Director, Colonias Water Project

DigDeep; El Paso (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive wage

Generous vacation & sick leave

Parental leave 23 weeks

Professional development stipend

Employer contributes to health, dental

401k retirement plan

Job summary

The DigDeep Right to Water Project seeks a Director, Colonias Water Project to lead expansion of water access in Texas Colonias and the Southwest. You will navigate Texas water policy, engage state agencies and build trust with Colonia residents to shape tangible projects.

You will drive systems-change by bridging technical solutions, political advocacy, and grassroots partnerships across communities, while traveling 25-40% of the time and collaborating with the CPO and program teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional work experience preferred.
• Deep knowledge of Texas water utility, regulatory, and political structures strongly preferred.
• Track record of successful advocacy or policy influence related to water infrastructure, rural development, or social justice.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with CPO to develop a comprehensive project plan for DigDeep’s work in the Texas Colonias informed by strategy and data; set multi-year targets and timelines.
• Monitor and engage in relevant policy and regulatory processes at the state and local level; identify and pursue opportunities for systemic change that advance water access in colonias.
• Serve as a key liaison with utilities, county commissioners, TA providers, local government and other nonprofits to align efforts.
• Identify communities in the region needing WASH assistance; develop strategies for serving these communities based on their unique needs; ensure projects strengthen governance and financing mechanisms.
• Plan and implement DigDeep's annual work plans for the Colonias Water Project, set new targets and timelines and identify and maintain partnerships.
• Design, develop timelines, and implement individual projects within the Colonias portfolio; monitor work plans and ensure objectives are met safely and on time.
• Oversee program staff and monitor work plans to ensure objectives and budgets are met; maintain productivity records.
• Ensure program compliance with relevant laws and workplace policies.
• Routinely visit all partners and project sites.

Skills

Leadership

Policy advocacy

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Budgeting

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

Location: El Paso, TX strongly preferred (able to spend 1-2 weeks in El Paso/month at a minimum; with frequent travel to Dallas required as well)

Compensation Range: $100,000/year - $112,000/year DOE

Reports To: Chief Program Officer (CPO)

Education/Experience Preferences: Bachelor's Degree , or equivalent professional experience preferred

We Are DigDeep

The DigDeep Right to Water Project is a WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) organization committed to closing the water access gap for the 2 million + people in the U.S. who still don’t have a tap or a toilet at home.

DigDeep believes access to clean water is a human right. We run several nationally recognized programs that empower communities to build their own water and sanitation systems. We won the 2018 US Water Prize for our Navajo Water Project, which has brought clean, running water to hundreds of Native families across New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. DigDeep launched the Appalachia Water Project in 2020, in McDowell County, WV. It has since brought clean, sustainable running water to hundreds of families in Southern West Virginia through public - private partnerships with the McDowell County PSD and East Logan PSD in Wyoming County. In addition to clean running water, the project is installing septic systems and connecting households to centralized sewer. The AWP is now expanding into neighboring states of Kentucky and Virginia to continue its quest of clean water for every Appalachian family. Our water projects expanded in 2022 when we launched our Colonias Water Project. This project works to bring clean, running water to the residents living in communities along the Texas-Mexico border. The Texas colonias are largely unincorporated, low-income communities that fall just outside city limits and often lack basic infrastructure. Our work began in Cochran colonia near El Paso. DigDeep partnered with residents, housing nonprofits, and county officials to innovate a new model for public-private partnership that brings these basic services to families for the first time. Now we're getting the water flowing in 5 more communities.

The Opportunity

The Director, Colonias Water Project will lead DigDeep’s work to expand water access in Colonias and Colonia-like communities in Texas and the Southwest. This role requires an expert navigator of the Texas water and political landscape, with the credibility to engage state and regional agencies and the ability to build trust with Colonia residents. The Director will shape both tangible water projects and create systems-change, bridging technical solutions, political advocacy, and grassroots relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with CPO to develop a comprehensive project plan for DigDeep’s work in the Texas Colonias informed by strategy and data; set multi-year targets and timelines.
• Monitor and engage in relevant policy and regulatory processes at the state and local level; identify and pursue opportunities for systemic change that advance water access in colonias.
• Serve as a key liaison with utilities (e.g., EPWater, LVWD, regional water supply corporations), county commissioners, TA providers, local government and other nonprofits to align efforts.
• Identify communities in the region needing WASH assistance; develop strategies for serving these communities based on their unique needs. Ensure projects not only connect homes but strengthen long‑term governance and financing mechanisms for sustainable service delivery.
• Plan and implement DigDeep's annual work plans for the Colonias Water Project, set new targets and timelines and identify and maintain partnerships.
• Design, develop timelines, and implement individual projects within the larger Colonias portfolio, including new water projects from start to finish; monitor work plans and ensure objectives are met in a safe, timely and complete manner.
• Oversee program staff and monitor work plans to ensure objectives and work plans are met in a timely and complete manner and within budget; maintain productivity records including construction reports, inventory, and other datasets.
• Ensure program compliance with relevant laws as well as all workplace and employee policies.
• Routinely visit all partners and project sites.

