Water Resources Assistant Director

North Carolina Waterworks Operators Association; Asheville (NC); On-site; USD 92,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Asheville is seeking a Water Resources Assistant Director to provide executive leadership over municipal water services and major infrastructure initiatives. This exempt, full-time role manages staff, budgets, and policy development to ensure sustainable water systems and public service excellence.

Highlights include directing division activities, collaborating with city leaders, and guiding long-term strategies for community water and wastewater needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, or related field.
• Ten years of progressively responsible water treatment and distribution operations management.
• Valid NC driver’s license and valid NC Class A Water Treatment or Water Distribution license.

Responsibilities

• Directs, oversees and evaluates staff; plans, directs, and reviews work and performance.
• Leads division budgeting, policy development, and long-term strategic planning.
• Represents the department in meetings and makes operational, budgetary and personnel decisions.
• Develops, implements and updates procedures, reports, and documentation.
• Coordinates with City administrators and external agencies to meet water infrastructure goals.
• Ensures compliance with city policies and safety regulations.

Skills

Leadership

Staff supervision

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Environmental Science

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Salary – $91,788.93 – $137,682.67 Annually

Location – Asheville, NC

Job Type – Full Time

Job Number – 2026-01960

Department – Water Resources

Division – Water

Opening Date – 09/15/2026

Closing Date – 10/16/2026 5:00 PM Eastern

About our opportunity:

The City of Asheville is actively recruiting a Water Resources Assistant Director to provide executive leadership over municipal water services and major infrastructure initiatives. If you are passionate about environmental sustainability, operational excellence, and public service, take the next step in your management career and apply today!
Weekly Schedule: 8:30 to 5:00 with occasional extended work hours.
Exempt 37.5 hour per week.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.
Directs, oversees, and evaluates assigned staff: plans, directs, and reviews work of individuals and assigned divisions; processes employee concerns and problems and counsels as appropriate; recommends discipline, disciplinary actions, or discharge; completes employee performance appraisals and salary increases; participates in interviews and makes hiring recommendations; acts as a liaison between employees and City administrators; and trains staff in operations, policies, and procedures.

Manages assigned division activities through subordinate supervisors and staff: organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; prioritizes and schedules work activities in order to meet objectives; oversees employee work schedules to ensure adequate coverage and control; ensures that subordinates have the proper resources needed to complete the assigned work; monitors status of work in progress and inspects completed work; consults with assigned staff to assist with complex/problem situations and provide technical expertise; provides progress and activity reports to Director, Water Resources, Assistant City Managers, City Manager, and City Council; and updates and maintains department standard operating procedure manuals.

Assists in the development and implementation of long- and short-term plans, goals, and objectives for department and develops and implements the same for assigned divisions: researches, assesses and develops strategies to meet current and future community water and wastewater needs; and assists in implementing needed changes, modifications and/or enhancements.

Assists in the development, implementation and updating of policies and procedures for department and develops and implements the same for assigned divisions: formulates and develops work methods and practices, policies, standard operating procedures, and training programs; monitors implementation of rules and regulations; and updates policies and procedures as required.

Assists in the development and implementation of the department budget and develops and implements the same for assigned divisions, including operating, maintenance, and capital improvements: coordinates with division staff members regarding division budgets; researches and submits local, state, and federal, grant applications for water infrastructure improvement projects; monitors expenditures and revenues to ensure compliance with approved budget; and maintains related documentation.

Performs related duties in support of department operations: receives and investigates complaints, requests, or inquiries from the public; participates in policy development; assists in troubleshooting and resolving maintenance issues; prepares special and periodic operating and technical reports and studies; and delivers presentations to various groups regarding department programs and services.

Serves as Director in absence of the same: attends agenda various meetings, such as preparation, City Council, staff, and other meetings; represents the department at meetings and events; and makes operational, budgetary, and personnel determinations and decisions.

Communicates with City administrators and elected officials, supervisor, subordinates, other City employees, contractors, the public, outside agencies and organizations, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.

Processes a variety of documentation associated with department/division operations, within designated timeframes and per established procedures: receives, reviews, prepares, completes, processes, forwards or retains as appropriate various forms, reports, correspondence, operating reports, budget reports, timesheets, pay applications, leave requests, contracts, performance appraisals, standard operating procedures, presentations and other documentation; compiles data for further processing or for use in preparation of department reports; and maintains computerized and/or hardcopy records.

Operates a personal computer to enter, retrieve, review, or modify data, utilizing word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, Internet, e-mail, or other software; and operates general office or other equipment as necessary to complete essential functions.

Additional Functions:
Performs other related duties as required.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, or a related field required; supplemented by ten years of progressively responsible experience in managing water treatment and distribution operations, to include lead or supervisory experience.; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Specific License or Certification Required: Must possess and maintain a valid North Carolina driver’s license. Must possess and maintain a valid North Carolina Class A Water Treatment or Water Distribution license.

Specific Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities: Must be able to demonstrate proficiency in performance of the essential functions and learn, comprehend, and apply all City or departmental policies, practices, and procedures necessary to function effectively in the position.

Performance Aptitudes:

Data Utilization: Requires the ability to coordinate, manage, and/or correlate data. Includes exercising judgment in determining time, place and/or sequence of operations, referencing data analyses to determine necessity for revision of organizational components, and in the formulation of operational strategy.

Human Interaction: Requires the ability to function in a managerial capacity for a division or organizational unit; includes the ability to make decisions on procedural and technical levels.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization:Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, advisory and/or design data and information.

Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may include ability to compute discount, interest, and ratios; may include ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.

Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive, and leadership, and to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to resolve problems.

Situational Reasoning:Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.

ADA Compliance:

Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or workstation.

Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate sounds and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors: Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

The City of Asheville is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

Some positions may require a fingerprint-based SBI background check after a conditional offer and before your start date; HR will provide instructions if applicable.

For benefits-eligible positions, explore our full benefits at AshevilleBenefits.com.
About us:

The City of Asheville is dedicated to providing quality service for the residents and visitors of our beautiful city, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. Asheville, NC is a thriving mountain city that has a culture enriched by its diversity.

The City’s policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment. Applicants will be assured of fair treatment in all aspects of recruitment and selection without regard to a person’s age, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, genetic information,or disability, except where certain physical and mental requirements are Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications (BFOQ). The City of Asheville is proud to be a second chance employer.

The City of Asheville is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.