Senior Environmental Program Manager (South Bay Water Recycling) – Environmental Services Department

The Environmental Services Department (ESD) is a national leader in pollution prevention, watershed protection, utility service provision, and climate action.

Together, ESD employees positively impact every resident and business in San Jose.

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Our department is an exceptional place to start or grow your career. We have a supportive leadership team, numerous professional growth opportunities, and an inclusive workplace culture that is welcoming of your talents! We offer an array of meaningful career paths and value flexibility offering hybrid work and alternative work schedules in select roles.

Additionally, the City offers excellent health and pension benefits, as well as 15 paid holidays!

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About South Bay Water Recycling

The Environmental Services Department (ESD) is recruiting for a Senior Environmental Program Manager to oversee the Department’s South Bay Water Recycling (SBWR) group!

A section of ESD’s Water Resources Division, SBWR is a recycled water wholesaler to four retailers : San Jose Water Company, San José Municipal Water, City of Santa Clara, and City of Milpitas.

Customers buy recycled water from the retailer in their location.

SBWR is the regional permit holder for recycled water in San José, Santa Clara and Milpitas, ensuring compliance with State regulations for recycled water quality and use and is a leader in recycled water in Northern California.

SBWR’s recycled water system consists of over 150 miles of pipeline, five pump stations, and 10 million gallons of storage in reservoirs.

SBWR delivers more than four billion gallons of recycled water per year to more than 960 commercial customers, an average of 11 million gallons a day.

Position and Duties : Senior Environmental Program Manager

The Senior Environmental Program Manager (SEPM) position will lead the South Bay Water Recycling (SBWR) program in all current and unique aspects to the water utility including regulatory compliance, adherence to State approved Rules & Regulations, public safety, contract and agreement negotiations, the development and implementation of operating and capital budgets, and represent the recycled water utility with local, regional, and state partners, and stakeholders.

In addition, the SEPM will lead the recycled water utility in new focus areas, such as supporting the Regional Wastewater Facility in long term Nutrient Removal Strategies through increased use of recycled water, negotiate and implement contracts and agreements with local stakeholders interested in recycled water, monitor upcoming contaminants of emerging concern (CEC's), determine impact on the recycled water utility, and lead implementation of studies or pilots to mitigate impacts, and lead an inter-agency collaborative to develop a SBWR Master Plan, including a funding long-term strategy.

Additional Responsibilities Include :

• Lead utility to follow all Recycling Water Rules and Regulations and ensure program compliance with State Regulations.
• Oversee and manage retailer administration, revenue collection, data management, program audits and preparation of State required annual reports.
• Lead local and regional interagency coordination retailer and seeking grant opportunities.
• Develop and implement long term strategies regarding funding and financing of additional recycled water infrastructure.
• Lead the water utility through a complex legal and regulatory environment.
• Lead and provide guidance on long term viable water supply solutions through the use of wastewater and / or recycled water.
• Actively participate in regional recycled water stakeholder groups and meetings.

This salary range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

The annual salary range for the position is presently $145,323.36 $191,667.84.

Minimum Requirements :

1. Education : A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in environmental sciences, public or business administration, or a closely related field.

2. Experience : Six (6) years of increasingly responsible experience in overseeing and administering complex environmental programs, including three (3) years of progressively responsible supervisory experience.

Competencies :

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history. Desirable competencies for this position include :

Job Expertise

• Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional / technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures / policies and federal and state rules and regulations, including but not limited to :
• Knowledge and experience in negotiating multi-agency agreements, regulatory requirements, compliance with state and federal regulations, preferably with a recycled water utility.
• Experience in development of new water supplies, including financial, legal, and political considerations.

Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills

Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.

Planning

Acts to align own unit's goals with the strategic direction of the organization; Defines tasks and milestones to achieve objectives, while ensuring the optimal use of resources to meet those objectives.

Leadership

Leads by example; demonstrates high ethical standards; remains visible and approachable and interacts with others on a regular basis;

promotes a cooperative work environment, allowing others to learn from mistakes; provides motivational supports and direction.

Problem Solving

Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem(s); collects information;

uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.

Fiscal Management

Understands the relationship of the budget and resources to the strategic plan; complies with administrative controls over funds, contracts, and procurements.

Political Skill

In taking action, demonstrates an understanding and consideration of how it will impact stakeholders and affected areas in the organization.

Project Management

Ensures support for projects and implements agency goals and strategic objectives.

Communication Skills

• Communicates and listens effectively and responds in a timely, effective, positive and respectful manner; written reports and correspondence are accurate, complete, current;
• well-organized, legible, concise, neat, and in proper grammatical form; responds to statements and comments of others in a way that reflects understanding of the content and the accompanying emotion;

asks clarifying questions to assure understanding of what the speaker intended, ensures consistent communication takes place within area of responsibility.

Selection Process :

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job-specific questions.

You must answer all questions to be considered or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration.

Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Phil Dunbar at [email protected].

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