Utilities Operations Program Manager (Wastewater)

Pierce County

  • Tacoma, WA
  • $107,999-139,198 per year
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 20 days ago
DescriptionPosition SummaryWhy It's a Great Opportunity: As an accomplished water and wastewater expert with proven experience in water and wastewater treatment technologies, you will have a fantastic and rare opportunity to support the FUN part of water and wastewater treatment. Because you will be working with a large and complex organization, you will have ample opportunities to manage expectations, manage the SoundGro program, focus on water and wastewater system evaluations, and best practices to impact the residents of Pierce County. This opportunity allows you to assess and optimize unit processes (process engineer) at four water and wastewater facilities as well as work with Engineering, Planning, and Maintenance and Operations to ensure we get the best end product when planning, designing and building plant improvement projects.Tour of the WWTPTour the ExpansionDrone Footage of the PlantWhy It's a Great Department: PPW is a diverse and fast-moving department filled with motivated professionals working to ensure Pierce County is positioned to handle growth while building, operating, and maintaining reliable infrastructure to support livable communities. PPW is responsible for a broad and complex portfolio of services that provides unique opportunities to collaborate, innovate, and inspire. We are responsible for the County road and levee systems, sewer systems, airports, ferries, building permits, environmental review, sustainability, community planning, and code enforcement - just to name a few!How to be Successful in the Role: With your critical thinking, statistical analysis, system evaluation, as well as water and wastewater treatment technologies/best practices plus your experience with the essentials of personnel management you will ensure your success. You should be creative with project management, an expert in bringing teams together and working with people and someone who can build confidence in groups while developing and maintaining a proactive culture. We'd like you to use the strengths of the team to streamline operations and create/implement processes that prepare us for the future.Your Future in this Role: This position has multiple career growth and promotional opportunities in Pierce County to build on a great career.Core Daily Responsibilities:
  • Develop program and emergency plans, objectives, and strategies; determine appropriate implementation methods, and monitor progress.
  • Ensure system reliability and process optimization.
  • Evaluate business practices and assist in establishing appropriate service and staffing levels allocating resources to devise the most efficient methods of accomplishing work.
  • Based on asset management principles, plan, optimize, and document the operation of major systems.
  • Develops and monitors Operations budgets in support of the Utilities Operations Manager; authorizes purchases within limits of authority.
  • Assign, review, and approve the work of subordinate staff; investigate grievances involving subordinates and recommend resolutions; recommend hiring, promotional, and disciplinary actions; approve leave requests and overtime; provide adequate coverage during staff absences. Provide on-the-job training to newly assigned or reassigned employees.
  • Inspect facilities for safety compliance, ensure staff comply with applicable safety rules and regulations; review injury reports and recommend corrective actions; conduct safety training.
  • Identify and implement opportunities for improvement and coordinate the implementation of changes. Compile and analyze data, prepare reports, and record work accomplished.
QualificationsMinimum Qualifications:
  • A resume and cover letter are required for this position.
  • Six years of progressively responsible work experience in water or wastewater operations, including two years of lead or supervisory experience is required.
  • Additional education or experience which clearly indicates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position may be substitute on a year for year basis.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in a related field is highly desired.
  • Possession of a Group 3 Washington State Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator's Certificate preferred.
  • Possession of a Washington State Water Distribution Manager 2 certificate or equivalent water certification preferred.
As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case-by-case and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration.Supplemental InformationTo be considered for this opportunity please:
  • Complete and submit a detailed online Pierce County Employment Application by selecting "APPLY" above or go to:
. * If you have a question about this opportunity, please email the Recruitment Team at
and specify the Job Number and Title. * If you do not have internet access, you may visit your local public library or any WorkSource location and use their computers.
  • Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing process or need this job announcement in an alternative format may call Human Resources at (253) 798-7480, at least two days prior to the need.
This is a competitive selection process. Your application will be reviewed and evaluated for the quality and quantity of education/experience in the areas listed. Applicants whose qualifications most closely correspond to the County's needs will be eligible for further consideration. Notification of application status normally occurs 2 to 3 weeks after the closing date. Short notice may be given to applicants to participate in further selection processes which may include assessments, phone screen, and interviews.At Pierce County, diversity, equity, and inclusion means commitment, not a single step. We strive to foster an inclusive environment that supports equitable access to opportunities throughout your career. We want to recruit, develop, and maintain a talented workforce from various backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives, committed to our vision. Employees of the County have local, direct, and visible impact in our diverse community. Will you join us in keeping Pierce County a place people are proud to call home?We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Pierce County offers a competitive benefits package that offers flexibility and peace of mind. We are proud to offer Employee Resource Groups, a focus on professional development in our , and a County Book Club.We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career and that your priority is making sure that you and your family maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of and , , staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.Our benefits:Vacation (Annual Leave)
After approximately six months, employees receive six days of vacation leave.
Since we value your experience, the amount of vacation you can accrue increases the longer you work with us. Vacation accrues on a bi-weekly basis for full-time employees as follows:Vacation Accruals:
During years 1-3, 12 Days
During years 4-7, 16 Days
During years 8-13, 20 Days
During years 14-18, 23 Days
During years 19, 24 Days
During years 20, 25 Days
During years 21, 26 Days
During years 22, 27 Days
During years 23, 28 Days
During years 24, 29 Days
During years 25 & thereafter, 30 DaysA maximum of 45 days may be carried from one year into the next.
Pro-Rated for Part-Time based on % of 1.0 FTE.Military Leave:
Pierce County has a proud history of supporting the armed forces and provides members of the armed forces with up to 21 days paid military leave per state fiscal year.Holidays:
Some full-time employees are entitled to eleven paid holidays as follows:New Year's Day - January 1
Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday - Third Monday in January
President's Day - Third Monday in February
Memorial Day - Last Monday in May
Juneteenth - June 19
Independence Day - July 4
Labor Day - First Monday in September
Veteran's Day - November 11
Thanksgiving Day - Fourth Thursday in November & Friday after
Christmas Day - December 25Personal Holidays:
Regular full-time and regular part-time employees, and employees occupying limited duration positions, shall also receive two additional paid personal holidays. Paid personal holidays shall only accrue for those employees on County payroll as of January 1 of each year or the first work day following January 1 and must be taken during the calendar year in which it was accrued.Furlough:
Some Pierce County employees may be designated to receive 10 "furlough" days per year in lieu of holidays. Furlough days are available for use on January 1 and must be scheduled and taken within the calendar year. Employees who leave employment with Pierce County must reimburse the employer for used furlough days based upon the number of remaining holidays.Sick Leave:
Sick leave accrues on a bi-weekly basis, at the rate of one day per month.Insurance Benefits:
Employees and families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with very affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout Pierce County. Employees are eligible to enroll each year in a flexible spending plan, which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care and dependent care expenses. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in supplemental life and long term disability insurance plans. To view premium rates, summary of benefit coverage, and other information, please visit the website.Retirement and Deferred Compensation:
Pierce County employees are members of the State of Washington's Department of Retirement System (DRS) and depending on the position or previous DRS enrollment will be able to enroll in one of many programs DRS offers. For additional information, check out the web site.Employees also have the ability to participate in the Nationwide Deferred Compensation Plan. This is a supplemental retirement savings program that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.Social Security:
All Pierce County employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The county and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.Miscellaneous Benefits:
Please visit website for more information.Telework/Remote Options:
Some departments allow for telework or work-from-home options dependent on the body of work. Learn more about our telework policy
**All employees are required to be WA State residents after 30 days of employment.

Pierce County