Managing Director

American Water Works Association; Chandler (AZ); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Arizona Water Association is seeking a Managing Director to serve as the senior operational leader, translating strategy into coordinated action while preserving volunteer engagement. The role sits at the center of a collaborative environment with a Board, councils, volunteers, contractors, and vendors across Arizona.

Salary range is $105,000-$125,000 annually, with a hybrid Arizona-based work arrangement. Periodic travel and evenings/weekends for meetings/annual conference are expected.

Qualifications

• Five+ years of progressively responsible experience in organizational operations, association or nonprofit management, program leadership, or administration.
• Experience managing complex projects, budgets, contractors or vendors, and multiple stakeholder groups.
• A bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Translate Board-approved priorities into an integrated operating plan with visible progress, risks, and decisions.
• Oversee day-to-day operations, budgeting support, and vendor/contract administration within approved authority.
• Establish clear operating expectations and accountability across contractor- and vendor-supported services.
• Coordinate with councils, committees, volunteers, and operational partners to ensure clarity of responsibilities and timelines.
• Provide senior operational oversight for the Annual Conference and major initiatives.
• Strengthen systems, documentation, technology coordination, compliance practices, and organizational continuity.

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in relevant field

Job description

Revolutionary HR Consulting is conducting a nationwide search on behalf of the Arizona Water Association for a Managing Director to serve as the Association’s senior operational leader.

Help shape the next chapter of one of Arizona's leading water professional associations.

The Arizona Water Association has built something significant.

Through deeply committed volunteer leadership, an active professional community, and a network of specialized contractors and partners, AZ Water has grown its reach, programming, and influence across Arizona's water and wastewater profession. Today, the Association serves approximately 2,700 professionals, works through five councils and 30 committees, and is affiliated with both the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation. Now, AZ Water is taking an intentional next step in its evolution.

As the Association has grown, so has the complexity of coordinating its programs, events, contractors, committees, volunteers, finances, systems, and organizational priorities. As part of the next evolution of its operating model, AZ Water is establishing its first employee position to provide the operational continuity, accountability, and coordination needed for its next stage of growth, while preserving the volunteer engagement, professional relationships, and flexibility that have long been central to the organization.

This is an opportunity for an experienced operations leader who enjoys turning strategy into execution, bringing order to complexity, building strong working relationships, and creating systems that help people do their best work. It is also an opportunity to contribute to work that matters well beyond the organization itself. Arizona's water future affects communities, businesses, public agencies, and quality of life across the state, and AZ Water plays an important role in supporting the professionals and organizations doing that work. For the right person, this is a chance to help strengthen an organization whose mission and impact are something to be proud of.

The Opportunity

The Managing Director will serve as AZ Water’s senior operational employee and primary day-to-day operating leader. Working within Board-approved strategy, policy, budgets, contracts, and delegated authority, the Managing Director will translate organizational priorities into coordinated action and results.

The role will sit at the center of a highly collaborative operating environment that includes an engaged Board of Directors, councils, committees, volunteers, contractors, vendors, professional partners, and members throughout Arizona. The successful candidate will have meaningful responsibility for keeping that ecosystem connected, informed, accountable, and moving forward, while working in close partnership with the Board and volunteer leaders who remain central to AZ Water’s direction, culture, and success.

In many ways, this is both a leadership role and a builder's role: strengthen what is already working, introduce structure where it will add value, and help AZ Water develop the operating practices and organizational capacity needed for continued growth. The role offers the unusual combination of established organizational strength and genuine opportunity to shape how the Association operates going forward.

For someone who enjoys connecting people, priorities, systems, and execution, and who finds energy in helping a successful organization become even more sustainable, this is a compelling opportunity.

What You'll Lead

• Translate Board-approved priorities, strategic objectives, and annual plans into coordinated operational work, with clear visibility into progress, risks, dependencies, and decisions needed.
• Oversee day-to-day operations and administrative coordination; support budgeting, financial monitoring, and reporting in partnership with the Treasurer and accounting professionals; and administer contracts, procurement, and vendor relationships within approved authority.
• Establish clear operating expectations and accountability across AZ Water's contractor- and vendor-supported service model.
• Coordinate effectively with councils, committees, committee chairs, volunteers, and other operational partners so responsibilities, handoffs, and timelines are clear.
• Support high-quality member services, professional development, programs, conferences, networking activities, and other events.
• Provide senior operational oversight for the Annual Conference and other major initiatives while working through the Association's established coordinators, contractors, vendors, and volunteer leaders.
• Strengthen the systems, documentation, technology coordination, compliance practices, risk awareness, and organizational continuity that support AZ Water's work.

Early Priorities

The Managing Director will join AZ Water at an important moment in the Association’s evolution. Early focus will include building strong relationships across the Association; developing a clear understanding of existing operations, governance expectations, contractor relationships, and organizational commitments; translating Board priorities into an integrated operating plan and visible reporting rhythm; strengthening ownership, coordination, handoffs, and escalation pathways across major workstreams; and identifying practical improvements to organizational systems and processes.

A particularly important near-term priority will be supporting final operational readiness and coordination for AZ Water's 100th Annual Conference in April 2027. Working alongside the Conference Coordinator, planning committee, contractors, vendors, and volunteer leadership, the successful candidate will help maintain visibility into key milestones, responsibilities, outstanding decisions, and operational needs leading into the event, while supporting effective execution and follow-through.

Over the first several months, the role will also help strengthen the Association's operating foundation through clearer organizational calendars and work tracking, budget and financial monitoring in coordination with the Treasurer and accounting professionals, contract and vendor administration, contractor performance management, member and program delivery, technology priorities, documentation, and organizational continuity.

Who We're Looking For

The strongest candidate will combine operational discipline with relationship-centered leadership. This person should be comfortable moving between strategic conversations with a Board and the practical details required to get work executed; able to lead through influence in a volunteer-driven and contractor-supported environment; and capable of bringing clarity and accountability without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

Candidates should bring at least five years of progressively responsible experience in organizational operations, association or nonprofit management, program leadership, administration, or a comparable field, with experience managing complex projects, budgets, contractors or vendors, and multiple stakeholder groups. Experience developing recommendations and presenting to a Board, governing body, executive team, or comparable senior leadership audience is particularly important. A bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

Experience with membership associations, nonprofit Boards, conferences and member programs, technically oriented professional organizations, or the water/utility sector is highly valued but not required. CAE, PMP, or a comparable professional credential is also preferred.

Position Information

This is a full-time, exempt, hybrid Arizona-based position, reporting to the Board of Directors through the President as the primary supervisory liaison. Work will be performed remotely and in person at Association meetings, offices, event locations, and other sites as required. Periodic travel throughout Arizona is expected, along with occasional evening and weekend work associated with Board meetings, the Annual Conference, and other Association programs and events.

Salary range: $105,000-$125,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience. Additional benefit details will be provided during the selection process.

Revolutionary HR Consulting is managing this nationwide search on behalf of the Arizona Water Association.