Associate, Operations Services Specialist

American Water; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

American Water is seeking an Associate, Operations Services Specialist to support delivery of operational projects and improvements across state operations.

The role emphasizes adoption of standardized systems, due diligence for acquisitions, customer-service excellence, and data-driven performance analysis to identify opportunities for improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 2+ years’ experience with a bachelor’s degree or 8+ years’ experience without a degree in utility operations, customer service, or project management roles.
• Water/Wastewater experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and/or support the delivery of projects to drive operational improvement and standardization.
• Provide support for state operations in the adoption and use of standardized operational systems.
• Assist with the due diligence and integration of new acquisition targets and closed acquisition transactions.
• Support state-owned customer service-related activities to deliver high levels of customer service and address customer complaints.
• Analyze state- and district-level operational performance data to identify opportunities for performance improvements.

Skills

Service Delivery

Project management

Utility operations

Contract administration

Water quality

Water treatment

Change Management

Regulatory knowledge

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or business

Equivalent experience

Tools

Project management software

Data analysis tools

CRM/ERP systems

Job description

Job Title: Associate, Operations Services Specialist

Posting Start Date: 9/9/26

Job Description:

Primary Role

The Associate Specialist, Operations Services supports a range of services aiding operational service delivery, and implements practical, targeted solutions to drive business and operations performance improvement opportunities.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead and/or support the delivery of projects to drive operational improvement and standardization.
• Provide support for state operations in the effective adoption and use of company-defined standardized operational systems.
• Assist with the due diligence and integration of new acquisition targets and closed acquisition transactions, as requested.
• Support the provision of state-owned customer service-related activities to deliver high-levels of customer service and address customer complaints.
• Analyze state- and district-level operational performance data provided by the centralized Operational Performance and Planning team, to identify opportunities for performance improvements within the assigned state of responsibility.

Knowledge/Skills

• Core professional competence in Service Delivery and project management within a related field, knowledge of utility operations, maintenance, and/or capital program management/delivery.
• Knowledge of contract administration.
• Working knowledge of new technology and current trends in water quality, water treatment, developer services and other related water resource management disciplines.
• Business acumen and judgment; knowledge of company procedures, policies and operations; knowledge of Change Management methodologies and techniques.
• Good knowledge of water and/or wastewater system state and federal regulatory requirements and standards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (e.g., fluency in report writing and presentations.
• Effective interpersonal skills (e.g., persuasion, negotiation, listening, cooperation, tact, diplomacy, problem solving, internal consulting)
• Basic project management skills (e.g. planning, organizing, directing, monitoring and reporting on project activities, managing concurrent projects).

Experience/Education

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or related field desired. Equivalent role-related work experience in lieu of a degree will be considered.
• 2+ years’ experience with a bachelor’s degree or 8+ years’ experience without a bachelor’s degree in utility operations, customer service, or project management roles.
• Water / Wastewater experience preferred.

Travel Requirements

Up to 30%, as required.

Certifications & Licenses

Project Management certification preferred.