Operations Manager – Water Utility

Our purpose is sustaining energy and water for life, and it is demonstrated in everything we do as a business, and as an employee team. At Liberty, we hire passionate people who care about doing the right thing for our customers. We are entrepreneurial, creative, and outcome-focused. Here, your natural talent and achievements will flourish in an inclusive environment of teamwork, trust and continuous learning. We are always pursuing excellence to exceed our ambitions goals, rewarding both the goal outcome and how we achieve it.

Purpose

Liberty is dedicated to providing exceptional water utility services, ensuring the highest standards of quality, safety, and environmental stewardship. Our commitment to innovation and community engagement drives our operations, making a positive impact on the lives of our customers and employees.

We are seeking an experienced leader to join our team as an Operations Manager. You will support our Water Utility Operations in Sierra Vista and Rio Rico, AZ and will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise in water and wastewater utility operations, with a strong focus on technical excellence, leadership, and strategic planning.

Candidates are required to reside within a commutable distance of Sierra Vista or Rio Rico, AZ.

Accountabilities

• Lead and inspire our Water Utility Operations teams, driving cultural initiatives and role modeling change leadership, promoting succession planning and incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) best practices
• Oversee and direct the daily operations and maintenance activities of water distribution, treatment, and wastewater collections, ensuring consistency in operations management across our Southern Arizona facilities
• Make complex technical and managerial decisions to optimize operational efficiency and effectiveness
• Coordinate and manage special projects, ensuring alignment with overall organizational goals
• Provide subject matter expertise on operational issues to internal teams and external consultants, developers, regulatory agencies, commissions, and city officials
• Resolve field or administrative problems through field visits, interpreting construction drawings, analyzing issues, and conveying solutions to operations teams
• Lead operations teams by offering guidance and direction, while ensuring the health, well-being, and safety of all team members, and spearhead training and development initiatives
• Ensure compliance with local codes, ordinances, state statutes, and federal laws
• Represent the company to external partners and effectively present information, including participation in rate case activities
• Make budgetary recommendations for capital improvements, monitor progress toward fiscal objectives, and adjust plans as necessary
• Perform other responsibilities as requested by leadership

Education And Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• 10+ years of experience in the water utility industry
• 5 years of experience leading teams
• Hold or ability to obtain relevant ADEQ Operator certifications
• Strong leadership capabilities with a desire to foster an inclusive and engaging workplace culture
• Possess a valid driver’s license and maintain a clean driving record
• Ability to read and understand technical reports, maps, drawings, research papers, construction plans, state statutes, federal laws, and legal documents
• Proficiency in general math calculations, advanced algebra, geometry, and trigonometry
• Strong technical writing skills for reports, budgets, project updates, and correspondence

What We Offer

As a valued member of our team, you will enjoy competitive pay that reflects your skills and experience. You will also have access to a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage & a 401K plan with a 5% match, effective day one
• Annual bonus and merit increase eligibility
• Company sponsored pension program, life insurance, and short-term & long-term disability
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• Free Employee Assistance Program & Headspace account
• 3 weeks of vacation, 5 sick days, 12 paid company holidays, & 3 paid volunteer days
• Tuition reimbursement, professional development opportunities, & reimbursement for certification costs
• Reward & recognition programs, service awards, a great company culture, and a collaborative & flexible work environment

Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. is a growing renewable energy and utility company with over $15 billion of assets across North America and internationally. For more than 30 years, Algonquin has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering clean energy and water solutions. Our rapid growth has led both our regulated utility services and renewable energy business groups into different geographies and commodities, but our purpose remains unchanged – Sustaining Energy and Water for Life.

Through our operating business (Liberty), we provide regulated electricity, water, and natural gas utility services to over 1 million customer connections, primarily in North America. And, our growing portfolio of clean, renewable wind, solar, hydro and thermal power generation facilities represent over 3 GW of renewable generation capacity in operation and under construction. With our robust, diversified, and growing presence in communities across North America and internationally, we are continually demonstrating our “Think Global, Act Local” business model.

We are focused on building a diverse and inclusive workforce. If you are excited about this role and are not certain you meet the all the qualification requirements, we encourage you to apply to further investigate the opportunity. We are an equal opportunity employer and value each person’s unique background, diversity, experiences, perspectives and talents. Full participation of all employees in a safe, healthy and respectful environment is key to individual and company success. We are committed to fully utilizing the abilities of all of our employees and expect each of our employees to honor this commitment in their daily responsibilities.