Utilities Director



Job Details

Utilities Director
Employer

Town of Hillsborough

Salary

$81,511.00 - $130,418.00 Annually

Location

Hillsborough, NC

Job Type

Regular, Full-time

Job Number

2018-00010

Department

Utilities Administration

Opening Date

03/02/2018

About the Position

The Town of Hillsborough is seeking a visionary and innovative director to lead the Utilities Department. The next director will lead with a customer service focus that effectively serves all internal departments in the town as well as works to meet town goals while maintaining excellence in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of Hillsborough's employees and residents.
 
The Community:
 
The Town of Hillsborough (pop. 6,720), is the county seat and one of four municipalities within Orange County. Founded in 1754, Hillsborough has retained over 100 examples of historic architecture in the downtown area and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Known for its scenic beauty near the banks of the Eno River, this charming Southern town has also been recognized for blending cultural activities -- such as art galleries and Last Fridays arts and entertainment -- with recreational opportunities like Riverwalk. The greenway along the Eno River is part of the N.C. Mountains-to-Sea Trail and eventually will connect to Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. Centrally located, Hillsborough offers equal access to the Triad and Triangle communities. Interstates 85 and 40 provide quick proximity to major universities (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Duke University, and North Carolina Central University), healthcare (UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus, UNC Medical Center, and Duke University Hospital), Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, Research Triangle Park, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport. In either direction, the mountains and the coast are just a few hours away.
 
Utilities Department and Position Overview: 
 
The Town of Hillsborough operates under a council-manager form of government. The town has just over 100 employees working across seven departments. The director will report to the town manager. The Utilities Department has 30.5 employees working in four divisions: Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection, Water Treatment Plant, Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Utilities Administration. With a departmental budget of $13 million, the director oversees a department that interfaces with other departments in the town and has extensive external contact with citizens, business leaders, builders and developers. Upcoming responsibilities include overseeing a $16-million reservoir expansion (construction starts in March); filling the vacant assistant director position and/or considering a departmental reorganization; continuing infrastructure upgrades; updating the town's water capacity analysis; creating a sewer capacity model; developing options to extend the capacity of the Wastewater Treatment Plant; and developing strategies to minimize future rate increases.
 
Hillsborough is experiencing significant growth due to the new UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus and other approved developments. In addition, Riverwalk and recent downtown streetscape improvements will continue to enhance Hillsborough as an attractive destination for visitors, businesses, and residents. Helping manage town operations at current lean levels of resources and funding is critical until new revenues become available. More information about the department can be found here (or by copying and pasting https://www.hillsboroughnc.gov/government/departments-and-divisions/utilities/ into your browser).
 
The successful candidate has a proven track record and is:

  • adept at developing an excellent customer service culture for internal and external customers while supporting and advocating for employees and the department.
  • an effective team builder, equally committed to building a cohesive team throughout the department as well as to developing individual employees.
  • knowledgeable of theory, principles, practices and techniques of water and wastewater utilities.   
  • knowledgeable of applicable federal, state and local law, codes and regulations governing the administration of public administration and public utilities functions and activities, including interlocal service agreements.
  • an experienced project manager who is adept at overseeing utility-related construction and infrastructure projects.
  • proactive in building collaborative external relationships with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, contractors, developers, engineers, architects and business leaders to effectively meet town goals and internal relationships within the Utilities Department as well as other town departments.
  • resourceful in finding or developing innovative solutions to meet workload demands with reduced staff in a tight budget climate.
  • an effective listener who seeks input from relevant parties, realistically assesses plans and consistently communicates.
  • a principled leader who values accountability while holding realistic and fair expectations of self and others.
  • an effective communicator, including in one-on-one communications, small groups and public speaking, who confidently and persuasively engages citizens, community groups, staff, and elected officials.
  • a lifelong learner who maintains knowledge of trends and initiatives regionally and nationally. 

Position Qualifications

Requires a bachelor's degree in public administration, business, environmental sciences, engineering or related field and six years of water/sewer utilities experience, including considerable supervisory experience; or any equivalent combination of training and experience, which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. A master's degree is preferred. A valid North Carolina driver's license is required. Preferred licensure and certifications include: N.C. professional engineer's license, N.C. A-Distribution water system operator, N.C. cross-connection control operator, and N.C. Grade IV wastewater collection system operator. Salary range is $81,511 to $130,418 (beginning salary will be commensurate with experience). In-town residency is not required, but residency within the town's water and sewer service area is encouraged.