Finance & Fund Development

• Develop the annual Colonias Water Project program budget and monitor on an ongoing basis. Monitor expenditures throughout the year to ensure compliance with budget.
• Collaborate with the Development team to maximize all revenue and storytelling opportunities, especially those related to major donor cultivation and annual campaigns.
• Assist clients with DigDeep’s bill pay program, including collecting appropriate information and coordinating with local utilities.

Partnerships

• Act as a liaison for our clients and staff by leveraging relationships and expertise; represent DigDeep at conferences, events, and other public relations opportunities.
• Own local partner relationships; guide partners as they collaborate on project implementation; deliver funding, supplies and technical assistance, monitor their progress and proactively manage conflict.
• In collaboration with the Vice President, Policy & External Relations, initiate and facilitate partnerships with CBOs, regulatory agencies and elected officials to help meet strategic goals; consult closely and regularly with relevant agencies (e.g., EPA, USDA).
• Plan and implement outreach activities to develop visibility of the organization within the local community; represent the organization at local meetings.
• Provide clear, concise reports on plans, processes, and outcomes to executive staff; represent DigDeep at relevant conferences and events.
• Plan and guide donors, press and media visits to the field; oversee volunteer work as needed.
• Foster an environment that promotes trust and cooperation among staff, community members, elected leaders, partner organizations and the public.
• Assist with program development, implementation, and strengthening for other DigDeep Water Projects as needed.

Talent Management

• Perform supervisory duties for CWP staff; interview applicants for employment; resolve discipline problems and take appropriate action as necessary; develop increasing levels of expertise in staff by encouraging further education and providing learning opportunities.
• Partner with HR to implement professional development opportunities to ensure team members have consistent access to skill development, in order to support employee engagement and sense of fulfillment.
• Lead and facilitate regular staff meetings, both virtually and in-person; provide strong day‑to‑day leadership that bridges high and low communication contexts to ensure all team members and clients are heard and understood.
• Uphold the unique culture of DigDeep by implementing values‑aligned operations and management strategies for all work undertaken by the CWP team.
• Foster an environment that promotes trust and cooperation among staff, community members, elected leaders, partner organizations and the public.
• Assist with ad‑hoc projects and support other tasks/duties as assigned.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. As the organization continues to evolve, duties or tasks may change without impacting the overall job description

Competencies (Please refer to our website for complete list of desired competencies.)

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Skills and Qualifications

We want to hear from you if you have:

• At least 10 years of professional experience in community development, water/wastewater utilities, or related fields in Texas or the Southwest
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional work experience preferred; advanced experience in water/wastewater utilities, state/local government, or policy advocacy in Texas strongly preferred
• Deep knowledge of Texas water utility, regulatory, and political structures (e.g., TWDB, TCEQ, counties, water districts, and relevant legislative processes) strongly preferred
• Track record of successful advocacy or policy influence related to water infrastructure, rural development, or social justice
• Proven ability to work directly with Colonia residents and other historically underserved communities, building trust and co‑developing solutions
• Strong relationships (or demonstrated ability to build them) with Texas agencies, utilities, funders, and elected officials
• Skilled at convening cross‑sector coalitions and turning partnerships into tangible results
• Experience managing multi‑year, multi‑stakeholder infrastructure projects
• Strong professional and technical competency, with the ability to quickly learn and adapt to new platforms, systems, and processes as needed
• Demonstrated ability to deliver results under pressure and within tight timelines
• Highly organized and skilled at managing complex, multi‑stakeholder projects
• Experience/Willingness to work across various cultural contexts and communicating across cultural differences
• Fluency/strong proficiency in Spanish strongly preferred
• Travel for this role will range from 25% - 40% of the time. Willingness to travel, including but not limited to: Navajo Nation (AZ/NM/UT), West Virginia, Kentucky, Texas, DigDeep HQ, and additional locations as needed required

Compensation and Benefits

At DigDeep, we believe that great work requires a great job. We understand that people thrive with rest and holistic support, which is crucial for our long‑term success. We take pride in offering top‑notch benefits to our team across the United States, prioritizing their health and wellbeing, as well as providing additional support for our employees' families. If you join us, here’s how we’ll support you in your work:

• Competitive wage to commensurate with level of position
• Generous vacation and sick leave
• 23 weeks paid Parental Leave
• Annual Professional Development Stipend
• -Spouse/Children/Family Offering: Employer covers up to $750 of the monthly cost for medical insurance for spouse/children/family; Employer covers 100% of the cost for dental and vision insurance for spouse/children/family
• One Medical membership
• Life insurance, 100% employer paid
• Work laptop
• Monthly cell phone use allowance
• Monthly internet use allowance
• 15 paid holidays (including one week closure for Labor Day)
• Domestic travel
• 401k retirement plan, with employer match

Hiring Process (Please refer to our website for full details of the hiring process.)

In an effort to promote pay equity and transparency, DigDeep does not negotiate compensation outside of posted compensation ranges. DigDeep’s compensation is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to: internal budget analysis, external market value, internal pay alignment, and annual merit increases. A candidate’s compensation history will not be used in determining compensation at DigDeep.

Please note that DigDeep cannot provide immigration sponsorship for this position.

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