Plant Manager - Wastewater

Collier County, FL; Center (NE); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Collier County, FL seeks a Plant Manager to lead a water/wastewater facility, directing operations, safety, and regulatory compliance. The role emphasizes supervisory leadership, budgeting, and coordination with regulators to ensure continuous, compliant service.

The position requires extensive experience, licensure, and the ability to develop SOPs, supervise staff, and maintain high-performance facilities for public health and environmental protection.

Qualifications

• Seven (7) years of related experience; candidates without a degree should possess one additional year of related experience.
• Vocational/technical degree required.
• Must possess and maintain the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Drinking Water Treatment Operator “A” License or Wastewater Treatment Operator “A” License.
• Driver's License with any applicable endorsement(s) to drive a county vehicle.
• Fingerprinting/background screening required.

Responsibilities

• Directs operations of a water or wastewater facility to ensure safe, reliable, efficient, and regulatory-compliant performance.
• Provides leadership, budget administration, maintenance coordination, and safety program oversight.
• Develops and enforces standard operating procedures, training, and safety measures.
• Oversees licensing, training, employee development, and performance management.
• Coordinates with regulatory agencies and outside organizations as necessary.
• Reviews plant performance using SCADA, laboratory data, and process-control results.

Skills

Leadership

Operational management

Regulatory compliance

Safety programs

Budget administration

Education

Vocational/technical degree

Tools

SCADA systems

Job description

Collier County strives to be an employer of choice, and many of our employees build long-term careers with us. The salary listed in the job description reflects the full pay range for this position, from entry level through advanced career stages.

NEW EMPLOYEES ARE HIRED AT, OR NEAR THE ENTRY POINT SHOWN, DEPENDING ON QUALIFICATIONS AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.

Performs highly responsible professional, technical, administrative, and managerial work directing the operations and activities of an assigned water treatment facility or wastewater treatment facility. Ensures the assigned facility operates safely, reliably, efficiently, and in compliance with Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) requirements, applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, permit conditions, County policies, established operating procedures, and industry standards.

Provides leadership and management for treatment plant operations, process control, regulatory compliance, laboratory activities, preventive and corrective maintenance coordination, safety programs, emergency preparedness, employee development, budget administration, inventory control, contractor activities, and facility improvement projects. Evaluates plant performance and treatment processes, establishes operational priorities, develops and implements procedures, and directs corrective actions necessary to maintain treatment quality, regulatory compliance, equipment reliability, and continuity of operations.

Exercises a high degree of independent professional and managerial judgment in administering the assigned treatment facility. Provides technical and operational leadership to plant personnel and develops employees through training, coaching, mentoring, performance management, and professional development.

• Recognizes and fulfills the professional and ethical obligations associated with an FDEP treatment operator license. Ensures licensed duties and treatment operations are performed in accordance with FDEP requirements, applicable federal, state, and local laws and standards, permit conditions, County policies, established operating procedures, and safety requirements. Exercises professional judgment in a manner that protects public health, employee safety, water quality, environmental quality, and the integrity of the County's treatment operations.

• Plans, directs, manages, and evaluates the operations and activities of an assigned water or wastewater treatment facility to ensure safe, reliable, efficient, and regulatory-compliant operations. Establishes facility priorities, coordinates personnel and resources, evaluates operational performance, and provides overall management and technical direction for treatment processes, maintenance activities, laboratory functions, safety programs, regulatory compliance, and facility support activities.

• Supervises, directs, develops, and evaluates assigned employees; coordinates daily work activities; organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; monitors work in progress and completed work; addresses employee concerns and performance matters; provides coaching, counseling, training, and technical expertise; completes employee performance evaluations; and administers personnel responsibilities consistent with County policies and delegated authority.

• Directs and evaluates water or wastewater treatment processes and equipment applicable to the assigned facility, including pumping, chemical treatment and disinfection, filtration, membrane and reverse osmosis systems, biological treatment, aeration, clarification, sludge and solids handling, storage, effluent and reclaimed-water systems, wells, lift stations, odor-control systems, and related treatment equipment. Ensures treatment processes are operated and adjusted as necessary to maintain treatment performance, water or effluent quality, regulatory compliance, equipment reliability, and continuity of operations.