Supplemental Information


Click here to view the Recruitment Video.
 
All applications must be fully completed (including attaching a cover letter and resume) and submitted via the online portal. Recruitment will be opened until position is filled. Applications will be reviewed beginning March 30, 2018. EOE Employer

A competitive benefits package is provided:

  • 12 paid vacation days/year
  • 12 paid sick days/year
  • 11-12 paid holidays/year
  • Employer-paid medical insurance
  • Employer-paid dental insurance
  • Employer-paid vision insurance
  • Employer-paid life insurance
  • Local Government Retirement System
  • 401(k) plan with 5 percent contribution by the town
  • Longevity pay plan
  • Employee Assistance Counseling Program
  • Tuition Reimbursement Program
  • Transfer of sick leave from another North Carolina state or local government agency will be considered
Employees have the option to cover their dependents and domestic partner on the town's group policy at their own expense through payroll deduction. The Town may make other group insurance plans available for its employees upon authorization of the board.

01
What professional certifications do you hold?
02
Please describe your project management experience in utilities and/or related fields (e.g., list of major projects, brief description, approximate cost, and your role).
03
Please describe your experience in the utilities field including but not limited to the following operations: a. Water treatment plant b. Wastewater treatment plant c. Wastewater collections d. Water distribution e. Fats, Oils, and Grease f. Plans reviews g. Utilities administration h. Reservoir
04
What level of budget management experience do you have (e.g., division, departmental, or organization-wide)? Please provide a brief summary of your budgeting experience.
05
Please list and provide a brief description of at least five examples of utilities-related policies, reports, and/or analyses in which you were the primary author.
06
Please list the professional associations of which you are a member.
07
Please list any committees, activities, presentations, or offices you've held with these associations over the past three years.
08
Please list the utilities-related conferences, seminars, or courses you've attended over the last three years.
09
How may years of supervisory experience do you have?
10
Please list any advanced management/supervisory training courses you've completed that were at least one day in length.
11
What is the largest number of employees for whom you have had supervisory responsibility (direct reports or down line supervision)? (Note: Down line supervision refers to employees who are supervised by your direct reports or subordinates of your direct reports).
12
Please identify the technology solutions with which you are proficient and provide a brief explanation of how you've used these programs (e.g., Utility Cloud, Mission, SCADA, GIS, or others).
13
Please list computer programs, tools, and technology you regularly use and/or are comfortable using (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, SharePoint, Office 365, etc.).
14
Please provide a brief summary of at least two examples of customer service improvements you initiated in current or prior positions. Example #1: internal (improving service within your department or to another department). Example #2: external (improving service to citizens or customers who are paying for services).
15
Please provide examples of how you promote communication within your organization to 1) create a team-oriented atmosphere, 2) encourage employees to share innovative ideas, and 3) make it easier to resolve concerns/conflicts when they occur.
16
If we contacted your references, what would they list as your greatest strengths and technical skills?
17
Reflecting on your last three annual performance evaluations, what areas were cited as areas for improvement and/or concern?
18
How does the Hillsborough utilities director position align with your long-term career plans?
19
What is most appealing about working in Hillsborough?
20
What would be your biggest concern(s) about working for the Town of Hillsborough?
21
It is not uncommon for department heads to be technically skilled but struggle with the leadership and management aspects of the job. This can result in being unprepared by not planning ahead or lack of vision, low morale, high turnover, decreased efficiency, missed opportunities, conflicts between staff members, being slow to address emerging challenges/needs, and lagging behind in operational/technological best practices in the utilities field. Please give examples from your work history, as well as approaches you might use if hired as the Hillsborough utilities director, which would give the town manager confidence that you would be successful in the management and leadership aspects of the job.
22
Why do you believe that you are a good fit for the Hillsborough utilities director position?
23
A cover letter and resume are required for your completed application to be considered. Have you attached your cover letter and resume?
  • Yes
  • No

* Required Question

Employer
Town of Hillsborough
Address
PO Box 429
101 East Orange Street
Hillsborough, North Carolina, 27278
Phone
919-296-9441

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