Assistant Water and Sewer Superintendent

Job Title: Assistant Water and Sewer Superintendent

Department: Department of Public Works – Water and Sewer Division

Contract/Grade: Personnel Policies (non-union), Grade 11

Compensation: Pay range $75,806 - $98,548. Actual salary dependent upon qualifications.

FLSA Status: Full Time - Exempt, Benefit Eligible

Reports to: Water and Sewer Superintendent

Number of Openings: 1

Start Date: Position available July 1, 2024 

1. Nature of Work: The Assistant Water & Sewer Superintendent will assist with all functions of the Water and Sewer system in order to provide a potable and reliable water supply for residential and commercial uses. Provides for the transport and treatment of wastewater. Assists in the planning, organizing and the operations and activities of the Water and Sewer Division and related distribution collection, storage and treatment systems in conformance with applicable federal and state mandates and regulations. Will serve as the primary operator for wastewater. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.

2. Supervision Received: Under direct supervision of the Water & Sewer Superintendent, the employee plans and carries out the regular work in accordance with standard practices and previous training, with substantial responsibility for determining the sequence and timing of action and substantial independence in planning and organizing the work activities, including determining the work methods. The employee is expected to solve through experienced judgment most problems of detail or unusual situations by adapting methods or interpreting instructions to resolve the particular problem. Instructions for new assignments or special projects usually consist of statements of desired objectives, deadlines and priorities. Technical and policy problems or changes in procedures are discussed with supervisor, but ordinarily the employee plans the work, lays it out and carries it through to completion independently. Work is generally reviewed only for technical adequacy, appropriateness of actions or decisions, and conformance with policy or other requirements; the methods used in arriving at the end result are not usually reviewed in detail.

3. Supervisory Responsibility: Employee has direct supervision of all subordinate full time and part time positions as well as seasonal employees. Employee, as a regular and continuing part of the job, is accountable for the quality and quantity of work done by subordinates and assures the accomplishment of the assigned work in the prescribed manner. Supervisory functions typically consist of most of the following: plans, schedules and coordinates work operations to meet schedules, deadlines and priorities; revises work schedules to meet changes in workload or availability of manpower; recommends and justifies to higher levers of management changes in the organization of work, work methods or assignment of functions to positions that may affect staffing patterns, costs, work standards, etc.; assures that completed work meets the required standard of quality, timeliness and cost, taking corrective actions as necessary; oversees attendance and leave, typically including approval or ordinary sick and vacation schedules; advises employees or performance requirements and prepares formal evaluations of performance; informs subordinates or organizational policies, goals and procedures; resolves employee complaints and effects disciplinary actions, oral warnings and reprimands.

4. Confidentiality: Employee has regular access to confidential information of the department. Confidentiality must be maintained with regard to this information in accordance with Departmental Policy and the Public Records Act.

5. Accountability: Duties include department level responsibility for technical processes, service delivery, and contribution to municipal wide plans and objectives and fiscal responsibility for the department including buildings, equipment and staffing utilization. Consequences of errors, missed deadlines or poor judgment could severely jeopardize department operations or have extensive financial and legal repercussions and/or loss of life.

6. Judgment: Guidelines may be in the form of administrative or organizational policies, general principles, legislation or directives that pertain to a specific department or functional area. Extensive judgment is required to develop new or adapt existing methods and approaches for accomplishing objectives or to deal with new or unusual requirements within the limits of the guidelines or policies. The employee is recognized as the department or functional area’s authority in interpreting the guidelines, in determining how they should be applied, and in making recommendations for operating policies, standards or criteria.

7. Complexity: The work consists of employing many different concepts, theories, principles, techniques and practices relating to an administrative field. Assignments typically concern such matters as studying trends in the field for application to the work; assessing services and recommending improvements; planning long range projects; and devising new techniques for application to the work.

8. Nature and Purpose of Public Contact: Employee interacts constantly with co-workers, the public, groups and/or individuals such as civic leaders, peers from the other organizations, representatives of professional organizations, and news media. The employee serves as a spokesperson or recognized authority of the organization in matters of substance or considerable importance. The employee deals with the public and other individuals on behalf of a department to communicate departmental practices, procedures, regulations or guidelines. Excellent communication and customer service skills are required involving courtesy, tact, and diplomacy in resolving complaints or concerns of the public.

