Treatment Plant Program Manager

It's a great time to join the City of Boulder!

Application Deadline:

June 28, 2025

Compensation Details:

Full Pay Range

70,387.20 - 102,086.40

Generally, the hiring range is from the minimum up to 80% of the range.This is a full-time salaried position.

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Benefit Eligibility Group:

Non Union (30+ Hours)

Locate the Benefit Eligibility Group value on the Employee Benefit Eligibility document to identify the benefits offered for this job.

Job Description Summary:

Make a meaningful impact on public health and environmental sustainability.

The City of Boulder is seeking a Water Treatment Program Manager to join our Utilities team. This unique opportunity will directly contribute to the safe, sustainable delivery of drinking water through strong program and project management, operational coordination, and cross-functional leadership.

In this role, you'll take ownership of a wide range of initiatives supporting the City's water treatment facilities, such as safety and training initiatives, the creation of standard operating procedures (SOP), electronic records management, and regulatory compliance. With minimal oversight, you'll manage competing priorities, facilitate workgroup meetings, analyze operational data, help optimize processes, and ensure key programs are continuously moving forward to completion.

The ideal candidate brings:

• A high degree of initiative and accountability.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Clear, confident communication across teams and departments.
• A proactive, adaptable approach in a dynamic environment.
• A commitment to public service and environmental stewardship.

A background in science or operations is preferred, and while prior experience in water treatment is beneficial, the City will support training and certification (Colorado Class D Water Treatment) within two years of hire.

We welcome professionals with federal program or project management experience, particularly those navigating career transitions, to apply. Become part of a mission-driven team committed to innovation, resilience, and improving lives through essential services.

OVERVIEW OF ROLE (Water Treatment)

Under general supervision, the Water Treatment Program Manager (PM) supports the Water Treatment (WT) work group in the administration of projects and ongoing programs related to operations and maintenance-related activities of the Boulder water treatment facilities and assists in workflows related to plant operations, administration, maintenance, utility-wide coordination, and regulatory compliance. The PM coordinates and manages complex projects involving competing interests and objectives, works independently with minimal oversight, assumes responsibility, prioritizes and resolves problems, works under pressure, pays close attention to detail, coordinates tasks to completion with accountability, and provides quality control for responsiveness and customer satisfaction.

Job Description:

WATER TREATMENT

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work plan administrator: management of work orders, regular update of work plan and related software.
• Training program manager: assignment, development, and maintenance of training materials.
• SOP library manager: assignment, development, and maintenance of work group SOP library.
• Records program manager: primary custodian and administrator for graphic and written electronic records (prints & diagrams, meeting minutes, SharePoint, Laserfiche).
• Primary administrator for WT enterprise software (Workday, electronic O&M manual updates, Smartsheet, Beehive asset management software, database software, GIS updates).
• Project manager for facilities-related rehabilitation and maintenance projects.
• Safety program manager: primary safety liaison with risk management, scheduling and/or leading safety meetings and trainings, PPE procurement and distribution, SDS/hazcom program administration.
• Financial, procurement, and billing support, reporting, and analysis for WT group.
• Work group meeting coordinator: scheduling of workgroup meetings, minutes.
• Regulatory compliance support: data entry, verification and analysis; report generation/submission; and regulatory correspondence.
• Administration of various projects and programs (Partnership for Safe Water, emergency response plan, Utilities Year-end Report, etc.).
• Energy and chemical usage data reporting and analysis and energy management system support.
• ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
• Occasional support of operations staff in daily plant operations, including laboratory analysis and covering operator shifts.
• Support for various special projects as needed.
• Responsibility for proper safety precautions to prevent accidents; ensuring the safety of self, others, materials, and equipment; utilization of all required safety equipment; adherence to all safety regulations, policies and procedures; and reporting of all accidents and damage to city property.
• Knowledge of and compliance with all city and department policies; participation in professional trainings and development; and adherence to attendance and workplace attire policies.
• Performance of job duties with a continuing awareness of the environmental implications of decisions and a focus on providing municipal services in a sustainable manner.
• Performance of related duties as required to meet the needs of the City.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability and willingness to be a supportive teammate; to be kind, supportive, and professional in working with others; to recognize the importance of collaboration and build lasting relationships with other city employees and community members; to be socially perceptive, modeling consideration and tact while maintaining focus on tasks at hand; to assume positive intent; to be comfortable working through conflict and differences of opinion; to willingly partner with and support all Utilities staff; to evaluate system needs and provide creative solutions with a positive attitude; to be committed to ensuring wider Utilities Department success.
• Ability and willingness to be flexible, creative, engaged, and strongly self-motivated; to quickly adapt to changing circumstances and priorities; to identify and suggest creative resolutions to unique problems; to be driven to perpetually improve all facets of team and process performance.
• Ability and willingness to gracefully set boundaries; to model strong customer service by being patient and empathetic; to practice principles and processes for providing customer service, including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Ability and willingness to strongly align with City's Vision and Values, to promote a culture of trust and candor, to foster a team environment where how we do our work is as important as the work itself with a special focus on customer service.
• Ability to be organized, accountable, and self-motivated; to proactively and effectively plan and execute work in a timely fashion with little oversight; to ensure reliable execution of all daily tasks and special assignments and effective management of ongoing programs.
• Ability to demonstrate exemplary written and verbal communication skills with proficiency in MS Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint, and Adobe.
• Ability to demonstrate team coordination skills, including administrative, planning, and organizational skills.
• Ability to distill and clearly communicate technical information, to provide written and verbal updates in both technical and lay terms, and to consistently communicate project status with updates to all staff.
• Ability to walk, kneel, and climb while performing field inspections and operations and in confined spaces.
• Valid Driver's License and ability to maintain acceptable motor vehicle record.
• Have and maintain acceptable background information, including criminal conviction history.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of and experience with database software.
• Bachelor's degree in science, engineering, business administration, or other field that would support project/program management at a water treatment facility
• Experience in water or wastewater, utilities, construction, project management, business/office administration, lab, research, or related field.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Associate's degree in science, engineering, business administration, or other field that would support project/program management at a water treatment facility; or equivalent of four (4) years' experience may substitute for the education requirement only.
• Two (2) years' experience in utilities, construction, project management, business/office administration, lab, research, or related field.
• Required to obtain Colorado Class D Water Treatment Operations Certification within two (2) years of hire.

SUPERVISION

Supervision Received: Treatment Process Senior Engineer

Supervision Exercised: None

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Physical and Mental Effort: Ability to walk, kneel, and climb while performing field inspections and operations and in confined spaces.

Additional Job Description:

Last updated: April 2025

The City of Boulder is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected statute. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please send a request to riskmanagement@bouldercolorado.gov.