City of Austin - JOB DESCRIPTION

Assistant Director, Austin Water Business Services

Under nominal direction of the Director of Austin Water (AW), this position is responsible for providing enterprise-wide leadership for strategy, administration, assurance, and resiliency. This position oversees the Business Services Program; collaborates with the executive team to champion efficient organizational operations; and serves as a liaison to the Office of the City Manager, Mayor, City Council, and other City of Austin departments on behalf of the Director.

1. Promotes AW’s position in the water industry as a thought leader, innovator, and mission-driven community asset.
2. Oversees AW’s Strategic Planning to achieve alignment with the City Manager’s initiatives, the Effective Utility Management framework and other industry standards, and continuous improvement.
3. Serves as executive liaison for City Council, Commissions, and Advisory Groups on water issues.
4. Oversees the design and coordination of legislative strategies before the State Legislature, U.S. Congress, local and County governmental agencies, and appropriate staff to improve the department’s position in the industry.
5. Recommends policy on regulatory issues and proactively guides AW to anticipate, respond to, and mitigate the full range of business risks related to the water industry.
6. Provides executive oversight for business units that support enterprise resiliency across all business operations and deliver excellent service to internal customers, including Emergency Management, Security Management, and Facility Management.
7. Directs audits, ethics initiatives, consulting, and design of internal controls for multiple disciplines to provide assurance that a risk-based strategic focus is applied to overall business operations within AW.
8. Provides executive oversight of a broad range of administrative services in the Director’s Office, ensuring attention to detail.
9. Identifies and manages critical issues that have significant impact to AW’s stakeholder relationships, organizational effectiveness, and strategic goals.
10. Oversees the development of policies, procedures, and work processes to improve efficient organizational operations at AW.
11. Analyzes business needs to develop targeted goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics; and implements operational plans to report on strategic performance measures.
12. Develops and evaluates short- and long-range strategic plans and establishes the criteria for a variety of business services, projects, and plans.
13. Develops and monitors budgets for multiple business units.

Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.

• Knowledge of Public Administration principles, fiscal planning, budget preparation, and budget management.
• Knowledge and understanding of utility operations, services, practices, and policies pertinent to the business.
• Knowledge of principles of supervisory and managerial techniques and principles. ,
• Knowledge of Local, State, and Federal, laws, codes, and regulations.
• Knowledge of city practices, policies, and procedures.
• Skill in negotiations and conflict resolution.
• Skill in analyzing complex data from various sources, synthesizing collected information, and developing sound decisions/recommendations
• Skill in oral and written communications
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
• Skill in using computers and related software applications
• Ability to manage multiple projects and programs simultaneously within approved budgets.
• Ability to quickly recognize and analyze irregular events.
• Ability to understand and explain complex issues to non-utility stakeholders.
• Ability to establish and maintain communication and working relationships with City personnel State and Federal officials, and the public.

• Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in a field related to Business, Engineering, or Public Administration, plus six (6) years of progressively responsible management experience in a related field, including at least three (3) years of experience with a water and wastewater utility.
• Graduation with a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in a related field may substitute for up to two (2) years of the required experience.