Director, Water and Wastewater Operations

Job Number: 2024 
Job Type: Full-Time 
Location: 150 Frederick St - Regional Admin Headquarters 
Job Category: Engineering 
Number of Positions: 
Department: Engineering & Environmental Services Admin 
Division: Engineering and Environmental Services 
Hours of Work: 35. Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Hybrid | 2 days in office 
Union:  Management/Management Support 
Grade: Management/Management Support Grade 12 
Salary Range: $162,051.53 - $202.564.41 annually 

Posting Date: January 9, 2025

 

About Us!

The Region of Waterloo is a thriving, diverse community committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations. Home to over 674,000 residents and expected to grow to nearly one million by 2051. Guided by our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, “Growing with Care,” we focus on equity, inclusion, and sustainability. Our mission is to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all residents, while our core values emphasize caring for people and the land we share. Join us and be part of a team dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community. 

Dish with One Spoon Wampum: 

Waterloo Region is part of the Dish with One Spoon wampum, a treaty guiding our commitment to: 

  • Recognizing our shared humanity and land 
  • Taking only what we need 
  • Leaving some for others 
  • Keeping the dish clean 

This agreement underpins our vision, mission, and core values, and reinforces our dedication to meaningful reconciliation and equity. 
 

The Role

Directs the maintenance and operation of water and wastewater systems that receive 80% of water supply from ground water and 20% from ground surface water, including a CALA-accredited lab, environmental enforcement, SCADA system and cybersecurity. Is responsible for approximately $2.5 billion of infrastructure to ensure the safe, efficient, and healthy supply of potable water and treatment of wastewater.

Duties/Responsibilities

  • Supervises a Manager of Operations and Maintenance; Manager of Laboratory Services and Environmental Enforcement; Manager of SCADA and Operational Technology; and Manager of Engineering and Wastewater Programs. Indirectly supervises unionized and non-unionized staff. 
  • Directs the Division’s compliance with legislation, regulations, standards, policies, specifications, health and safety, and legal requirements.
  • Acts as the Director/team chair for special project teams and studies, including multi-disciplinary groups of consultants and area or regional municipal staff, with engineering, planning, environmental, financial, and legal input (e.g., corporate-wide teams to support climate adaptation and mitigation, asset management, capital project delivery, strategic planning, equity, diversity and inclusion). 
  • Directs operations of the Division, ensuring efficient use of human, physical and financial resources.
  • Represents the Division and Department as a member of the emergency management team. In the event of an emergency, ensures the protection, compliance, and recovery of water and wastewater systems. Directs the development and update of emergency response plans and business continuity plans.
  • Directs the creation of and compliance with operational and performance reporting policies, systems, and procedures residing in the Drinking Water Quality Management system as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act, ECAs and Permits to Take Water, and other regulatory requirements. Develops evaluation systems and programs to measure performance and drive innovation and continuous improvement. 
  • Directs the maintenance and operation of water supply wells, water treatment plant, wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations, biosolids management facility, and transmission and watermain distribution systems. Directs water distribution and wastewater collection systems in the townships of Wellesley and North Dumfries. 
  • Acts as the most senior point of contact for the Region’s Wastewater System Operator – Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) and ensures the contract compliance. Negotiates new contracts and changes to existing contracts. Regularly receives updates on OCWA’s performance.
  • Approves staff reports for Environmental Coordinating Committee and Council and presents at Council as required.
  • Develops business plans and divisional resourcing plans, and directs the completion of manager workplans to inform the development and control of capital and operating budgets ($134M).
  • Directs operational input into major planning and strategic studies to set the long-term direction for water and wastewater development, to ensure sufficient, safe potable water and wastewater treatment. Directs operational input into the planning, development, and monitoring of infrastructure maintenance and capital programs and contracts. Directs operational input into the asset management plan including operational inspections, work order compliance and the development of standard operating procedures.
  • Operates as a conduit for ongoing and new corporate initiatives and programs to teams in the division (e.g., health and safety, asset management, risk management, procurement).
  • Directs the delivery of analytical laboratory services of a CALA accredited lab, environmental field monitoring, and sewer use by-law enforcement for the Region and area municipality infrastructure, including all Safe Drinking Water Act sampling and testing, Sewer By-law sampling and enforcement, and spills reporting. Directs water use by-law enforcement and education programs.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

