Associate Director, Utilities and Waste Treatment Operations

Job Description

The Associate Director of Utilities and Waste-Water Treatment is accountable for safe, compliant, reliable, and cost-effective operation of the Elkton Utilities generation/distribution, Waste-Water Treatment Plant operations, and the Stormwater Management System.  These facilities are accountable for providing the Elkton campus 24 hours per day, 365 days per year operation’s capability. The Associate Director typically manages through subordinate managers and professionals in groups of larger complexity and provides input to strategic decisions that affect the functional area of duty. 

Responsibilities include: 

• Monitor and ensure safety/environmental/quality compliance, system operational reliability, coordination of maintenance, system efficiency/cost performance, and process optimization.

• Manage operational budget for two cost centers.

• Manage two operational teams which each include first line operations managers and union operations personnel.

• Develop and train of the skills and capabilities of the operational managers and operational team.  Establish and maintain operator qualification training programs and annual process specific training.

• Use technical knowledge and partnership skills to promote departmental goals in assuring the compliant, reliable, and cost-efficient operation of a variety of systems within Utilities, Stormwater, and Waste-Water Treatment operations.

• Partner with technical support team in managing, troubleshooting, and improving the Utility operations and the biological and chemical wastewater treatment and solids handling processes as well as site sanitary treatment system.   

• Partner with technical team to establish operational performance measurements, monitoring and analytical systems/tools to drive accountability and achieve high levels of performance.   

• Manage and implement operational adjustments and changes, gaining operator buy-in and adherence. 

• Owns/operates/maintains Utilities and Waste-Water Treatment operations in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.

• Provides 24/7 on call support for Utilities and Waste-Water Treatment operations and provides effective emergency or crisis response.

• accountable for active involvement in employee relations and the resolution of labor relations issues which require tact, diplomacy and independent judgment.

• Partner with technical team to develop and manage operational procedures concerning normal operations, startup/shutdown, spill, upset condition, and emergency reply, as well as alarm management.

• accountable for Talent Development of their direct and extended team.

• Provide environment for effective Tier communication with technical support and maintenance organizations as well as shift turnover communication. 

• Provides operational support to master plan development and updates.  Provides capital project support in project design reviews, commissioning, execution, and turnover acceptance for area projects.

• Interfaces with internal and external groups, gains consensus and contributes to reliable and effective teamwork.

• Participates in audits and training programs in the area of duty.

Position Qualifications:

Education Minimum Requirement: 

• Bachelor's degree in environmental, civil, mechanical, biology, biological or chemical engineering or related scientific field of study. 

Required Experience, Skills and Pre-requisites: 

• Successful completion of the Enterprise Leadership Skills (ELS) assessment.

• Minimum eight (8) years of experience in management of manufacturing, utilities, or wastewater operations, engineering, maintenance, or military experience.

• Minimum five (5) years of demonstrated management experience (union/non-union).

• Highly developed communication, management, and teamwork skills.

• Ability to handle and prioritize many simultaneous assignments and quickly adapt to changes in business priorities.

• Ability to quickly address issues and develop solutions to minimize compliance risk and maintain operability.

• Demonstrated ability to guide and partner with cross functional teams to achieve a common goal.

• Demonstrated ability to build high performance teams and maintain teamwork and morale during periods of significant transition.

• Experience with budget management.

• Strong diagnostic and problem-solving skills and a hands-on approach to problem solving, with a bias towards going to see problems for oneself in the