Watershed Manager

Salary range: Commensurate with experience

Here at the City of Atlanta, we are passionate about building and improving our community. Our Police Officers, Fire Fighters, and Building Inspectors keep our Citizens safe. Our Public Works Staff keep our City clean and help to maintain, build, and improve our City’s infrastructure. Our City planners help envision and shape future City growth. Our Parks & Recreation professionals enhance our quality of life. Our Engineers help to keep our drinking water clean, the largest airport in the world (by passenger volume) operating, and our buildings maintained. Along with the host of Finance, Procurement, and Human Resources professionals whose support is vital, we are the City of Atlanta! If you’re seeking a meaningful role where you can make a real difference improving and growing our City, we welcome you to explore the job opportunities we have to offer.

General Description and Classification Standards

The Office of the Commissioner is seeking candidates for the Consent Decree Program Director. The Clean Water Atlanta (CWA) Consent Decree Program is a comprehensive, multi-program initiative designed to improve water quality in Atlanta through capital construction programs and enhanced operation of the City’s drinking and wastewater systems. The program was developed in response to a lawsuit filed against the City in 1995 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and a citizen downstream.

The focus of CWA is to complete necessary sewer infrastructure improvements to abate sanitary sewer overflows, ensure adequate system capacity, reduce flooding and pollution caused by stormwater, and safeguard the public health and safety of our citizens. CWA expands this program to include all projects required to comply with two (2) federal Consent Decrees and a State Consent Order, improve water quality throughout metro Atlanta, secure drinking water facilities in accordance with national homeland security guidelines and provide holistic management of the City’s resource operation.

The Consent Decree Program Director will manage the daily operation and implementation of the City’s Consent Decree Program Initiative, a nearly $3 billion comprehensive program.  The program includes all planning, design, construction projects, as well as professional program management and engineering services required to comply with two (2) Federal Consent Decrees (CSO and SSO) and a state Consent Order to improve water quality within the City of Atlanta, secure drinking water facilities in accordance with national homeland security guidelines and provide holistic management of the City’s water resource operations.  The position oversees, plans, organizes, directs and integrates the work of the approximately 30+ staff members and a current portfolio of $170M active projects/contracts that are in various stages of implementation.  The position requires extensive cross-functional collaboration with internal DWM stakeholders, other COA departments, and external stakeholders.  The position reports directly to the Assistant Commissioner.
  
DWM encourages applications from candidates with knowledge, ability and strong experience with consent decrees and/or regulatory compliance programs, experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities with diverse racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. An ideal candidate will have experience with a municipal water or wastewater agency, a track record of collaborative leadership across work groups and agencies, and experience supervising and supporting a diverse staff of highly skilled professionals.

Supervision Received

Reports to Assistant Commissioner. Works both independently and as part of a team of managers that meet to discuss issues related to program delivery, construction management, regulatory compliance, procurement, budgets, staff, policy, and operations. Direction received is very general and focuses on strategic objectives and is typically collaborative in nature. This is a policy-making level of management and would be considered a "upper middle" management position.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities  These are typical responsibilities for this position and should not be construed as exclusive or all inclusive. May perform other  duties as assigned.

• Provides support to the Assistant Commissioner including direct management responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the following functional areas;

• Manage the implementation and delivery of Consent Decree projects/contracts within agreed budgets, schedule and scope.
• Coordinate with the CIP team regarding the annual roster of Consent Decree projects/contracts that require A/E professional services, funding, and initiation of procurement.
• Assist with change management with focus on minimizing change orders.
• Attend meetings with CWA project team members, other DWM Directors, Program Managers, Project Managers, Design Managers and technical staff that are involved with Consent Decree projects to review progress, review issues and help resolve problems.
• Provide mentorship in the development of program staff.
• Oversees the development of design contract drawings utilizing both core civil design principles and trenchless technology methodologies, technical specifications, and engineering cost estimates for procurement.
• Provides design and technical support, as needed, to the Construction Management staff during the execution of contracts.
• Provides management of program functions including scope and budget development, regulatory reporting and permitting, value engineering, project controls and scheduling, product and materials selection.
• Coordinates with various internal/external stakeholders including CIP, GIS, Capacity Certification, Construction Management, and Hydraulic Modeling, Public Information Groups and other various City departments.
• Coordinates with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies for compliance with the Clean Water Act and other state and national regulations. 
• Provides leadership and direction to group managers and oversee project goals. Develops project strategies, implementation plans, project scope and milestones.

Decision Making

This position is generally required to provide input regarding decisions that impact the CWA Program. Such issues may be related to policy/procedure, strategy, budget, and/or technical. Provides input on organization strategy and policy within required legislative or executive approval.  

Leadership Provided

Provides leadership and guidance to a varied group of engineers, managers, and administrative professionals. Guidance should typically be general in nature and focus on objectives, end results, and policies.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities  This is a partial listing of necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the job successfully. It is not an exhaustive list.

• Experience with consent decree programs, program management, design, procurement and construction of engineering projects, especially water and sewer linear and vertical projects. Experience with water and sewer pipe hydraulics; water treatment, wastewater treatment, pumping stations, geotechnical testing and terminology; knowledge of remediation measures, contract law, and environmental policy.

• Very strong administrative and managerial skills; inter-personal and team working skills; skilled in communicating verbally and written; strong computer and software skills.

• Ability to develop relationships and partnerships; ability to write clear and concise technical documents; ability to read, understand, and prepare legal documents; ability to effectively negotiate resolutions of conflicts among staff, citizens, neighbors, elected official, and staff, as well as efficiently manage a government office open to the public; ability to interact effectively with various personality styles and with upper departmental management or elected officials; ability to read and interpret construction drawings; ability to interpret laws, regulations and guidelines; ability to utilize Microsoft software and project management programs.

Qualifications 

Minimum Qualifications – Education and Experience

• Bachelor of Science in Civil, Mechanical, Environmental Engineering or Environmental Policy
• 10 years of experience in water resource or civil engineering, or municipal government sector.
• 8 years of experience as a manager, supervisor, team leader, etc.

Preferred Education & Experience

• Master's degree in Engineering or Environmental Policy. (Equivalent professional experience may be considered for substitution for the master’s degree on an exception basis). 
• 15 years of work experience in water and/or wastewater engineering in the private or municipal government sector
• 10 years of experience as a manager, supervisor, team leader, etc.

Information

• Location: Atlanta, United States

Industry experience

Education: Bachelor

Seniority: Manager, Director, Professor

Years of experience: 10 to 20 years

Taxonomy

• Watershed Management
• Watershed
• Integrated Watershed Management