City of Austin - JOB DESCRIPTION

Austin Energy Environmental Health and Safety Services Director

Under nominal direction, this position is responsible for Austin Energy’s (AE) environmental and safety policies and strategic compliance programs.

1. Provides overall leadership and direction for occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation, drug and alcohol, return to work, environmental permitting, environmental field services, environmental laboratory services, water resource planning, and Longhorn Dam operations to manage a portfolio of compliance and risk programs.
2. Serves as AE’s Environmental Protection Agency Designated Representative and as such is subject to civil and criminal penalties related to certifying compliance with applicable environmental regulations.
3. Serves as a liaison officer for AE’s Incident Command Headquarters and the City’s Emergency Operations Center.
4. Leads the environmental, health, and safety efforts with emergency management and disaster recovery for AE.
5. Develops, maintains, and audits AE’s environmental and occupational health and safety programs to ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and Local regulations. Investigates and responds to environmental and safety issues, conducting root cause analyses, and develops corrective action plans. Is responsible for correction to gaps either in terms of reporting data or managing compliance issues; devises the necessary quality control measures to track the effectiveness of operations.
6. Directs and provides management oversight of annual Operation & Maintenance (O&M) and Capital Improvement Projects budgets, prepares short- and long-term spending plans, develops and engages in short- and long-range planning activities for program.
7. Develops program and resource budgets, including cost benefit analysis, for projects. Develops and manages associated business contracts. Monitors environmental and safety-related contracts and vendors to ensure compliance with all applicable environmental and safety requirements and delivery of agreed upon deliverables.
8. Provides direction and oversight for AE’s participation on national utility committees such as Large Public Power Council, American Public Power Association, and Clean Energy Group to help shape future environmental and safety legislation and regulations that affect the power industry.
9. Develops and provides recommendations on environmental and safety policies for AE’s executives.
10. Leads negotiations with regulatory environmental and safety compliance issues with Federal, State, and Local agencies to reach resolution and or settlement.
11. Manages AE’s water rights and water contracts. Participates on the City of Austin/Lower Colorado River Authority water partnership technical subcommittee and assists Austin Water with regional water planning strategies.
12. Directs and provides management oversight, guidance, and approval for the development of training and curriculums required by Federal, State, and Local regulations.
13. Is responsible for the development and revision of environmental and safety process and procedures. Develops and evaluates plans and criteria for a variety of environmental and safety projects and programs.
14. Monitors industry trends in environmental, safety, and water resource planning and implements best practices.
15. Serves as a subject matter expert to legal staff regarding compliance matters.

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

• Knowledge of Federal, State, and Local laws, ordinances, policies, and procedures covering environmental regulations.
• Knowledge of occupational health and safety standards, laws, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of project management.
• Knowledge of managerial and leadership techniques and principles.
• Knowledge of budgeting methods and systems.
• Knowledge of business case development, strategic business planning, reengineering, organizational change strategies, performance measurement, and project management.
• Skill in oral and written communications.
• Skill in preparing and analyzing budgets, reports, and studies.
• Skill in handling conflict and uncertain situations.
• Skill in using software applications to perform data analysis and problem solving.
• Ability to maintain effective communication and working relationships with government and regulatory agencies, boards and commissions, City employees, and the public.
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
• Ability to direct, coach, and train others.
• Ability to analyze and resolve irregular events.

• Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a field related to Environmental Science, Engineering, or Public or Business Administration, plus seven (7) years of experience related to the job, including two (2) years of experience which were in a managerial or supervisory capacity.
• Graduation with a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university may substitute for two (2) years of the required experience up to a maximum of two (2) years.

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