Engineering Manager at Essential Utilities

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

Are you looking for a fantastic career at Aqua?  We have an exciting opportunity for an Engineering Manager to join our team. This role manages the State Engineering Team and is responsible for engineering, planning, design, system studies and facility assessments and evaluations, and ensuring  capital projects are completed within budget and on schedule. This person will review operating reports, including production, billing and maintenance reports as well as work directly with the State Operations Team to determine or address problems through targeted capital projects. This role will design and implement a communication plan for project completion, as well as monitor the progress and performance against the project plan. The ideal candidate will be asked to develop the capital budget plan, project schedules, , and monthly forecasting, and will be responsible for delivery of all capital projects in support of the State Operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: (Primary Duties and Responsibilities)

• Facility planning to identify future capital improvements necessary to maintain proper water and wastewater service and to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Develops and implements the annual capital improvement plans that identify and prioritize capital projects. Assists in the development of annual capital budget, including selecting design approaches and estimating project costs.
• Supervises and/or performs the design and construction of regional capital and maintenance projects, including preparation of contract documents and development of cost estimates, utilizing both in-house and contract resources, as required.
• Prepares and/or reviews cost estimates for capital projects, and construction schedules. Reconciles financial reporting with capital project estimates, operational capital estimates from Operations Team, and project schedules to create monthly forecasting for end of year investment and expected capital in-service amounts.
• Oversees design and construction activities to address needs, achieve budget and maintain schedule.
• Coordinates design and construction phases of projects with personnel of all regional divisions and of other departments, outside contractors, and suppliers to ensure all operational needs are addressed, and obtain all needed permits for design.
• Prepares or directs the preparation of permit applications for construction of assigned capital projects. Applications cover a wide range of land development, zoning, construction, and environmental approvals, at the local and state levels, and at times, at the federal level.
• Meets with local officials and regulatory agency personnel to obtain project permits and authorizations, communicate capital work plans and answer questions, address concerns, and respond to regulatory and rate filing requests for information.
• Provide input to the preparation of potential acquisition ProForma's as well as main extension agreements (and provide local administration for said agreements). Provides engineering due diligence services for company acquisitions. Identifies capital improvement needs for candidate systems, and estimate the costs and timing of needed improvements. This input will be a key factor in valuing the systems and in determining if the corporation will proceed with a purchase offer.
• Review and/or engage expert support to provide input to the design of new State facilities or changes to existing facilities.
• Represents the company at various federal, state and local levels. Establishes and maintains positive public relations with key customers, local officials, state and federal regulators, other state agencies, elected officials and industry groups.
• Oversees maintenance of water system maps, records, and electronic data (i.e. hydraulic models, standard specifications, etc.). Coordinates with Aqua Corporate Support Teams to maintain records in accordance with existing processes and policies and assists in updating processes or policies as needed.
• Maintains standard design and materials specifications for water and wastewater infrastructure in conjunction with Aqua Corporate Engineering Team. Coordinates with Corporate Engineering Team to recommend additions, modifications to corporate Standard Design Guidelines and Specifications.
• Assists in the review and applications of new technologies that would improve water quality or service to customers.
• Serves as, or manages delegated authority for, Aqua’s liaison with developers and outside engineering firms on the construction of facilities and infrastructure associated with new Developer projects.

• Works closely with the Business Development and Environmental Compliance groups to assure all permit applications are filed in a timely manner to assure no delays in the providing of service for new Developer projects.

• Coordinates the creation of mapping and plat description requirements associated with new CCN filings in support of new Developer projects. 
• Coordinates with Corporate Legal, Records, GIS, and Asset Management Teams to maintain updated records of facility plans, contracts and agreements in appropriate Company databases of record.
• Attends study forums conducted by various government agencies and professional organizations.
• Performs other tasks or assignments as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering with a minimum of 7-10 years of related experience.
• At least 2-3 years of professional management experience.
• Registered Professional Engineer in NJ or ability to obtain NJ Professional Engineer license within 6 months of employment start date.
• Valid driver's license.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Email, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills; communicate effectively (clearly, concisely, and professionally) with internal customers.

• Strong customer service skills.

• Ability to work well under pressure.

• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• A collaborator able to work effectively with colleagues and staff in a cross-functional, team-fostered multi-tasking environment.

• Experience with SAP, PowerPlan, ESRI GIS preferred.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Perform sedentary work- exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.

• See, hear, talk, and perform tasks requiring manual dexterity.           

• Working conditions may include travel to work sites of Essential Utilities. 

• Time spent in the field may involve exposure to the elements, noise, and potentially hazardous substances and conditions.

• May need to be available for company daily travel up to 20% of time.

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.