• Evaluates plant performance through SCADA systems, computerized controls, laboratory and process-control results, instrumentation, gauges, meters, alarms, flow conditions, chemical feed rates, equipment performance, treatment loading, and operational trends. Directs appropriate operational adjustments and corrective actions and provides technical direction for complex treatment-process, equipment, mechanical, instrumentation, chemical-feed, and operational problems.

• Directs and evaluates laboratory and process-control activities associated with the assigned facility. Ensures required water or wastewater samples are collected and analyzed in accordance with applicable requirements; reviews laboratory and quality-control results; evaluates treatment trends and compliance data; and directs operational adjustments or additional investigation when results indicate abnormal treatment conditions or potential compliance concerns.

• Ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, FDEP requirements, permit conditions, County policies, established operating procedures, licensing requirements, and safety standards. Reviews operational and regulatory information, identifies actual or potential compliance concerns, initiates corrective actions, and ensures required notifications and documentation are completed when deviations or violations occur.

• Maintains responsibility for the professional and ethical performance of licensed treatment plant operations within the assigned facility. Ensures operational and regulatory records are accurate, complete, and truthful; reinforces the professional and ethical obligations associated with FDEP licensure; and ensures actual or potential regulatory violations, treatment failures, permit exceedances, unsafe conditions, or environmental concerns are appropriately evaluated, documented, reported, and addressed.

• Directs facility safety activities and ensures adherence to established safety procedures and requirements. Monitors workplace conditions and use of required personal protective equipment; ensures appropriate Job Safety Analyses and hazard assessments are completed; supports safety training, inspections, incident investigations, and corrective actions; and takes appropriate action to address unsafe conditions or practices.

• Directs and coordinates preventive and corrective maintenance activities involving treatment equipment, instrumentation, buildings, grounds, and other facility assets. Establishes operational and maintenance priorities; coordinates work orders, equipment shutdowns and start-ups, equipment isolation, contractor activities, and return-to-service requirements; and ensures maintenance activities are coordinated to minimize disruption to treatment operations.

• Consults with Division management and other appropriate officials regarding facility operations, treatment performance, regulatory matters, staffing, maintenance, safety, budget requirements, capital improvements, and significant operational issues. Provides technical information and recommendations and coordinates facility activities with other divisions, engineering personnel, contractors, regulatory agencies, and outside organizations as necessary.

• Develops and implements short- and long-term operational plans, goals, and objectives for the assigned treatment facility; evaluates plant performance, operational efficiency, treatment processes, procedures, staffing, and resource utilization; identifies opportunities to improve safety, reliability, regulatory compliance, treatment performance, and operational efficiency; and implements appropriate improvements.

• Develops, evaluates, updates, and implements standard operating procedures, treatment-process protocols, safety requirements, security procedures, emergency-response plans, disaster-preparedness plans, and other facility programs necessary to support effective and compliant plant operations.

• Develops and administers the assigned facility's operating budget in accordance with County procedures. Evaluates staffing, equipment, chemical, material, maintenance, training, and other operational requirements; develops budget recommendations; monitors expenditures; maintains expenditures within approved parameters; and provides information supporting operating and capital budget development.

• Performs and oversees administrative activities associated with facility operations. Prepares, reviews, approves, or authorizes operational reports, records, purchases, work orders, payroll information, schedules, overtime, specifications, solicitations, procurement documentation, and other administrative materials within delegated authority.

• Ensures compliance with applicable licensing, permitting, monitoring, and regulatory-reporting requirements. Reviews and compiles permit and compliance information; coordinates permit applications and renewals; reviews monthly, quarterly, annual, and other required regulatory reports; ensures timely and accurate submission to appropriate agencies; and coordinates required documentation, notifications, and corrective actions associated with permit exceedances or regulatory violations.

