Job Description

Suburban Water Systems is looking for a Vice President of Field Operations to oversee the people and processes required to produce and deliver water to our customers.

ABOUT THE COMPANY:

Suburban Water Systems, a part of SouthWest Water Company, is an investor-owned water utility providing high-quality water and reliable service in an approximately 42-square-mile service area that covers all or portions of Glendora, Covina, West Covina, La Puente, Hacienda Heights, City of Industry, Whittier, La Mirada, La Habra, Buena Park and unincorporated portions of California's Los Angeles and Orange counties. Suburban Water Systems serves a population of about 300,000 through a water distribution system that includes 18 wells, 32 reservoirs and more than 800 miles of pipeline. Our network of facilities pumps and distributes approximately 56,000 acre-feet of water annually (an acre-foot of water is about 326,000 gallons, which meets the annual average indoor/outdoor water needs of 1-2 households).

PURPOSE

The Field Operations Department maintains and operates water and wastewater facilities for Suburban Water Systems and Oregon Water Utilities to reliably provide a high-quality water supply to meet customer demands while minimizing production costs, and to collect, treat, and dispose of wastewater to comply with environmental regulations.

POSITION SUMMARY

This position will be willing and able to perform the following duties and others as assigned:

The Vice President, Field Operations is responsible 24 hours a day 7 days a week for the people and processes required to operating the water and wastewater system that serve the customers of Suburban Water Systems and Oregon Water Utilities. Specifically, this role includes activities related to:

CONSTRUCTION: Responsible for the repair and maintenance of Suburban Water Systems' distribution system, including but not limited to approximately 850 miles of pipeline, 75,000 service connections, 20,000 valves, and 6,000 fire hydrants.

MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE: Responsible for the reliable operation and maintenance of Suburban Water Systems' production, and distribution mechanical equipment, including but not limited to groundwater wells, booster pumps, control valves, and reservoirs.

PRODUCTION: Responsible for the planning and control of Suburban Water Systems' water facilities to reliably and efficiently produce high quality water while minimizing energy and water acquisition cost. Responsible for the development and maintenance of the Company's SCADA system.

OREGON WATER UTILITIES CLINE BUTTE: Responsible for the operations of the company owned and Operation and Maintenance contract managed water and wastewater facilities at the Eagle Crest Resort, and wastewater facilities at the Brasada Resort.

OREGON WATER UTILITIES MOUNTAIN LAKES: Responsible for the operations of the company owned and contract managed water and wastewater facilities at the Running Y resort, and the Ridgewater, Southview, and Pine Crest developments, and OWU-McDonald Septic Service.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS STATEMENT(S):

This position will be willing and able to perform the following duties and others as assigned:

Environmental, Health, and Safety: SAFETY: Attend offsite and company safety classes and meetings as scheduled, ensures safety of self and others, and always puts personnel safety ahead of getting the job done. Understands and works in conformance with safe operating practices and rules. Constantly on alert for any safety hazards that may cause harm to any employee, customer, or member of the general public. Reporting and/or correcting/safe-guarding any hazard, such as but not limited to defective or damaged equipment, or leaking water at any site. Ensure that appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is used at all times according to regulations and company policies.

QUALITY ASSURANCE: Ensure that operations activities are conducted such that they comply with regulations and company policies related to maintaining safe drinking water quality and environmental compliance.

Administrative Management and Supervision:

1. Responsible for department functions including but not limited to Construction, Mechanical Maintenance, Production, OWU Cline Butte, and OWU Mountain Lakes.
2. Responsible to direct and supervise employees performing department functions.
3. Prepare department expense budget; and monitor and control spending to meet budget objectives.
4. Human resource management including, recruiting, interviewing and hiring, evaluation, training and development, performance evaluation, employee leave, making recommendations for promotion, discipline and recommendations for termination. Responsible for the coordination, supervision and training of department personnel to perform duties described in the respective job descriptions, and to accommodate temporary or permanent role succession or redundancy for absent staff or vacant positions, including that of the manager.
5. Develop the leadership skills of department managers and employees.
6. Counsel employees, and coordinate training opportunities to ensure they are advancing their career knowledge, and that they are meeting certification contract hour requirements.
7. Execute and refine quality assurance and control procedures that ensure the products and services produced by the department meet requirements.
8. Coordinate with Engineering to ensure that Capital Improvement planning considers the needs of the field operations department to achieve its mission.
9. Execute and refine goods and service procurement procedures that ensure that company procurement, contracts, insurance, qualification and accounts payable requirements are met, recommend vendors for addition or removal to the pre-approved list of qualified vendors, and ensure that vendors deliver quality products and services at reasonable prices.
10. Represent Department in company Executive Leadership meetings.
11. Represent the company at events and meetings held by commissions, industry associations, homeowner associations, agencies, boards, cities and chambers of commerce, etc.
12. Responsible for the coordination of routine tailgate safety training classes, and is primary contact for subordinate incident reporting. Responsible to determine if employees require safety training and coordinate training required. Responsible to observe internal Crew's and Contractor's construction methods and practices to ensure work is performed according to best safety practices
13. Participates in establishing Company and departmental policies and procedures and responsible for implementation and flow-up with department employees.
14. Leads department strategic planning functions including department's role in the company, department goals and objectives, department organization structure, employee training and development, and salary.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

