GENERAL MANAGER

EARLIMART PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT

California

On-site

USD 75,000 - 125,000

Full time

4 days ago

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Job summary

The General Manager at Earlimart Public Utility District serves as the chief executive officer, guiding water and sewer operations, financial management, and regulatory compliance for a small public utility district. This role reports to the Board of Directors and requires hands-on executive leadership and strategic direction, with collaboration from engineers and operators.

Responsibilities include overseeing operations, capital planning, asset management, personnel management, and community

Qualifications

Seven (7) years of progressively responsible management or supervisory experience in water, wastewater/public works.
Bachelor's degree in public administration, business, civil/environmental engineering, water resources, or related field.
Experience managing both water and wastewater utilities and working with a Board.

Responsibilities

Lead district administration, policy implementation, and Board reporting.
Oversee water and sewer operations, budgeting, and regulatory compliance.
Develop capital plans and asset management; manage personnel.
Engage with regulators, communities, and neighboring agencies.

Skills

Management experience

Financial management

Budgeting

Rate setting

Personnel management

Contracting

Procurement

Capital planning

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

GENERAL MANAGER

Public Utility Water District

Position General Manager

Reports To Board of Directors

Status Full-Time, Exempt Management

Salary Range $75,000–$125,000annually

Utility Scope Water and sewer/wastewater services

System Size Approximately 1,800 water connections

1. JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Summary

The General Manager serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the District and is responsible for the overall administration, operation, maintenance, financial management, regulatory compliance, capital planning, personnel management, and long-term sustainability of the District's water and sewer/wastewater utility systems. The General Manager works under the direction of the Board of Directors and implements Board policies while providing hands‑on executive leadership appropriate for a small public utility district.

Operating Model: Collaborative Technical and Operational Management

The General Manager will oversee the District's water and sewer utility programs through a collaborative management model. Water and sewer operations will be performed jointly with District engineers and qualified Water and Sewer Operator(s). The General Manager will provide administrative leadership, coordination, budgeting, regulatory oversight, project management, Board communication, and strategic direction, while engineers and operators provide specialized technical recommendations, operational execution, system assessment, and field expertise.

Water Utility Operations

Oversee and coordinate water production, treatment, storage, distribution, metering, wells, pumps, valves, and related facilities in collaboration with District engineers and Water and Sewer Operator(s), with technical and field responsibilities assigned according to qualifications and applicable requirements.
Ensure, in coordination with District engineers and Water and Sewer Operator(s), reliable delivery of safe drinking water to approximately 1,800 customer connections.
Monitor water quality, production, pressure, storage, water loss, system capacity, and infrastructure condition.
Develop preventive‑maintenance, asset‑management, reliability, conservation, and emergency‑response programs.
Oversee water‑system inspections, repairs, service connections, meter programs, and operational improvements.
Coordinate emergency response with District engineers and Water and Sewer Operator(s) for water‑main breaks, equipment failures, power outages, contamination events, drought conditions, and natural disasters.

Sewer and Wastewater Utility Operations

Oversee and coordinate the District's sewer collection and wastewater utility operations in collaboration with District engineers and Water and Sewer Operator(s), including collection pipelines, manholes, lift stations, pumps, controls, treatment facilities, discharge facilities, and related assets.
Ensure reliable collection, conveyance, treatment, and lawful disposal or discharge of wastewater.
Establish and oversee preventive‑maintenance and asset‑management programs with District engineers and Water and Sewer Operator(s) for sewer mains, lift stations, pumps, treatment equipment, and related infrastructure.
Monitor sewer system capacity, infiltration and inflow, sanitary sewer overflows, lift‑station performance, equipment condition, and system reliability in coordination with District engineers and Water and Sewer Operator(s).
Oversee wastewater treatment operations and ensure compliance with applicable permits, monitoring requirements, reporting requirements, and environmental regulations.
Coordinate emergency response to sewer blockages, lift‑station failures, sanitary sewer overflows, treatment failures, power outages, and other wastewater emergencies.
Develop and implement programs to reduce sewer system failures, infiltration/inflow, unauthorized discharges, and operational risks.
Coordinate sewer inspection, cleaning, rehabilitation, repair, replacement, and capital‑improvement programs with District engineers and Water and Sewer Operator(s).

Board and District Administration

Serve as chief administrative officer and implement Board policies, resolutions, ordinances, and directives.
Prepare Board agendas, staff reports, resolutions, contracts, policies, budgets, rate recommendations, and capital‑project recommendations.
Attend regular and special Board meetings and provide timely, accurate information regarding water and sewer operations, finances, risks, compliance, and future needs.
Maintain effective relationships with Board members, employees, customers, consultants, contractors, regulators, and neighboring public agencies.
Ensure compliance with applicable public‑agency laws, including Brown Act, Public Records Act, contracting, purchasing, ethics, and conflict‑of‑interest requirements.