• Coordinates capital improvements, construction projects, facility modifications, and contracted services affecting the assigned treatment facility. Provides operational and technical input during planning and design; reviews proposals and project documents; participates in project and bid meetings as appropriate; coordinates construction activities with engineering personnel and contractors; and ensures continuity of treatment operations during construction, expansion, commissioning, and start-up activities.

• Directs and monitors facility inventory and asset-management activities. Ensures adequate availability of chemicals, equipment, parts, tools, safety materials, laboratory supplies, and other operational resources; reviews anticipated needs; authorizes or initiates purchases and requisitions within delegated authority; assists with specifications and procurement activities; and ensures appropriate inventory and asset records are maintained.

• Develops and supports employee training and professional-development programs. Monitors employee licenses and certifications to ensure required coverage and regulatory compliance; promotes advancement through the Plant Operator classification series; and ensures employees receive appropriate technical, regulatory, safety, equipment, and operational training.

• Provides leadership and technical development to Chief Operators, Plant Operator Ill, Plant Operator 11, Plant Operator I, and Plant Operator Trainee personnel, as applicable. Promotes progressive development of operational knowledge, professional judgment, regulatory awareness, safety practices, leadership capabilities, and the ethical responsibilities associated with licensed treatment plant operations.

• Reviews plant operating logs, SCADA information, laboratory and process-control results, meter and gauge readings, chemical applications, equipment conditions, maintenance information, and other operational data as necessary to evaluate facility performance, regulatory compliance, operational trends, and resource requirements.

• Responds to complaints, questions, and concerns regarding facility operations or related matters; researches operational issues, coordinates appropriate follow-up, and initiates or directs problem resolution within assigned authority.

• Performs public-information and community-outreach functions related to the assigned treatment facility. Provides information regarding treatment operations, regulatory compliance, environmental protection, and public health; coordinates facility tours; and participates in meetings, educational activities, or other public-engagement functions as assigned.

• Serves as the primary management-level operational contact for the assigned facility and maintains availability consistent with the requirements of a continuous-operation treatment facility. Responds to significant treatment-process upsets, equipment failures, regulatory concerns, spills, severe weather events, power interruptions, emergencies, and other conditions requiring management-level direction or decision-making.

• Follows and ensures compliance with established safety and emergency-response requirements. Directs and coordinates facility response to alarms, treatment-process upsets, equipment failures, chemical incidents, spills, severe weather events, power interruptions, treatment failures, and other abnormal or emergency conditions. Evaluates the effect of the condition on public health, environmental protection, treatment performance, regulatory compliance, personnel safety, and continuity of operations and directs appropriate corrective actions within assigned authority.

• Recognizes when an operational, regulatory, engineering, environmental, safety, personnel, financial, legal, or emergency condition exceeds the Plant Manager's delegated authority or technical scope and promptly coordinates with or seeks assistance from Division or Department management, engineering, maintenance, regulatory agencies, emergency-management personnel, legal or risk-management personnel, or other appropriate specialized resources.

• Exercises supervisory and management responsibility for assigned employees of the water or wastewater treatment facility. Responsibilities include employee development, coaching, training, work coordination, performance management, staffing, scheduling, accountability, adherence to policies and procedures, and other personnel responsibilities consistent with County policies and delegated authority.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

• Performs other related duties as required.

• The Plant Manager may be required to respond outside normal working hours, including nights, weekends, holidays, and emergency conditions, to provide management direction and support for the continuous operation of the assigned treatment facility.

• Vocational/technical degree required.

• Seven (7) years of related experience.

• Candidates without a degree should possess one (1) additional year of related experience.

• Fingerprinting/background screening required.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATES

• Must possess and maintain the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Drinking Water Treatment Operator "A" License or Wastewater Treatment Operator "A" License required for the assigned facility and position, as applicable.

• Driver's License with any applicable endorsement(s) to drive a county vehicle as provided in CMA 5805.

• Maintains all required professional licenses and certifications in good standing and complies with applicable continuing-education and renewal requirements.