Water and Wastewater Technical Assistance Provider.

 Water and Wastewater Technical Assistance Provider

Location: Columbia, South Carolina

Salary: $50,000

Job Type: Full-time

Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc. (SERCAP) is a regional program operating in seven states including Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. SERCAP provides training and technical assistance to low-income communities and community-based organizations to develop affordable safe drinking water/sanitary waste facilities and other services that are needed to serve low-income rural residents.

The impact that SERCAP has on the lives of clients is impactful and long-lasting. SERCAP’s success stories includes providing appropriate water and wastewater resources to keep families together in their homes, being a funder of last resort to underwrite certain home loans, and helping schools remain open by providing funding for clean water. Visit our website to learn more about our team and what we do.

SERCAP is the perfect place for someone who would like to use their technical expertise in water and wastewater management to advance the mission of the agency and serve the community.

What You’ll Do

As the Technical Assistance Provider, you will provide technical assistance, training, research, and program development in the technical areas of wastewater, water, and solid waste operations.

You will report to the South Carolina State Lead.

Duties & Responsibilities:

·      Operation and maintenance evaluations – work with clients to evaluate the condition of water and/or wastewater facilities; make recommendations for improvements, disaster preparedness, repairs or staff development.

·      Technical assistance - deliver direct technical assistance and service to clients; develop projects to address community needs and meet grant requirements; work one on one with utility operators, managers, and decision-makers, demonstrating proper techniques used to operate a small utility and maintain facility equipment.

·      Training - plan, prepare, and deliver technical training at various conferences, institutes, workshops, clinics or client agencies to meet or exceed grant deliverables.

·      Outreach and networking - participate in networks and associations; form and maintain relationships between agencies and/or other networks; perform facilitation for clients and funders; maintain current information on environmental programs, policies, and regulations; market department and SERCAP programs.

·      Program development - in coordination with the State Lead, Department Director and Director of Planning may participate in the development of funding strategies; initiate contacts and identify opportunities; determine the scope of work with funders; coordinate, write, develop and submit small proposals; work as a team member on large proposals.

·      Finance - market and represent SERCAP and the loan fund; assist potential clients with application preparation and submission.

·      Research, analysis and publications - remain current on applicable government regulations and policies in each state served; comment on the impact of proposed regulations and policies; analyze rural development issues and needs; develop policy and technical papers, articles, and manuals for SERCAP and other publications.

·      Administrative - assemble and lead project teams; prepare written reports and documentation of activities; meet reporting deadlines; write articles for publication and newsletter; maintain contact with funders; respond to inquiries as needed; make timely additions and entries in the DCS database.

·      Work plan management – work with State Lead to develop and/or maintain project work plans; maintain accurate records of progress; monitor implementation and compliance.

What We’re Looking For

A self-starter who can work with minimum supervision and handle multiple priorities simultaneously. The ideal team member will be able to:

·      Demonstrate a high level of customer service skills.

·      Use initiative to approach troubleshooting and problem-solving alternatives.

·      Successfully organize and prioritize work to meet established timelines.

·      Effectively listen and communicate verbally and in writing.

·      Develop and deliver training for adult learners.

·      Participate in and occasionally facilitate online meetings and web-based training.

·      Write and deliver reports, articles, and case studies.

The successful candidate will also have a combination of experience and education, such as:

·      Preferred Experience: Five (5) years of any combination of applicable experience in a public water and/or wastewater utility. This includes management, water, wastewater operation & maintenance. Experience in a small or medium-sized utility is highly desirable. Experience in teaching or conducting training is also highly desirable. (Education/specialized utility training may be partially substituted for the experience).

·      Preferred Education: Special coursework related to the field of water and wastewater. Operator Certification in either wastewater or water in the state where the job is to be performed is highly desirable. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for education).

Knowledge:

·      Water and wastewater systems, particularly systems under 10,000 in population

·      Federal, state, and local government agencies, programs, issues, and regulations related to rural water and wastewater systems and facilities

·      Nonprofit, local agency, and rural community organizations

·      Communication, facilitation, mediation, and meeting management skills

·      General record-keeping practices

·      Principles of adult learning

·      Personal computers including word processing (preferably Word), spreadsheet and presentation programs

·      English language, grammar, spelling and punctuation

·      Standard office procedures

What’s Required

·      A valid driver’s license and proof of insurance that meets the minimum requirements ($100,000/$300,000) of SERCAP corporate liability policy may be required when traveling for business purposes.

·      Ability to travel 25% - 50% throughout the seven-state region. Unscheduled and frequent travel is required, including overnight travel. Note that travel will be limited while COVID-19 restrictions are in place.

Why You Should Apply

In addition to working with dedicated team members, employees have access to the following benefits:

·      Health Insurance

·      Dental Insurance

·      Vision insurance

·      Retirement Plan

·      Paid Time Off

·      Paid Sick Leave

EEO Statement

SERCAP is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law.