Utilities Superintendent - Durham County, NC

Seeks Utilities Superintendent Due to Retirement

• Are you a passionate and trustworthy team builder with impeccable communications skills?
• Are you an ambitious, ethical   wastewater professional with the motivation and experience to lead a team in the ~$30M renovation and expansion of the Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant (TWWTP) to ensure it remains a best-in-class facility?
• Are you committed to the profession and ensuring the highest environmental standards for the community?
• Do you want to work with a progressive and growing organization with effective leadership, a teamwork culture, and talented and caring staff?

If so, the thriving, innovative, and inclusive community of Durham County, North Carolina invites you to consider applying to be the next Utilities Superintendent for its Utilities Division, part of the County’s Engineering and Environmental Services Department.  

The Superintendent will be a highly competent wastewater and environmental professional with extensive experience and technical knowledge in the operation and process control of wastewater treatment processes, as well as the operation and maintenance of wastewater collection and pumping systems. This position will lead with a customer service focus that effectively serves all internal departments of the County and will work to meet County regional water quality to ensure customers have safe and dependable utility services. 

About the Community:

Durham County, located in the Research Triangle Region of North Carolina, is home to Research Triangle Park (RTP) and is one of the most economically competitive regions in the world. Within Durham County boundaries are six townships, seven unincorporated communities, two census-designated communities, and parts of two Towns (Chapel Hill and Morrisville). With the City of Durham as the county seat, the county is inclusive of both urban and rural settings and must strive to balance the needs of its community members. Research and development from the region's major research institutions and many private and federal labs have fueled business and economic growth in Durham County and have made the area a world leader in life sciences, information technology (IT), and clean technology. RTP, which continues to grow, is a 7,000-acre unique county research and production district that houses more than 170 major research companies, and in excess of 375 companies, employing  a community of some 60,000 persons. 

Consistently ranked among the top places to live, work, and play, Durham is a magnet for talent, which helps attract innovative companies working in high-growth industries. Durham, the "City of Medicine," has long been known for world-class medical facilities, including top-ranked Duke University Medical Center and an industry-leading pharmaceutical sector. The healthcare industry in Durham County includes more than 300 medical and health-related companies and medical practices with a combined payroll that exceeds $1.2 billion annually. Durham County has become a hotspot for entrepreneurs and high-tech startups, propelled by the American Underground, a startup incubator and accelerator, and the Durham Innovation District, which is a planned, mixed-use residential/retail/lab and workspace in Downtown Durham. Durham boasts a premier performing arts center and the Durham Bulls AAA baseball team. In addition to Duke University, Durham is home to North Carolina Central University, the nation’s first public Historically Black College and University, now a major center for biotech and bio-manufacturing R&D, and Durham Technical Community College, a key partner in preparing a competitive workforce. Private investment is flourishing, redeveloping former tobacco and textile warehouses and historic buildings into exciting, mixed-use developments filled with diverse and popular housing options, restaurants, artist studios, retail spaces, and small businesses. 

The population of Durham County is over 326,000 and is highly diverse. Much of Durham County's growth occurred within the City of Durham, where most of the county's community members reside. The county's population grew from 267,587 to 324,833 from 2010-2020, representing a decade-long increase of more than 20%. Current expectations are that the population will grow by 30% by 2050. Centrally located, Durham County is a few hours' drive from the beautiful North Carolina coast to the East and the Appalachian Mountains to the West.

To learn more about the Community, visit the County website.

About the Organization, Division, and Position:  

Durham County Government, governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners, provides services ranging from animal control to zoning.  Durham County, recognized for its many award-winning programs and innovative practices, has an overall budget of approximately $915 million The county has 27 departments employing over 2,200 FTE employees. Their strategic plan supports the community’s vision of Durham County as a “thriving, vibrant and diverse community with abundant opportunity for all residents to live, work, learn and grow.” As showcased in this ICMA focus video, the county's collaborative and innovative efforts post-COVID so beautifully demonstrated this vision at work.

The Durham County Utilities Division is one of the Engineering and Environmental Services Department’s divisions that oversee the operation and maintenance of the TWWTP, which includes a reclaimed water system and biosolids management. The Utilities Division supports economic growth in Durham County by providing utility services to the world-renowned Research Triangle Park (RTP), a national hub of innovation focused on technology and life sciences.   The division is also a workplace of choice for team members who desire a culture of efficient operations, organizational and situational awareness, and uncompromised service, safety, and compliance. The Utilities Division’s budget supports 37 approved FTE’s, with FY25 O&M budget of ~$17M and FY25 CIP funding of ~$16M, of an approximate total of $150 million in CIP projects over the next 5 years.  The Utilities division recently completed a System Development Fee update study and is currently conducting a Utility Rate Study to ensure full and proper revenue streams for coming years to support all operational and capital needs.  Both the Board of Commissioners and County Executive leadership have a strong appreciation and support for the Utilities division and their mission.  

The TWWTP is an advanced tertiary biological treatment facility rated for an average daily flow of 12 million gallons per day (MGD) and meets future nutrient load requirements of the Jordan Lake nutrient management strategy. The TWWTP service area includes the southeast portion of Durham County inside and outside the Durham City limits including the aforementioned Research Triangle Park areas within Durham County.  

Reporting to the Deputy Director of the Engineering and Environmental Services, the Utilities Superintendent oversees a staff of 18 (including two direct reports) and is responsible for managing all operations and maintenance of the TWWTP, associated wastewater collection system, associated reclaimed water system, and potable water system. The Superintendent also monitors the wastewater treatment plant and identifies needed changes and potential problems; conducts optimization studies and analyses, interprets lab data and makes necessary adjustments; as well as all administrative duties related to operations management and staff leadership.  

More information about the Utilities Division can be found here.

Key Position Priorities:  

• Make employee safety a top priority, ensuring employees are fully trained and following proper safety protocols;
• Ensure the County is fully compliant with all permits and requirements for the collection system, TWWTP, and the reclaimed water system;

• Learn the TWWTP’s complex BNR system and continue to work to optimize the process
• Oversee the new SCADA system project;
• Select the new denitrification filters and UV system for the project to renovate the TWWTP; and
• Continue to build morale and promote teamwork throughout the organization while developing staff and engaging in succession planning.
  
  

The successful candidate has a proven track record and is:

• a principled and independent leader who values accountability while holding realistic and fair expectations of self and others;
• an effective team builder equally committed to building a cohesive team throughout the department as well as to developing individual employees;
• an effective communicator, including one-on-one communications, small groups and public speaking, who confidently and persuasively engages citizens, community groups, staff, and elected officials;
• an experienced operational and CIP budget manager who is proactive and fiscally responsible;
• proactive in building collaborative external relationships with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, contractors, developers, engineers, architects, and business leaders to effectively meet County goals and internal relationships within the Utilities Department as well as other County departments;
• thoroughly knowledgeable of theory, principles, practices and techniques of water and wastewater utilities including of chemical, physical, and bacteriological analyses of wastewater, BNR processes, and the operation and maintenance of the equipment used in wastewater treatment;
• an expert in the applicable federal, state and local law, codes and regulations governing public administration and public utilities functions and activities, including interlocal service agreements;
• an experienced project manager who is adept at overseeing utility-related construction and infrastructure projects and can adapt and flex as new challenges and opportunities arise; 
• a continuous learner who seeks innovative solutions, ideas and training for self and others to achieve excellence;
• resourceful in finding or developing innovative solutions to meet workload demands with staffing challenges in a strong economy; and
• skilled in operational and administrative tasks of managing work orders, materials and services requisition in a water utility environment.

Salary : $81,801 - $126,000