GENERAL: Must pass employee screening process, including any tests required. Must have legible hand writing, ability to perform simple and accurate arithmetic calculations, ability to understand job-related oral and written instructions, has ability to observe and note unusual operating conditions of equipment, understands proper application of equipment and tools required for the job, and be able to make reasonable decisions regarding most suitable repair approach.

COMMUNICATION: Must be able to effectively listen to the other party's position or problem, clearly and effectively communicate verbally in person on using the telephone, in writing using email or letters, to ensure that requirements are understood by both parties and expectations such as schedule and scope are clearly defined. Must be able effectively communicate with customers to foster excellent customer relations.

WATER SYSTEM KNOWLEDGE: Must have professional knowledge of water distribution system operation, materials and water system hydraulics.

WASTEWATER SYSTEM KNOWLEDGE: Must have professional knowledge of wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal.

VEHICLE OPERATION: Continually practice defensive driving techniques in the safe operation of company pool vehicles and own vehicle when driving on company business. Follow all safety guidelines and rules of both the Safety and Vehicle committees.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION: Completion and timely submittal of all forms and documents related to employment, including weekly timesheets on date required to meet payroll schedules as necessary.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Show professionalism and courtesy with customers. Recognize and demonstrate favorable customer and public relations.

MEETING COORDINATION: Prepare for and lead meetings with agencies, contractors, operations personnel, customers, developers, consultants, vendors. Prepare agendas, take meeting notes and action items from meeting, prepare meeting minutes, and then follow up and complete actions items.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION: Diffuse conflict and achieve resolution in confrontations with customers, contractors, agency officials and company personnel.

LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING: Lead and train other employees to safety and efficiently execute work to produce high quality outcomes.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business, or related field required. Master's degree preferred

EXPERIENCE: Minimum of 10 years working in industrial, manufacturing, or utility environment, performing and coordinating the operation of mechanical equipment to reliably and efficiently produce a physical product (liquid products preferred). Experience operating a water distribution system is preferred. Minimum of 7 years of leadership and administrative management experience is preferred. Direct supervisory experience of employees is required. Direct supervisor experience of managers is preferred.

COMPUTER SKILLS: Experience using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) such as SAP for work order management and scheduling, time card management, inventory management, and procurement activities is desirable. Experience with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook and Windows Explorer is required; Experience using GIS map viewer software is desirable. Experience using field data collection devices such as GPS, valve operating data, etc. is desirable.

CERTIFICATES & LICENSES: DDW Distribution Operator 2 and DDW Treatment Operator 2

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

DRIVER'S LICENSE: Hold a valid California driver's license with acceptable driving record as determined by Company insurance carrier; Familiar with safety practices and rules applicable to job duties.

ON-CALL HOURS: Periodically will be considered to be available for on-call duty 24 hours a day. Will be available to respond and be present at the job location within the water system in a reasonable amount of time at times outside of normal business hours according to regulations and company policies.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Reports to the President

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

SJH Field Superintendent, WLM Field Superintendent, Mechanical Maintenance Manager, Production Manager, OWU-CB Field Superintendent, OWU-ML Field Superintendent, and Field Operations Administrators

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

May be required to sit for long periods of time, must be able to walk long distances, may work long and irregular hours under demanding conditions, must be able to operate a Company passenger vehicle or pickup truck, must have adequate vision and hearing that is required to communicate with personnel in person or by telephone and may require moderate lifting and carrying up 25 pounds. May work outside and may be subjected to adverse working conditions and inclement weather.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Employee works predominately in a climate controlled office environment and at times in field locations and plants; employee may be subject to adverse weather and environmental conditions, including temperature extremes, humidity and precipitation; noise and vibration from heavy equipment; exposure to physical hazards from equipment with moving parts, high voltage electrical equipment, hazardous chemicals, bacteria in wastewater.

NOTE

Employees hired from outside of the company must obtain the required level of certification within 24 months of hire.

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JOB POSTED BY APPLICANTPRO