Bessemer Utilities Assistant Operations Manager

Personnel Board of Jefferson County; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 79,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Pension plan

Paid holidays

Sick and vacation leave

Job summary

Personnel Board of Jefferson County is seeking an Utilities Assistant Operations Manager to support the Utilities Operations Manager in daily city utility operations for water and electric services. The role involves coordinating projects, ensuring safety, and maintaining reliability for customers.

Responsibilities include staff supervision, regulatory compliance, budget administration, and collaboration with internal departments and regulators to improve service delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Business Administration, or related field.
• Experience supervising employees and conducting performance appraisals.
• Experience working in a utility following safety regulations and codes.
• Experience managing distribution construction projects and coordinating with engineers.
• Experience planning safety and training sessions.
• Experience monitoring a budget and preparing bidding specifications.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational leadership across electric and water utility functions.
• Assist in budget preparation, monitoring, and administration.
• Direct planning, execution, and evaluation of utility projects and system upgrades.
• Oversee staff performance, coaching, and adherence to policies.
• Lead staff training programs on utility equipment and safety protocols.
• Develop policies to improve efficiency and emergency preparedness.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to resolve issues.
• Evaluate tools, equipment, and resource needs for field operations.
• Stay current on regulations and industry best practices.

Skills

Staff supervision

Budget management

Regulatory compliance

Project coordination

Safety training

Industrial utility knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Engineering Technology/Business Administration

Job description

Job Summary

The City of Bessemer is seeking a Utilities Assistant Operations Manager. This role supports the Utilities Operations Manager in overseeing the daily operations of the Utilities Department, which provides water and electric services to more than 40,000 customers. Responsibilities include supporting infrastructure planning, ensuring regulatory compliance, supervising staff, coordinating projects, promoting workplace safety, collaborating with internal departments, and helping maintain reliable and efficient utility services.

Compensation & Benefits

The City of Bessemer provides competitive pay and comprehensive benefits packages to include medical and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement plan (pension), generous paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, and more.

The pay range for this job is presented below:

$79,331 - $123,073

Target Close Date

10/09/2026

Pay Grade

Grade 32

Type

Full time

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Business Administration, or a related field from an accredited university or college.
• Experience supervising employees, to include conducting performance appraisals, correcting employee deficiencies, recommending disciplinary action, and making hiring recommendations.
• Experience working in a private or public utility following state rules for safety, National Safety Codes, OSHA guidelines, and/or ADEM guidelines.
• Experience managing and/or designing distribution construction projects to include consulting with engineers to determine project specifications for newly installed power or water distribution systems.
• Experience planning and implementing safety and training sessions.
• Experience monitoring an annual budget to include reviewing and approving purchases of supplies, materials, equipment, and preparing bidding specifications.

Typical Job Duties

• Provides operational support and strategic leadership across electric and water utility functions, ensuring high service standards and regulatory compliance.
• Assists in the preparation, monitoring, and administration of the departmental budget. Reviews expenditure reports, tracks spending, and ensures budget alignment with operational goals.
• Directs the planning, execution, and evaluation of electrical and water utility projects, including infrastructure improvements, maintenance schedules, and system upgrades.
• Oversees staff by assigning work duties, monitoring performance, providing coaching and feedback, and ensuring adherence to departmental policies and procedures.
• Leads the development and implementation of staff training programs related to utility equipment, safety protocols, and service standards.
• Develops and recommends policies, procedures, and goals to enhance operational efficiency, emergency preparedness, and organizational development.
• Collaborates with internal departments, external stakeholders, and regulatory agencies to resolve service issues, manage projects, and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Evaluates tools, equipment, and resource needs to maintain safety and efficiency across field operations.
• Stays informed of industry best practices, local/state/federal regulations, and emerging technologies to guide continuous improvement efforts.
• Engages in professional development and represents the department at relevant industry and community meetings.

Physical Demands

Job involves occasional moderate physical exertion required for occasional prolonged periods of stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, balancing, and climbing. May involve occasional lifting of items or objects weighing up to 25 lbs.

Work Environment

Work is conducted mostly indoors in office setting using standard office equipment, such as a computer and phone. This work is primarily sedentary involving sitting for long periods of time, but may involve occasional walking or standing for brief periods. Some duties are conducted during field visits to outdoor worksites such as near roadways and power distribution sites. The employee may be exposed to weather conditions, such as extreme hot or cold temperatures, or other potentially hazardous conditions such as near roadway traffic or near animal or wildlife such as snakes, rodents, etc.

Eeo Statement

The Personnel Board of Jefferson County provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment with the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Each Merit System member city/agency operates its own equal employment opportunity policies available on the individual city/agency website.

Accommodation

To request an accommodation in the application or hiring process due to your own ongoing medical condition or disability, please contact our Accommodations Coordinator at [e-mail] or phone at 205-279-3500 (select option 1) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The accommodation process is reserved solely for job seekers with disabilities requesting accessibility assistance or accommodation in the job application process.

Note

This job posting may close before, or be extended beyond, the listed Target Close Date based on the employment needs of the Merit System. More detail regarding this job is available by clicking Apply.

Disclaimer

This job posting is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of the job duties, responsibilities, or skills and abilities required for this position and may be changed at the discretion of the Personnel Board at any time.