Assistant Director - Utilities Engineering

This position is open until filled and the first review of applications will occur on Monday, August 26, 2024.

Ensure you read the information regarding this opportunity thoroughly before making an application.

To apply, please visit theCity of Bellevue Careers Page

Bellevue Utilities provides high quality, essential drinking water, wastewater, and storm and surface water services that over 150,000 customers rely on every day.

We take pride in making sure these services are dependable, a good value for the money, and delivered with our customers in mind.

Our Utility Capital Investment Program invests $45+ Million annually in infrastructure renewal, capacity for growth, and environmental preservation projects to ensure customer service and satisfaction remain high.

We are currently seeking an experienced Assistant Director to lead our Engineering Division. The Assistant Director is a member of the Bellevue Utilities executive team, collaborating to lead the department in achieving its strategic, operational, and financial goals.

The Engineering Assistant Director is responsible for overseeing an $8.2 million operating budget and delivery of the Utilities $317 million, 7-year Capital Investment Program (CIP) encompassing drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater CIP projects.

In addition, this position collaborates with the Utilities Director, two Deputy Directors, the Resource Management & Customer Service Division Assistant Director, and the Operations & Maintenance Division Assistant Director to plan, develop, and implement policies and programs to achieve strategic outcomes.

The Engineering Assistant Director manages highly complex technical and policy work, assisting the Deputy Directors and Director of Utilities in the leadership and management of the department.

This position reports directly to the Utilities Deputy Director for Engineering and Operations.

At the City of Bellevue, you'll be part of a team committed to providing exceptional customer service, upholding the public interest, achieving the community vision and providing our customers fiscal stewardship.

Our people bring unique skills and qualities to the table, embrace the values of honesty, accountability, and commitment to service, and take pride in the work they do.

You'll work in an environment where being innovative, collaborative, and future focused are the status quo. Bellevue welcomes the world and we embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion for the community that we serve as well as within our city organization.

It's what makes the City of Bellevue an exciting place to work, live, and explore.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

KEYFUNCTIONS

Provide leadership to the Utilities Department :

• ImplementCity'sand Utilities'visionandmission;SupportUtilitiesStrategicPlanning;
• Ensurequalityofservices,soundfinancialperformance,andcustomersatisfaction;
• Manageresolutionofmajordepartmental issues;
• Createcollaborativeworkenvironment andopencommunication;
• Modelcorevalues, work rules,andUtilitiesDepartmentculture;
• Support department leadership team decisions and optimize organizational dynamics.

Manage Utilities Engineering Division :

• Provide leadership and management oversight of 50 staff members, comprised primarily of technical staff (Engineering Managers and Supervisors, Asset Manager, Engineers, Program Administrators, Construction Inspectors, Engineering Technicians, and Environmental Scientists).
• Leadbudgetdevelopment,analysis,andmonitoringfortheEngineeringDivision;
• Provide leadership and management of the following sections : Utility Systems Planning, CIP Portfolio Management and Administration, Asset Management, Project Management, Construction Management, and Private Development Utilities Plan Review.
• Provide leadership coordination with other Utilities Divisions and other departments in the City.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Assistant Director works withDeputy Directors andDirector to develop department policies by identifying regional and local policy needs;

identifying / recommending policy options for City management and Council; develops programs / procedures to implement policies.

• Reviews and obtains proper interpretations, where necessary, of the laws, rules and regulations affecting operation of a multi-faceted utilities system.
• Establishes and maintains a working environment conducive to positive morale, individual style, quality, creativity, and teamwork.
• Oversees a team ofengineering managers responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, and developing staff in the areas of planning, CIP portfolio management, capital project management and design, construction management, and development plan review.
• Allocates,directs,motivates and evaluatesdivisionpersonneltoensure employeesgrowthand accountability.
• Usesperformance data objectively to maintain andimprove Utilities' functions. Establishes and leads results-oriented innovation and continuous process improvement projects.
• Plan,develop andimplement programs; identifies program outcomes, budgets, processes and priorities; obtains resources via budget, contracting, inter-local agreements, etc.
• Negotiates and administers contracts and professional services agreements with contractors, consultants, and franchise operators.
• Developsinterdepartmentaland / orpartnershipswithoutsidestakeholders.
• Prepares and presents oral and written reports and responses tothe department director, City Council, or other city departments, the Environmental Services Commission, regional committees and subcommittees, and the public, as required.
• This position may serve as Acting Director in the absence of the Deputy Directors and Director of Utilities.

Reporting Structure :

The Assistant Director, Engineering, works under the general supervision of Deputy Director and / or Director of Utilities.

This position exercises supervision over professional, technical, and support staff, either directly or indirectly through supervisors and managers, as assigned.

Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Graduation fromanaccredited four-year college oruniversity withadegree incivilengineering, environmental studies, water resources management, construction management or related field.

An MSEngineering or MPA ispreferred.

• Eightormoreyearsofprogressively responsible managerialandadministrativeexperience in public utilities systems.
• 10 years experience developing and delivering Capital Investment Programs, including management of planning, design and construction for municipal utility projects with at least 5 years of experience in each utility (water, wastewater, stormwater), or a program of similar scope / complexity (at least $15 Million / year Capital program value). (highly preferred).
• Experience / knowledge about Utility operations and maintenance, system planning, and public works consultant and construction contracting laws, regulations, and work processes.
• Experience / knowledge about environmentalissues and permitting associated with utility work is highly desirable.
• Oranyequivalent combination ofeducation, experience andtraining thatprovides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Washington State Professional Civil Engineering license is required at the time of hire or within one year.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIREMENTS

• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in utility systems planning, engineering design, professional services and construction contracting, construction and operations / maintenance of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure systems.
• Proven ability to plan, supervise and coordinate long range technical and administrative programs.
• Knowledge of CIP budget development, project delivery monitoring and control including project change management and value engineering principles, portfolio management, and CIP delivery governance processes.
• Ability to express self clearly, completely, and concisely, orally, and in writing. Ability to listen and question effectively to better understand customer / employee needs and requests to ensure mutual understanding.

Ability to prepare and deliver presentations to various audiences.

• Ability to communicate effectively and encourage people to accept changes in the organization. Ability to model positive attitudes towards change to reassure others.
• Ability to interpret legislation, rules and regulations. Demonstrated understanding of federal and state regulations for public utility systems of the size / scale of Bellevue Utilities.
• Understanding of City's political environment and sensitivities; and proven ability to function effectively within that environment.

Demonstrated experience representing politically sensitive or otherwise high-profile Utility issues to elected body and executive manager (City Manager).

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with department employees, other City departments, community officials, citizens, State and Federal officials.

Proven success in a collaborative environment, working with Financial and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) stakeholders to achieve Utility objectives.

• Firm understanding, support, and experience with applying Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) principles and practices for both internal staff and external customers.
• Demonstrated experience successfully negotiating terms for collaboration with other jurisdictions / entities.
• Successful experience in public engagement.
• Proven ability to plan, assign, review, and supervise the work of direct reports. Ability to provide leadership, counsel, motivation and constructive performance reviews to staff, securing their respective commitments to the department's goals.
• Proven success as a leader, based on input from past subordinates, peers, and supervisors.
• Ability to create team environment in which information and trust flows freely both up and down the workforce.

Supplemental Information

WORKINGCONDITIONS&PHYSICALDEMANDS

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative ofthose that must be metby an employee tosuccessfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodationsmaybemadeto enableindividuals withdisabilitiestoperformthe essential functions.

Work involves walking, talking, hearing, using hands to handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reaching with hands and arms.

Vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet while in the office or moderately loud when in the field.

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