Executive Director

American Water Works Association; Bartow (FL); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance allowance

Vehicle allowance and expenses

Paid time off

Florida Retirement System membership

Health, dental, vision, life and short

Disability coverage

Employer deferred-compensation

Leave

Job summary

Polk Regional Water Cooperative seeks an Executive Director to lead the transition from a contracted entity to a fully operating regional water utility. The role oversees the capital program, budgets, rates, and regulatory affairs while building staff and coordinating with sixteen member governments and state/federal agencies.

The Executive Director will report to a Board of Directors, manage regional travel and evening meetings, and drive financing and staffing for a major water infrastructure

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in public administration, engineering, environmental science, business or finance, or PE licensure in Florida.
• Ten years of management experience in water resource management or public water supply, including five years in administration of a utility.
• Valid driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Lead the transition from a contracted organization to a full-time Cooperative employee.
• Oversee delivery of the capital program on schedule and within budget.
• Manage financing, budgets, rates, and cost allocation among Member Governments.
• Oversee permitting and regulatory affairs.
• Build the Cooperative's staff and relationships with Member Governments and agencies.

Skills

Management experience

Public administration

Water resource management

Driver's license

Education

Bachelor's degree in public administration, engineering, environmental science, business or finance

Professional Engineer licensure (Florida)

Job description

POLK REGIONAL WATER COOPERATIVE - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Cooperative. An independent special district created by Polk County and fifteen Polk County municipalities to develop and deliver a regional public water supply. It is building a capital program of approximately $800 million: the Southeast Wellfield Project is in construction and begins delivering water in 2029, and the West Polk Wellfield Project is in design for the early 2030s. It is governed by a Board of Directors made up of an elected official from each of its sixteen Member Governments, and is now moving from a small, contracted organization into a fully operating regional water utility. The Executive Director will lead that transition.

The position. Chief executive officer, appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Board. Responsible for delivery of the capital program on schedule and within budget; for financing, budgets, rates and cost allocation among Member Governments; for permitting and regulatory affairs; for building the Cooperative's staff; and for its relationships with the Member Governments, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and state and federal agencies. Office in Polk County; regular regional travel and evening meetings.

Compensation and structure.

$170,000 to $210,000.

The position is engaged by contract for the first year and converts to a full-time Cooperative employee position at the beginning of the second year. In Year One the Cooperative pays the contract amount, a monthly allowance in lieu of insurance, a vehicle allowance and expenses, and paid time off, each stated separately in the agreement; there is no Florida Retirement System participation. Beginning in Year Two the Executive Director is a Cooperative employee with an annual salary at the same base rate, Florida Retirement System membership in the Senior Management Service Class, health, dental, vision, life and disability coverage, an employer deferred-compensation contribution, and leave under the Cooperative's personnel policies. The conversion date and the Year Two terms are written into the Year One agreement.

• a monthly allowance in lieu of insurance
• a vehicle allowance and expenses
• paid time off
• Florida Retirement System membership in the Senior Management Service Class
• health, dental, vision, life and disability coverage
• an employer deferred-compensation contribution
• leave

Minimum qualifications.

Bachelor's degree in public administration, engineering, environmental science, business or finance, or licensure as a Professional Engineer in the State of Florida. Ten years of management experience in water resource management or public water supply, including five years in the administration of a utility system, department or agency. Valid driver's license.

Preferred.

Master's degree; experience reporting to a governing board; experience delivering a capital program of comparable scale; experience with state and federal infrastructure loans and grants; familiarity with Florida water supply planning and Southwest Florida Water Management District programs.

Selection process.

A Selection Committee of three Member Government managers will review applications and interview candidates at public meetings, and will recommend three finalists in ranked order to the Board. The Board makes the appointment on January 20, 2027; the anticipated start date is February 1, 2027.

NOTICE --- FLORIDA PUBLIC RECORDS AND OPEN MEETINGS.

Everything you submit is a public record when the Cooperative receives it and must be released to anyone who asks. The Cooperative cannot provide any assurance of confidentiality. The application file is public, and all meetings and interviews are open to the public.