Wastewater Operations Manager

Job Description

Position Purpose: 

Directs Manages the operational activities of the Boise Operations, including production, treatment, transmission, distribution, system maintenance, system monitoring, and facilities management functions, ensuring the provision of high-quality water at reasonable cost. Ensures that all Veolia, governmental, and environmental standards, rules, regulations, and requirements are consistently met. Leads in development and implementation of annual and strategic operating and capital investment plans for assigned areas/departments, and manages them in accordance with those plans. Attains Business Unit goals and ensures that its financial objectives are achieved. Leads the Business Unit in adoption, implementation and improvement of Operational Technology systems like GIS, SCADA, Asset Management, Work Management, etc. Develops and maintains good working relationships with employees and regulatory, political, and community leaders as required.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Overall responsibility for the direction and success of the assigned Business Unit areas/departments and ensuring that they are operated in a cost-effective and efficient manner, ethically, transparently, and in accordance with all Veolia, governmental, and environmental standards, rules, regulations, and requirements.
• Maintain positive relationships with employees, regulators, customers, and political and community leaders.
• Provide guidance, assistance, and direction to the below major areas of the Business Unit to operate them in an effective and efficient manner and to insure the attainment of goals.
  • Production – Responsible for operation, maintenance, and renewal of the supply, treatment and delivery of finished water that meets all drinking water regulations. Includes the facilities used for production, treatment and delivery such as intakes, pumping stations, treatment plants, wells, Aquifer Storage Recovery, wells, tanks, booster stations, and associated facilities.
  • Transmission and Distribution – Responsible for operation, maintenance, and renewal of the water mains, valves, services, fire hydrants, pressure regulating valves, and associated facilities used to deliver water in the transmission and distribution system network.
  • Meter Reading and Field Service – Responsible for planning and scheduling of meter reading task and the prioritization of field service orders. Works closely with Customer Service and Billing staff to deliver best service to customers.
  • IT/GIS – Responsible for operation, maintenance, and renewal of the various computerized systems including, SCADA, GIS, Hydraulic Modeling, Telephony, Personal Computers/Servers and associated systems.
  • Water Quality – Responsible for overall water system compliance with all local, state, and federal water quality rules and regulations, including the Safe Drinking Water Act.
• Leads the Business Unit in adoption, implementation and improvement of Operational Technology systems like GIS, SCADA, Asset Management, Work Management, etc.
• Supervises and participates in the preparation and administration of annual and strategic operating and capital plans, for assigned areas/departments. Assists with growth strategies and updates and revisions to all plans.
• Responsible for delivering financial results for assigned areas/departments in accordance with plans and budgets.
• Participates in the development of rate case strategy, prepares and presents testimony for rate cases, responds to production and data requests, and serves as expert witness at hearings as required. Assists with other Public Utility Commission filings and proceedings as necessary.
• Responsible for investigating problems, evaluating, and implementing solutions to improve operations and reduce operating costs while fulfilling service requirements.
• Responsible, through each assigned departmental Manager/Supervisor, for the efficient and effective training and development of each employee to ensure that skills development opportunities are provided that ensure quality job performance.
• Responsible for developing/maintaining positive labor relationships and for insuring that the labor agreement is implemented in an equitable manner across assigned departments. Participates in grievance and arbitration proceedings and actively participates in contract negotiations in order to achieve the operating interests of the Business Unit.
• Responsible, through each departmental Manager/Supervisor for the safety and safety training of each employee, and the development/maintenance of a strong safety culture in the Business Unit.

Work Environment:

• Must be able to operate a motor vehicle for travel to various meetings that take place outside of the Company offices.

Qualifications

Education/Experience/Background: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Accounting, Finance or Business Administration desired or equivalent working experience.
• 10 years of related experience.
• Class IV wastewater treatment license

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: 

• Good analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound decisions.
• Good knowledge of accounting and finance and ability to manage and control financial results for favorable outcomes.
• Proven ability to plan both for the short term and also strategically over 5-10 years periods.
• Strong working knowledge of water supply, treatment operations, distribution system operations and maintenance, customer service, and engineering principals as they relate to the water industry.
• Understand hydraulics and how to manage integrated networks using multiple water resources. Optimization of water networks to optimize energy and chemicals and minimize water losses.
• Able to use and interpret data from intelligent systems for business decisions. Competent personal computer skills.
• Ability to negotiate effectively and facilitate favorable win/win outcomes.
• Ability to work effectively in a union environment.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills to effectively interact with employees, regulators, elected officials, and community leaders.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Intermediate to advanced technical capacity with the ability to quickly learn new and/or proprietary systems, to easily navigate mapping, computer, and phone systems used daily including:
  • CityWorks CMMS
  • Automated Meter Reading Systems
  • SCADA
  • PeopleSoft Inventory and Requisition Systems
  • GIS
  • Permitting and Supplier Websites
  • Smart Phones and Mobile Applications
  • Microsoft Office applications

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to sit/stand for extended periods of time and work in an office environment on a personal computer for lengthy periods of time each day.