Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department Director

Pima County; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 146,000 - 219,000; Full time

Job summary

Pima County seeks a Director for the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department to lead over 400 employees, shape strategic goals, and direct operations across the region. The role oversees budgets, capital projects, and long-range planning to ensure safe, sustainable water treatment and resource recovery.

The Director collaborates with federal, state, and local agencies, steers regulatory compliance, and guides organizational culture toward accountability, respect, and ethics.

Qualifications

• Must have a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Ten years of progressively responsible experience in wastewater, utility, or public works operations.
• At least five years directing major organizational functions and supervising management staff.

Responsibilities

• Establishes and implements strategic goals, priorities, and performance measures for the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department.
• Develops long-term infrastructure plans and directs wastewater treatment operations.
• Ensures compliance with EPA, Arizona health and environmental agencies.
• Leads capital improvement projects, planning, construction oversight, inspection and maintenance of facilities.
• Oversees asset management and lifecycle planning for facilities and conveyance systems.
• Advises the Board and County Administrator on operations and regulations.
• Cultivates relationships with federal, state, and local agencies and stakeholders.
• Serves as spokesperson for wastewater matters before public bodies and regulators.
• Manages department budget, revenue forecasting, rates/fees, and long-range financing.
• Provides executive leadership and workforce development for department staff.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Science, Public Administration, Business Administration, or closely related field

Job description

Job Description Summary Department - Regional Wastewater Reclamation Job Description Job Type: Unclassified Job Classification: 1037 - Director Regional Wastewater Reclamation Salary Grade: 21 Pay Range Hiring Range: $146,286 - $201,115 Annually Pay Range: $146,286 - $219,398 Annually Range Explanation: Hiring Range is an estimate of where you can receive an offer. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, training, and internal equity. Pay Range is the entire compensation range for the position. Join us in shaping the future of Pima County as the Director of the Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department (RWRD). Our mission is to protect public health and safety and the environment by providing quality service, excellent environmental stewardship, and developing renewable resources. RWRD has established a reputation of excellence through providing outstanding customer service; investing in employees; continuously improving processes; and enhancing financial stability. As Director, you will lead RWRD’s executive leadership team to ensure alignment of the County’s public utility goals and vision with our Strategic Plan. You will guide the department’s over 400 employees to achieve our vision of being an industry leader in the management and sustainability of the water reclamation cycle and other renewable resources. With an annual operations and maintenance budget of over $100 million, an annual capital budget of over $50 million, numerous regulatory compliance permits, and a strong culture towards safety, customer service, and sustainability, the department operates and maintains systems and facilities that convey, treat, and reclaim over 62 million gallons of wastewater per day. We are responsible for the design, construction, management, operation, and maintenance of nearly 3,600 miles of the region’s sanitary sewer (conveyance) system, 22 pump stations, 26 odor control sites, 37 flow monitoring sites, as well as two metropolitan and six sub-regional water reclamation facilities. RWRD has won many accolades and awards for our innovation, research, and are recognized for our expertise by our peers, sister utilities, and from various professional organizations, and under your leadership we can achieve even more. At Pima County, we are committed to cultivating a workplace culture rooted in our values of being Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical (A.R.E.). We seek individuals who consistently demonstrate these values through their actions, decisions, and interactions with employees, stakeholders, and the community. Every employee plays an important role in upholding our values and fostering an environment of trust, professionalism, and excellence in public service. Together, we bring these values to life. We A.R.E. Pima County!

Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see resume" on your application.

Essential Functions:

• Under the administrative direction of the County Administrator or designee, establishes and implements strategic goals, priorities, and performance measures for the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department
• Develops and implements long-term infrastructure plans, directing wastewater treatment operations for Pima County and the City of Tucson aligned with regional water resource sustainability goals
• Responsible for technical compliance, in accordance with the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Arizona Department of Health Services and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and other relevant agencies
• Directs capital improvement projects and provides for planning, construction oversight, inspection and maintenance of sanitary sewers, treatment plants and associated operations
• Directs comprehensive asset management and lifecycle planning programs for wastewater facilities, treatment plants, conveyance systems and associated infrastructure
• Advises the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator or designee on wastewater operations, investments and regulations
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with federal, state, regional, and local agencies; tribal governments; partner jurisdictions; business stakeholders; and community organizations
• Serves as principal spokesperson and representative for wastewater utility matters before public bodies, stakeholder groups, and regulatory agencies
• Responsible for the financial administration of the department's enterprise operations, including budget administration, financial planning, rate and fee analysis, revenue forecasting, and long-range capital finance strategies
• Provides executive leadership and workforce development for department personnel, including staffing, performance management, employee engagement, and departmental culture initiatives

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Science, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a closely related field AND ten years of progressively responsible experience in wastewater, utility, environmental, engineering, or public works operations, INCLUDING at least five years directing major organizational functions and supervising management-level staff.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Engineering, Public Administration, Business Administration, Environmental Management, or related field, and registration as a Professional Engineer (PE).
• Minimum ten (10) years experience managing a private or public utility or serving in a leadership role with responsibility for a large manufacturing, industrial, or construction operation.
• Minimum seven (7) years experience developing multimillion-dollar operations and overseeing maintenance budgets.
• Minimum seven (7) years experience supervising technical staff, including resolving technical and operational problems and promoting a collaborative and efficient work environment.
• Minimum five (5) years experience in a position with responsible charge for regulatory compliance (SDWA, CWA, AZDEQ, EPA).

Selection Procedure:

Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidate from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.

Supplemental Information:

Licenses and Certificates: Some positions require a valid Arizona Class D driver license at the time of application or appointment. Failure to obtain / maintain the required licensure shall be grounds for termination.

Special Notice Items: The County requires pre-employment background checks. Successful candidates will receive a post-offer, pre-employment background screening to include verification of work history, education, and criminal conviction history. A prior criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment with the County. Pima County determines whether a position is eligible for visa sponsorship at the time of recruitment. Eligibility is based on the requirements of the position and applicable laws and regulations. Not all positions with Pima County are eligible for visa sponsorship.

Physical/Sensory Requirements:

Specific vision abilities, including close vision, distance vision, and depth perception. Hearing sufficient to perform job duties in moderate to loud environments. Ability to sit for extended periods of time, when necessary. Action Activity - reaching; Motion Activity - fine movement; Hearing Activity - behind themselves; Speaking Activity - in person, on the phone, on a radio, on a cell; Vision - operate a motor vehicle, distinguish colors, have depth perception and have peripheral vision.

Working Conditions:

Work primarily in office settings and outdoor environments, including exposure to extreme weather, confined spaces, and hazardous materials. Ability to respond to emergency situations outside normal working hours, including evenings and weekends. Travel within and outside city boundaries for meetings, training, and site visits.

EEO Information:

Pima County Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, kinship, political interest, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Benefits That Support You:

We offer a comprehensive benefits package and resources designed to support you and your family today and into the future. Explore Pima County Benefits Keep Growing Your career shouldn’t stand still. And everything we do is grounded in being Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical.

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