Supervisor, Environmental Field Services

The Role

Supervises the Environmental Enforcement & Laboratory Service’s delivery of the drinking water monitoring program, industrial field monitoring program, spills response, and sewer use by-law enforcement in accordance with provincial legislation, the laboratory testing license, ISO17025, and the Quality Management System (QMS).

Duties/Responsibilities

• Supervises a Drinking Water Compliance Officer and Environmental Officers.
• Coordinates and schedules field resources to meet regulatory and client-mandated sampling/ testing requirements.
• Ensures staff collect, document, track, and submit monitoring/compliance samples per ISO 17025, QMS, and Ministry licensing requirements.
• Immediately reports adverse drinking water results, per strict drinking water legislation and public health protocols.
• Implements, organizes, and maintains a field quality assurance/quality control program. Ensures quality system records/documentation is complete, maintained, and retrievable.
• Writes, reviews, and updates field sampling/analytical methods, standard operating procedures, and related documents as required. Researches industry trends/developments in field procedures, and ensures procedures and practices are current, applicable, and validated, per QMS requirements.
• Supervises the maintenance of field-related records and data, including the drinking water sampling database and spills response tracking. Supervises data handling, including ensuring staff enter data accurately in the laboratory information management system (LIMS). 
• Prepares program summaries and reviews technical reports for clients, as required. 
• Reviews CALA performance evaluation analytical data to confirm ongoing compliance with QMS.  Participates in audits performed by external accreditation bodies and internal auditors. Participates in Ministry inspections and follows up immediately to ensure noted deficiencies are addressed.  
• Supervises sewer use by-law enforcement activities and takes steps to ensure non-compliant wastewater dischargers are managed effectively. Creates a structured monitoring program and researches/develops new enforcement strategies to resolve non-compliant situations.  
• Provides technical guidance to staff performing industrial effluent investigations related to wastewater treatment plant upsets and related environmental contaminant impact studies.
• Evaluates the sewer use by-law against current industry/technical standards and recommends revisions to Council. Creates, reviews, and revises enforcement procedures to reflect current industry standards. 
• Assesses and approves by-law related documents (permits) and forwards for management approval.
   

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Determines when evidentiary samples are required and works with Legal Services to develop a sampling plan to demonstrate violations for potential legal prosecution. 
• Responds to internal and external clients regarding field services/sampling concerns and takes action to document and investigate. 
• Provides technical expertise to clients, staff, and committees regarding sampling techniques, results, and legislation interpretation; spills response; and field analysis methods. Provides information to the media as needed. 
• Initiates and follows up on non–conformance reports, deviations, corrective action reports, and method audit reports. Performs and documents health and safety work observations monthly. 
• Supervises the environmental spills response program, including receiving calls, determining response, ensuring staff follow-up, and reviewing completed spills reports. 
• Discusses/presents issues to internal/external groups, agencies, and the public. Represents the Region at spill prevention and by-law related workshops, committees, and working groups. Investigates and responds to enforcement/spills inquiries.
• Exchanges information with public health staff regarding protection and investigation activities related to water sampling and analysis. 
• Provides input into annual operating and capital budgets (e.g., equipment, supplies, training). Has a P-card. Ensures adequate supply inventory. Reviews monthly sampling invoices for accuracy. Ensures field sampling/test costs are accurate, competitive, and provide cost recovery.  Ensures annual field-related invoices are accurate, prepared, and sent to Finance.
• Ensures proper operation, service, and maintenance of instruments, equipment, and vehicles. Troubleshoots, performs minor technical servicing, and supervises performance validation of sampling instrumentation/equipment.
• Acts as a backup to the Manager upon request. 
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skills are normally acquired through a Bachelor’s degree in Science or Environmental Studies plus progressively responsible related experience leading environmental monitoring and compliance programs.
• Knowledge of principles, practices, and trends in industrial waste treatment and sewer by-law enforcement, laboratory operations, drinking/wastewater treatment, sampling/field analysis procedures, program management, risk assessment methodology, database maintenance, and financial tracking/assessment tools. 
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, collective agreements, Ministry regulations, and related legislation (e.g., sewer use, drinking water, wastewater and environmental protection, quality system, health and safety).
• Knowledge and skill in the operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and minor technical servicing of field analysis and sampling instrumentation/equipment.
• Knowledge of contaminated site assessment and remediation practices, as well as spill response and clean up requirements. 
• Analytical, organizational, problem solving, and continuous improvement skills to plan workloads; fulfill analytical, quality, and client requirements; evaluate analytical data; and develop analytical field methods.
• Leadership skills to supervise, train, motivate, develop, and support staff.
• Negotiation and human relations skills to address public concerns; deal with Ministry officials, local industry owners/representatives, municipal representatives, and public sector enforcement groups; communicate technical information to varied audiences using specialized terminology; deal with politically sensitive issues/complaints; work with consultants and other industries involved in regional projects or spill clean ups; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to develop and update protocols, procedures, and ensure compliance with regulations and legislation. Ability to review, interpret, and apply information in analytical procedures, health and safety manuals, quality system documents, acts and regulations, and instrument manuals. Ability to write clear, accurate, concise technical documents and general communication. 
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office, a LIMS, and program-specific databases. 
• Ability to participate in an official standby/on-call rotation to respond to legislated or time sensitive demands beyond regularly scheduled work hours. 
• Must have a valid Class G driver's license (or G2 with 3 years of driving experience) and acceptable driving record to operate a corporate vehicle. Ability to travel within Waterloo Region when a corporate vehicle is not available. 
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.