AMA Director - Operations

We are looking for a collaborative, thoughtful, detailed person to help lead our Active Management Areas team! This person will be responsible for ongoing operations of established AMAs and will work closely with the AMA Director - Policy and Analytics who is responsible for policy analysis and development related to newly regulated areas and other emerging issues. We're looking for someone who likes getting into the weeds of regulatory requirements and processes, who is thoughtful about the practical implementation of water management regulations, who is excited about building collaborative teams and learning from others, and who is creative about supporting and developing staff. Please see below for more details, and apply through the Arizona State Jobs website!

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The Active Management Area Section is responsible for water rights administration, water use reporting, data management and analysis, water resource planning, and grant funding for the Active Management Areas (AMAs) and Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas (INAs) statewide. The section provides technical support to municipal, industrial, and agricultural water users, to the Groundwater Users Advisory Councils (GUACs) of the AMAs, and to the executive team, and other sections within the agency.

The AMA Director - Operations is responsible for the management and oversight of the several of the Department’s planning, policy, and regulatory programs for the management of the state’s water supplies, and collaborates closely with the AMA Director - Policy and Analytics to develop and achieve strategic goals and objectives for the Section.

Assists in the review and development of policy and compliance actions, interacting with the Director and executive staff. Responsible for the management and training of staff regarding procedures/techniques to be used, quality of results expected and projected timelines, goals, and objectives; provides technical guidance and oversight; and ensures all relevant statutes, rules, policies, and procedures are followed. Represents the Department in internal and external meetings.

Participates in complex interdepartmental projects that require multi-disciplinary expertise and drafting and reviewing written letters and written and oral reports. This includes investigating and resolving water resource management issues of a complex, sensitive, and visible nature and preparation of reports with recommendations that may impact multiple water resource management program areas.

The individual in this role must think critically about short and long-term natural resource issues in order to make recommendations that are both practical and consistent with statutory requirements and agency priorities. They must thrive in a dynamic environment, have a passion for learning and teaching, possess excellent writing and speaking skills. and effectively manage many concurrent timelines and processes.

The successful candidate will have a high degree of managerial experience and the ability to foster an environment in which diverse professionals work collaboratively to achieve strategic goals. Preferably, they will have a background in water policy, planning, and regulation, but much will necessarily be learned on the job. The candidate should have the ability to build effective working relationships with leadership and staff throughout the agency. They should demonstrate careful judgment and tact and should communicate and effectively engage with representatives from government, staff of all levels, senior representatives from industry, and the community.

This position is hybrid, with a minimum of two days per week in the office.

Responsibilities

• Manage, train, and mentor supervisors and professional level staff on: procedures and techniques to be used, the quality and timeliness of work expected, licensing and time frame requirements, setting goals and objectives, and prioritizing multiple simultaneous projects
• Guide staff recruitment, selection, appraisal, and coaching
• Represent the division in projects that require multi-disciplinary expertise, including investigating and resolving potentially sensitive and highly visible water resource management issues
• Oversee and guide the analysis of water use data and development of water budgets, the annual water use reporting processes, and the development of compliance investigations and enforcement actions
• Represent the State of Arizona in discussions with the federal government and other entities (state agencies, municipal corporations, authorities, other political subdivisions, private entities, and tribal partners, other states).
• Coordinate with senior staff, leadership, and the Director on policy and compliance issues; advocate and enforce state groundwater laws, rules, and policies.
• Responsible for keeping the agency’s executive level staff informed of issues and potential problems and opportunities and recommending action to be taken, as well as facilitating, evaluating, planning, and recommending policy and positions and integrating those with the goals and policies of the programs overseen.
• Draft, review, and provide guidance on a variety of documents, including briefing papers, technical reports and regulatory documents, and presentations. Participate in development of the agency’s annual strategic plan and ensure metrics and section management reports are submitted.

Qualifications

Ten (10) years of professional level water resource management experience; OR

Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related field and eight (8) years of professional level water resources management experience; OR

Master’s degree or higher in a related field and six (6) years of professional level water resource management experience; OR

Doctorate in a related field and four (4) years of professional level water resource management experience.

The ideal candidate shall have a high degree of managerial ability and experience in meeting strategic goals and shall possess the ability to build regional partnerships and develop consensus-based programs and strategies. Experience in policy, planning, and regulation is preferred.

Knowledge of:

• Supervisory, training, and management techniques
• Public policy management and practice
• Processes and procedures associated with working within a regulatory environment.
• Roles and relationships of state policy making and implementation process
• Information sources, research methods and techniques utilized in water resources management
• Quality control measures for technical reports, data management, and regulatory compliance
• Information sources and research methods and techniques utilized in water resources management

Skills in:

• Supervision, management, and mentoring of supervisors and professional level staff
• Handling administrative issues; resolving conflicts in a positive and constructive manner
• Clear, well-organized, and convincing, oral, written, and visual communication
• Problem identification and analysis and process improvement
• Applying multi-disciplinary approach to identify, analyze, and resolve complex, sensitive, visible water resources management issues
• Researching, interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating regulatory, legal, and technical documents
• Project management, effectively managing workload, deadlines, and priorities
• Researching, interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating regulatory, legal, and technical
• documents
• Data analysis and management, including compiling, organizing, and evaluating water resource datasets
• Interacting with members of the regulated community, requiring careful exercise of independent judgment in cases that may lead to enforcement action
• Working well within a team environment, including establishing and maintaining effective working relationships within ADWR, and with other governmental entities, and the private and public sector

Ability to:

• Lead and mentor professional staff, fostering accountability, collaboration, and innovation
• Develop and adapt policies, procedures, and rules to improve program implementation and address evolving water resource challenges, consistent with agency strategy
• Examine policy issues with a long-term perspective; anticipate potential threats or opportunities
• Exercise sound judgment, make well informed, timely decisions; assess impact and implications
• Prioritize and manage numerous projects simultaneously in a fast-paced regulatory environment, ensuring deadlines and program goals are met
• Problem-solve and collaborate with others to address challenges, improve workflows, and enhance program efficiency
• Develop and strengthen stakeholder relationships and represent ADWR in meetings and regulatory discussions
• Conduct effective public meetings and present information to other governmental
• and nongovernmental agencies
• Be open to change and new information, adapt to changing circumstances or unexpected obstacles
• Lead open exchange of ideas and foster open communication, encourage creative thinking and innovation