Regulatory and Environmental Compliance

Maintain compliance with applicable California drinking‑water, wastewater, environmental, public‑health, and utility regulations.
Coordinate with the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, Division of Financial Assistance, Division of Water Quality, Regional Water Quality Control Board, County of Tulare, and other applicable agencies.
Ensure required water‑quality and wastewater monitoring, sampling, reporting, recordkeeping, permits, notifications, and compliance activities are completed accurately and on time.
Monitor changes in water and wastewater regulations and advise the Board regarding operational, capital, staffing, and financial impacts.
Coordinate inspections, permit renewals, compliance activities, corrective actions, and regulatory correspondence.

Financial Management and Utility Rates

Prepare and recommend annual operating and capital budgets for both water and sewer utilities.
Monitor revenues, expenditures, reserves, cash flow, debt, and financial performance.
Work with the District accountant, auditor, financial advisors, rate consultants, engineers, and legal counsel.
Recommend financially sustainable water and sewer rates, connection fees, capacity charges, service charges, and other revenues.
Develop and maintain appropriate operating, capital, emergency, and replacement reserves.
Monitor purchasing, contracts, accounts receivable, collections, and expenditures.

Capital Improvement and Asset Management

Develop and maintain a long‑range water and sewer capital improvement program.
Evaluate the condition, capacity, replacement needs, and risks associated with wells, treatment systems, storage, water mains, sewer mains, lift stations, treatment facilities, meters, vehicles, buildings, and other assets.
Prioritize projects based on public health, environmental protection, regulatory requirements, reliability, risk, capacity, cost, and available funding.
Coordinate and manage engineers, consultants, contractors, construction projects, inspections, and project closeout, while relying on appropriate technical professionals for engineering and field recommendations.
Pursue state and federal grants, low‑interest loans, and other infrastructure funding opportunities.

Personnel and Organizational Management

Recruit, hire, supervise, evaluate, train, and discipline employees consistent with District policy and applicable law.
Ensure adequate staffing, training, certifications, succession planning, cross‑training, and emergency coverage for both water and sewer operations.
Administer personnel policies, compensation, benefits, leave, safety, and professional‑development programs.
Maintain a professional, accountable, respectful, and safety‑focused workplace.

Customer and Community Relations

Provide responsive and professional customer service concerning water, sewer, billing, service connections, outages, and utility emergencies.
Communicate clearly with customers regarding water quality, conservation, sewer service, rates, projects, outages, and regulatory matters.
Represent the District at community meetings, regional water and wastewater forums, interagency meetings, and professional organizations.
Maintain productive relationships with neighboring cities, water agencies, special districts, County agencies, emergency responders, and community organizations.

Water Resources and Long‑Term Utility Planning

Monitor current and long‑term water‑supply reliability and system capacity.
Evaluate groundwater conditions, production capacity, water quality, conservation requirements, and supplemental supply opportunities.
Plan for future water and sewer capacity needs associated with growth, development, regulatory requirements, and changing customer demands.
Coordinate appropriate regional groundwater, water‑resource, wastewater, and infrastructure planning efforts.

Minimum Qualifications

Seven (7) years of progressively responsible management or supervisory experience in water, wastewater/sewer, public works, municipal government, special‑district administration, public utility management, infrastructure management, or a closely related field.

Desired Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in public administration, business administration, civil/environmental engineering, water resources, wastewater management, public works administration, or a related field. A combination of education, training, and progressively responsible experience may be considered in lieu of the degree.
Experience managing both water and wastewater/sewer utilities.
California public water and wastewater utility management experience.
Experience with drinking‑water and wastewater regulatory compliance.
California water or wastewater certifications appropriate to District operations.
Experience with utility rate studies and Proposition 218 processes.
Experience with capital improvement programs, grants, financing, and infrastructure replacement planning.
Groundwater, water‑supply, wastewater, or regional utility planning experience.
Experience working directly with an elected or appointed Board.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of water production, treatment, distribution, sewer collection, lift stations, wastewater treatment, and utility maintenance.
Knowledge of California drinking‑water, wastewater, environmental, and public‑agency requirements.
Strong financial, budgeting, rate‑setting, personnel, contracting, procurement, and capital‑planning skills.
Ability to explain technical, financial, regulatory, and operational matters clearly to the Board and public.
Ability to make sound decisions during water and sewer emergencies.
Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, problem‑solving, and organizational skills.

Working Conditions

The General Manager normally works regular business hours but must be available for significant water or sewer emergencies, including water‑quality events, main breaks, sanitary sewer overflows, lift‑station failures, treatment failures, power outages, flooding, and other events affecting public health, environmental protection, utility service, or District operations. The position will require evening Board meetings, community meetings, facility inspections, construction‑site visits, and emergency response outside normal working hours.

Performance Evaluation

The Board of Directors will conduct a formal performance evaluation at least annually. Evaluation criteria should include water and sewer system reliability, regulatory compliance, financial performance, capital‑project delivery, customer service, personnel management, emergency preparedness, Board communication, asset management,and achievement of Board‑established goals.

2. SALARY SCHEDULE

Step Monthly Salary Annual Salary