Executive Director - Virginia Section American Water Works Association

Reporting to the Board of Directors (“Board”), the Executive Director is the visionary and strategic leader of UOSA and the face of the organization to the member jurisdictions and the public. Under general policy guidance from the Board, the Executive Director will be responsible for developing the short- and long-range strategy of UOSA and leading, managing, planning, coordinating, and administering all activities of the Authority. In addition, the Executive Director will be responsible for communicating with community organizations, elected officials, regulatory agencies, other government entities, other utilities, employees, and the public.

The work is performed under the general direction of the Board and in accordance with the Service Agreement, Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws of UOSA, the resolutions and directives of the Board, as well as all local, state, and federal laws, statutes, regulations, and ordinances. The Executive Director is given wide latitude to conduct the business of UOSA and is required to do so independently, with little direction or oversight, executing the work within the authority delegated by the Board of Directors.

Specific Responsibilities

• Confer with, inform, review, and recommend policy to the Board of Directors by providing reports, attending and presenting at all meetings, providing updates and recommendations deemed in the best interests of UOSA.
• Respond to required and requested presentations to public hearings, Board of Supervisors, City Councils as well as state and local government representatives or entities.
• Collaborate with regulatory authorities and other stakeholders, including Fairfax Water and the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory to ensure UOSA’s continued regulatory compliance and protection of the Occoquan Reservoir.
• Oversee permit and compliance issues.
• Keep abreast of technological changes in the water reuse field.
• Plan business objectives, develop organizational policies, coordinate functions and operations between departments, and establish responsibilities and procedures for attaining objectives.
• Select, lead, and manage the UOSA’s leadership and management teams and leading team members at every level of the organization. Evaluating the performance of managers for compliance with established policies and objectives and contributions in attaining objectives.
• Oversee all expenditure of funds, as may be required to protect UOSA's facilities and the health, safety, security, and well-being of UOSA’s employees, its visitors, onsite vendors or contractors, and the public.
• Represent UOSA in any litigation in which it is a party.
• Manage employees through coaching, mentoring, employee development, rules, regulations, policies, directions, orders, and guidelines as deemed necessary to ensure the efficient, economical, sustainable performance and management of the affairs of UOSA.
• Ensure successful implementation of programs required by regulations or sanctioned by the Board.
• Keep abreast of best practices and research to provide innovative ideas and recommendations to motivate disruptive yet positive change.
• Prepare and submit to the Board the Operation and Maintenance, Reserve Maintenance, Capital Improvement Program, Debt Service, and other reserve budgets for each fiscal year and adhere to these budgets, keeping the Board fully advised of UOSA's financial condition and its future financial needs, acting in strict accord with the Executive Director’s fiduciary duties.
• Direct all contracting efforts, including contract negotiations.

Key Selection Criteria

• Experience: 15+ years of experience with wastewater utilities, water or sewage facilities, public entities, and/or business or public entities subject to environmental regulation. A minimum of five years of experience in management and leadership roles. Experience with water reuse is a plus.
• Education and Certifications: A bachelor’s degree in engineering, environmental management, public administration, or a related field. A master’s degree in a related field is preferred. A Professional Engineer (PE) license is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience working in a complex water regulatory environment, with demonstrated knowledge of issues impacting water, wastewater and/or reuse.
• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with staff, suppliers, outside consultants, contractors, the media, and the general public.
• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with multiple jurisdictions and other stakeholder entities.
• Demonstrated experience with construction oversight and/or expansion projects.
• Demonstrated experience to drive and maintain a well-respected organization and positive work culture for employees through effective teambuilding, facilitating positive, collaborative, and group interactions.
• Demonstrated effective communication through active listening and constructive feedback, provide clear direction with transparent motivation.
• Demonstrated ability to drive an employee-centric environment through engagement, supportive encouragement, investing and showing interest in staff development.
• Demonstrated consensus builder possessing the ability to work in a team environment with the exceptional ability to delegate and empower staff and provide productive conflict resolution when needed.
• Demonstrated solid strategic thinker who focuses on the big picture and engages with staff and the Board using proper ethical behavior and practices, operational, and technical matters.
• Demonstrated experience and demonstrated ability to manage, lead, and recruit interdisciplinary teams and build the capabilities of driven, bright, and diverse personnel. The Executive Director is expected to provide leadership development including coaching and developing others by seeking to understand their strengths and development areas.
• Demonstrated experience with creating pathways and embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion opportunities and challenges across a large, diverse organization.
• Demonstrated ability to handle physical requirements of the position to include walking, bending, stooping, lifting and carrying 20 pounds.
• Possession of a vehicle operator’s license valid in the Commonwealth of Virginia is required. Attendance at meetings, conferences, seminars, and training sessions is required occasionally. Some overnight travel and weekend work is also required from time to time.

Personal / Professional Attributes

• Strong Leadership with the ability to create buy-in to a shared vision of a future ideal, working to achieve that unity and sustain that desired state.
• Promote and build a healthy work relationship with others by establishing trust, loyalty, confidence, honesty, genuineness, openness, approachability, and integrity.
• Exhibit the highest level of integrity through honesty, strong moral and ethical values in all interactions, decisions, and communications.
• Foster a culture of teamwork and collaboration through mutual support, open communication, and a shared commitment to UOSA’s success.
• Demonstrate the ability to innovate through the process of creating and implementing new or significantly improved ideas to existing challenges.
• Ensure a safe environment through education, protective measures, rules, and policies to ensure overall well-being for all employees and visitors.
• Support and promote a work-life balance for employees within and outside of the work environment.