energized work environment that fosters an atmosphere which enables employee trust & engagement while inspiring confidence and motivating others to perform at their best.

• Manage, develop, and coach staff while effectively addressing performance issues (if any).

• Directs Aqua personnel and contractors to assure that all water and wastewater facilities are operated within permit compliance and as efficiently as possible.  Complete all required regulatory reports.

• Responsible for all preventative maintenance on water and wastewater systems including distribution and collection systems, lift stations, well stations, wastewater treatment facilities, booster stations, storage facilities and purchased water systems, etc., to ensure that they are performing properly. Performs periodic inspections and prepares, administers, and plans both current and long range operating and capital budgets within areas of responsibility.

• Ensuring development plans are created, establish priorities, and allocate resources to carry out company programs; this includes (but is not limited to) long-range planning, annual operating & capital budgets, growing customer base (and acquiring additional systems, where prudent), and other company goals/objectives/programs.

• Provides input to the preparation of the division operating and capital budgets.
• Keeps maintenance records up to date including, but not limited to, work orders, pump records, valve location, system data and other related information.
• Supervises a program for effective vehicle and equipment maintenance.
• Interacts with customers, homeowner associations, regulators, contractors and others to resolve issues. Acts as liaison between company and regulatory officials and customers.
• Oversees emergency duty roster. Schedules 24/7 on-call coverage of the assigned service area by a licensed operator and coordinates with the Call Center.
• Institutes and supervises Aqua America’s Safety Program in areas of responsibility as prescribed.
• Continues to maintain and search for new methods of increasing productivity and quality in the most cost-effective manner within areas of responsibility.
• Provides oversight of employees to ensure the proper use of company financial systems. Responsible for proper coding of all invoices and purchasing cards and forwarding to accounting for payment.
• Participates in activities of various professional organizations and attends seminars and training courses when necessary to maintain technical competency. Participates on company committees and programs, as required.

• Actively promote the company’s position and image by establishing/maintaining positive communications & relationships and/or working arrangements with internal & external customers, employees, colleagues, communities, Public Officials, political subdivisions, regulators, vendors, media, other utility service providers, Fire departments, and Public Works departments (in connection with hydrant maintenance and construction projects).

• Notifies the Customer Service Department of availability issues and necessary corrective actions.

• Collaborate with the Engineering department and other departmental leadership to ensure construction projects meet company specifications, are properly documented, and are completed on a timely basis.

• Responsible for federal, state, and local regulations that affect our business.

• Administration of internal software applications to report compliance-related activities (e.g.:  hydrant flushing, valve exercising, etc.).

• Responsible for oversight and reporting of distribution system inventory.

• Responsible for overseeing the cleaning and maintenance of the Company’s office facility & garage.

• Available for response to emergencies afterhours.  

• Performs other assignments as required.

Qualifications:
• High school degree required.
• Must have a valid driver's license.
• Must have 5-7 years of related experience.
• Must possess at the minimum a T-2, W-2, S-2, and C-2 license, with the ability to acquire level 3 in all respective licenses within 3 years from the date of hire.

• Prior supervisory experience is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

•Proficient in Microsoft Office (Email, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills; communicate effectively (clearly, concisely and professionally) with internal customers

• Strong customer service skills

• Ability to work well under pressure

• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment

• A team player able to work effectively in a team fostered multi-tasking environment

• The ideal candidate will have knowledge in both operational and financial aspects of water utility operations.
• Previous experience should also include managing capital improvement projects, managing operating budgets, working with computer control systems and programming, and environmental chemistry and laboratory procedures. 
• Travel throughout central New Jersey will be required.

• Available for emergencies and consultation on a 24/7 basis

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.