The City of Baltimore’s Department of Public Works (DPW) is seeking a strong, strategic leader who can run a large operational Bureau, is committed to sustainability, communicates as effectively to employees in the field as elected officials, and will bring creative, problem-solving skills to water and wastewater management.
Under the supervision of the Director of Public Works, the Water and Wastewater Bureau Head plans, organizes, and directs the activities of the Bureau’s operational functions through division chiefs, managers, administrative staff, and supervisors.
The positions that report directly to the Bureau Head are the Deputy Bureau Head, Chief of Administration, Chief of Internal Operations, Laboratory Operations, Office of Asset Management, Office of Engineering and Construction, Wastewater Facilities, and Utility Maintenance division. The Bureau Heads’ direct reports are part of the Managerial and Professional Society and the employees in their chain of command are part of the City Union of Baltimore and/or AFSME Local 44 Unions.
DPW provides safe drinking water to 1.8 million residential and business consumers, making the City of Baltimore the major water supplier for the Baltimore metropolitan area. In addition to Baltimore City, DPW services Baltimore County and supplies wholesale water to the surrounding counties: Anne Arundel, Carroll, Harford, and Howard. Baltimore has three water treatment plants, Montebello I, Montebello II, and the Ashburton Filtration Plant. The plants produce up to 360 million gallons of drinking water daily. In addition, Baltimore has two wastewater treatment plants: Back River and Patapsco. There are 4,500 miles of water mains in the whole system, of which approximately 1,550 miles are in Baltimore City. The City collects and treats an average flow of 300 million gallons of wastewater daily and operates nine major, and some smaller, wastewater pumping stations.
Priorities
- Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with the City, the Department, the Director of Public Works, and the Water and Wastewater Bureau staff. Spend time in the field understanding operational issues and learning from front-line employees and supervisors.
- Build and maintain working relationships with the Maryland Department of the Environment and other regulators.
- Build relationships with the City’s elected officials, residents, and business leaders by attending community meetings and functions.
- Build and maintain relationships with Baltimore County officials and build relationships with officials from Counties that have wholesale agreements with Baltimore City.
- Evaluate and assess the Bureau’s current staffing and organizational structure; make recommendations to leadership and implement changes as necessary. Develop strategies to retain, recruit, and hire staff as needed.
- Focus on the learning and development of current staff and assess career paths and vision for the future of the Bureau.
- Maintain regulatory compliance; manage and improve preventive and predictive maintenance with staff and consultants.
The Successful Candidate
The next Water and Wastewater Bureau Head is a hands-on, decision-making leader who can run a large operational Bureau. The successful candidate is a strong communicator at all levels within the Department and with external partnerships. They listen well and interact with people from all walks of life. The Bureau Head is visible to the executive staff and to the plant and front-line staff. They are not afraid to go to the Public Works Director, the Mayor’s office, and any other City leadership to communicate what needs to be changed within the Department.
The successful candidate is a visionary and encourages a wider view of the organization and its success. They inspire leadership and cooperation across the agency. The ideal candidate is charismatic and will be the face of the Bureau with a level of competence that can present well. They need to be calm under pressure and be an effective decision-maker during a crisis. The ideal candidate is agile and able to handle many different tasks. They value equity and inclusion and will be an excellent representation for the Bureau to follow.
The ideal candidate is operation-focused and knows how to explain complex things in a way that is understood by different groups of people. They bridge the gap between consultants and operations staff to have an efficient and effective Bureau.
The Bureau Head demonstrates a Best-In-Class customer service philosophy and encourages a strong, collaborative culture that aligns with the agency’s mission, vision, and goals.
More information and registration can be found at:
https://jobs.crelate.com/portal/raftelis/job/9zgwertp3ighxbm7u5zi5k3nmh?crt=1688396987047