Environmental Program Manager

The Environmental Services Department (ESD) is a national leader in pollution prevention, watershed protection, utility service provision, and climate action. Together, ESD employees positively impact every resident and business in San Jose.   

Our department is an exceptional place to start or grow your career. We have a supportive leadership team, numerous professional growth opportunities, and an inclusive workplace culture that is welcoming of your talents! We offer an array of meaningful career paths and value flexibility – offering hybrid work and alternative work schedules in select roles. Additionally, the City offers excellent health and pension benefits, as well as 15 paid holidays!  

To learn more about ESD, follow @sjenvironment on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and San Jose Environmental Services on LinkedIn. 

About the Water Resources Division

ESD’s Water Resources Division brings together engineers, operations and maintenance, technical, and program staff to supply clean water to over 100,000 customers and recycled water to more than 850 customers; in addition, we lead conservation efforts to preserve our region’s precious drinking water supply. You can contribute to the local community by joining us in meaningful and important work focusing on water supply, resource sustainability, customer outreach, and infrastructure reliability. We are a small, but fun, division of ESD located in South San José.

The Water Resources Division is comprised of three sections: Potable Water Supply and Engineering (Municipal Water System), Water Recycling (South Bay Water Recycling), and Operations and Maintenance.

Environmental Services Program Manager - Risk & Resiliency

The Water Resources Division is seeking a responsible and dynamic individual to serve as Environment Program Manager (EPM) with strong management skills, programmatic and operational leadership skills, a skillful understanding of the technical and programmatic complexities of interpreting and applying a variety of regulations, strong knowledge of the water operations industry and the ability to develop and lead new partnerships.

Typical duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Assisting and supporting the Operations Manager in the planning and execution of programs and projects to ensure regulatory, environmental, and safety compliance.
• Responsible for implementing and ensuring compliance with California’s Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook and relevant state and local regulations. This role involves overseeing cross-connection control programs, developing a plan, conducting inspections, managing backflow prevention assembly requirements, and working with internal and external stakeholders to safeguard the public drinking water system.
• Responsible for reviewing, revising, and recertification of America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) and Emergency response plan (ERP).
• Evaluating the field activities, operations, and services affiliated with regulatory compliance for the Municipal Water operations, including Section 2013 of US EPA America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2018
• Oversight, routine updating, and training of senior operations management and field staff on core incident response procedures for specifically identified scenarios such as cyber-attack, earthquake, extreme heat, wildfire, flooding, source water contamination, and distribution system contamination.
• Evaluating, reviewing, and developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and emergency response drills required to comply with applicable laws and regulations as may apply to water utility operations, from agencies including State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), Santa Clara County Fire Department (SCCFD), San Jose Fire Department (SJFD), Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).
• Ensure compliance with the NPDES permit requirements; oversee all aspects of a planned and unplanned discharge; ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local water quality regulations. Key responsibilities include monitoring discharge activities, preparing compliance reports, coordinating with regulatory agencies, and implementing best management practices to minimize environmental impacts.
• Providing related oversight and direction to two (2) Full Time Employees (Cross Connection Specialist & Environmental Inspector) implementing and maintaining regulatory compliance programs related to cross connection control program and recycled water.
• Developing and implementing policies and procedures for assigned programs.
• Performing complex work which requires exercising sound judgment and applying professional knowledge and skills to programs, policies, and problems that have Division-wide implications.
• Assisting in the development and implementation of departmental goals, objectives, policies, and procedures, and providing highly responsible professional and technical advice 
• Collaborating regularly with other City Departments and/or City management to ensure compliance and/or program alignment
• Acting as a representative to outside agencies and organizations; participates in professional groups and committees.
• Acting as a technical and professional resource providing support and assistance reflective of the City’s concerns and interests.
• Interfacing with Federal, State, and regulatory agencies; assisting in the coordination and implementation of intergovernmental activities and regulatory programs in conjunction with other local, state, and national agencies; and performing related duties as assigned
• Monitoring and staying abreast of new trends, laws, regulations, and innovations; researching emerging products and enhancements including integrated systems solutions and their applicability to water system needs; attending and participating in professional group meetings.
• Developing and overseeing an assigned budget and associated fiscal operations which may include grant funding, contracts, and inter-agency agreements as well as program evaluation.

If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Education:  A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in environmental sciences, public or business administration, or a closely related field.

Experience:  Five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience in overseeing and administering complex environmental programs, including two (2) years of supervisory experience.

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.  Desirable competencies for this position include:

• Job Expertise - demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/ technical principles and practices for public administration and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies, and federal and state rules and regulations.

• Communication Skills - communicates and listens effectively and responds in a timely, effective, positive, and respectful manner; written reports and correspondence are accurate, complete, current; well-organized, legible, concise, neat, and in proper grammatical form.

• Computer Skills - Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.

• Decision Making - makes timely and sound decisions; identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions.

• Fiscal Management – Understands the relationship of the budget and resources to the strategic plan; complies with administrative controls over funds, contracts, and procurements.

• Leadership - leads by example; demonstrates high ethical standards; remains visible and approachable and interacts with others on a regular basis; promotes a cooperative work environment, encourages and rewards risk-taking, allowing others to learn from mistakes; provided motivational supports and direction.

• Management - Evaluates priorities to ensure the 'true' top priorities are handled satisfactorily; sets clear goals for the employees and the work unit.

• Political Skills – In taking action, demonstrates an understanding and consideration of how it will impact stakeholders and affected areas in the organization.

• Supervision - Sets effective long and short-term goals based on a good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources; provides motivational support; empowers others; assigns decision-making and work functions to others in an appropriate manner to maximize organizational and individual effectiveness.

Selection Process

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job Specific Questions. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process.  Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.

Salary : $134,382 - $168,277