  • Acts as the media contact on complex and high-profile divisional issues, providing written and verbal information. Develops issues management plans and collaborates with Public Health and area municipalities as required. Resolves escalated public concerns and complaints. Interacts with public officials and the public to represent the Region's interests and views.
  • Directs and approves operational comments on planning and development applications for plans of subdivision, official plan amendments, zone changes, severances, site plans, and various studies. Participates in civic design studies and other area planning studies. 
  • Provides professional advice to senior management, other engineering-related divisions, the CAO, Regional Chair and Council. Advocates to advance strategic matters or advocate for policy updates to higher levels of government (e.g., provincial ministries) as required. 
  • Negotiates approvals and funding, and exchanges technical or policy information with area municipal engineering staff, planning staff, Councillors, Ministry officials, engineering and planning consultants, and developers. Provides information to individuals, groups, committees, and the media. Advocates to advance strategic matters or policy updates to higher levels of government as required.  
  • Participates in inter-municipal groups, comments on key reports and policies as requested by agencies; advances innovative solutions between municipalities.
  • Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

  • Knowledge and skills are normally acquired through a bachelor’s degree in a related program (e.g., environmental, engineering), plus significant, progressively responsible leadership experience in municipal water and wastewater management.
  • Knowledge of water and wastewater operations and administration, and the design and development of engineering, operational, administrative, and financial planning.
  • Knowledge of water operations and management principles, relevant provincial standards, and relevant portions of the Regional Official Policies Plan, Municipal Act, Planning Act, Occupational Health & Safety Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Environmental Assessment Act. 
  • Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, and collective agreements.
  • Ability to make complex decisions and continuous improvements regarding program approaches, policies, and the Department’s mandate, involving interpretation of legislation, regulations, policies, procedures, and scientific data which carry health impact, political, legal, and financial implications. Ability to develop solutions requiring quick responses (often with partial information) to handle crisis situations where the public may be at risk.
  • Ability to synthesize unique and complex issues regarding engineering, economics, planning, environmental concerns, public perceptions, and politics and make inquiries to obtain information to form opinions, make decisions, and advise. Ability to monitor news media to keep current on local and national issues, policies, and developments relevant to the Division. 
  • Leadership, human relations, and negotiation skills to develop, motivate, direct, and support supervised staff; defend priorities and balance objectives in a political environment; present to the public, politicians, senior staff, and provincial ministries; present reports to Standing Committees and Regional Council; and participate as an effective team member.
  • Understanding of multiple cultural frameworks, values and norms and a demonstrated flexible style when faced with dimensions of culture in order to be effective across cultural contexts. Understands the dynamics of cross-cultural and inclusion-related conflicts, tensions, misunderstandings and opportunities. In addition, recognizes and addresses one’s filters, privileges, biases and cultural preferences with a commitment to continuous learning and improvement in diversity, inclusion and cultural competence. 
  • Ability to lead transformative change in line with the vision and values of senior leadership while delivering on the expectations of an evolving workforce and regional residents. Is able to discern when to inquire, advocate, drive or resolve more decisively.
  • Ability to write comprehensive technical reports to Standing Committees and Regional Council; compose policies, reports, letters, and other documents requiring complex descriptions and explanations to provincial Ministries, engineering and planning consultants, developers, and the public.
  • Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office and databases. 
  • Ability to travel within Waterloo Region. 
  • Ability to adjust schedule or work additional hours on weekends and evenings to respond to emergencies, Councillors, and for public open houses and information sessions.
  • Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.
     

The Region of Waterloo is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection process. The Region of Waterloo invites applications from all qualified individuals. We are strongly committed to employment equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encourage applications from Black, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ persons. 

The Region of Waterloo is committed to providing accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require an accommodation, please notify us and we will work with you to meet your needs. Alternate formats of this document are available upon request.  Please contact the Service First Contact Centre at phone number (519) 575-4400, TTY number (519-575-4608) to request an alternate format.

Please note: candidates will be provided an update on their application  Please check your spam or junk folder occasionally as some candidates have noticed our emails in those folders (Gmail and Hotmail in particular).