9. Essential Functions: The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or logical assignment to the position.

1. Assists the Superintendent in Development, recommendations, implements and plans and programs to provide for the construction, repair and maintenance of town water, sewer and treatment plant systems and related facilities/structures.

2. Oversees the operation of the Wastewater Treatment Facility and the Drinking Water Iron Removal Plan and all related water and sewer infrastructures; oversees major capital improvement projects in absence of Superintendent.

3. Serves as Primary or Secondary Operator for Water or Sewer Operations in absence of licensed operator.

4. In conjunction with the Water and Sewer Superintendent, assists with planning and divisions of seasonal and long-range work programs; estimating costs; materials, equipment and staff needed. Reviews all division installation, repair and maintenance projects to determine efficient use of equipment, materials and staff.

5. Responsible for the system’ conformance with all Environmental Protection Agency and state drinking water regulations, both in existence and to be promulgated; ensures operational and staff compliance with applicable safety regulations and other requirements governing construction, repair and maintenance operations. Responds to water main breaks and other emergencies after hours as needed.

6. Prepares and maintains a variety of records and reports; ensures that records and reports are accurately completed in a timely manner such that they satisfy state and federal requirements and can be effectively utilized by department personnel. Attend public meetings as needed.

7. Responsible for the preparation and management of direct water and sewer construction improvements.

8. Coordinates water billing activities for optimum revenue enhancement. Receives questions/complaints from the public regarding bills and appropriately responds to inquiries.

9. Provides division response to inquiries from the public regarding water quality and division operations.

10. Prepares a variety of statistical information regarding usage, future demand and specifications for equipment.

11. Keeps up to date on current and developing technical information pertaining to municipal water and sewer service and operational issues.

10. Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience: Graduate of a four-year college with a Bachelor’s degree in construction, business, engineering, public administration or some related field with seven to ten (7-10) years related work experience five (5) of which should have been in a supervisory position; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform and essential functions of the job.

Special Requirements: Required License: Massachusetts class D driver’s license (current/valid), Grade 4-M Wastewater license. Desired Licenses (or ability to obtain within 1 year) Drinking Water Supply Facilities Grade 2T Full Operator; Drinking Water Supply Facilities Grade 3D Full Operator; DEP Certified Cross Connection Tester/Surveyor; maintains license as Operator of Drinking Water Supply Facilities

11. Knowledge, Abilities and Skills:

Knowledge: Knowledge of DEP policies and guidelines, EPA policies and guidelines, Massachusetts General Laws associated with drinking water, OSHA regulations regarding safety, Massachusetts Labor Laws, AWWA standards and practices; knowledge of the materials, methods and techniques relative to the construction and rehabilitation on water, sewer and pump station infrastructures; and knowledge of field safety.

Abilities: Ability to plan, assign and supervise the work of groups of employees engaged in a variety of construction and maintenance operations; ability to deal with employees tactfully and effectively and maintain positive public relations; basic computer skills; mathematical skills; ability to work effectively under time constrains to meet deadlines; ability to prepare and manage budgets and vision finances.

Skills: Excellent organizational skills; excellent data base and spreadsheet application skills; and excellent written and oral communication skills.

12. Work Environment: The nature of duties may involve continuous presence of unpleasant or irritating elements, such as considerable noise, odors, chemical fumes, dust, smoke, heat, cold, oil, dirt or grease. Work is continually performed outdoors, regardless of weather conditions. Work generally contains one or more constant elements of stress such as being on call for 24 hours or being under prolonged pressure during emergency situations. Employee is required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings or emergency situations.

13. Occupational Risk: Duties regularly present potential risk of injuries from improper exposure that could result in loss of time from work. Examples of injury include burns from chemicals, steam or fire, severe muscular strains from working with extremely heavy material, falls from heights in excess of three feet and illness from exposure to communicable diseases. Special safety precautions, training, or protective clothing such as gowns, coats, gloves, glasses, hats or boots may be required.

14. Physical and Mental Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions. Physical Demands: Work requires agility and physical strength, such as moving in or about construction sites or over rough terrain or standing or walking most of the work period. Occasionally, work may require lifting heavy objects and carrying them (up to 100 lbs.). There is a need to stretch and reach to retrieve materials. Usually, the work will require extended physical effort over a significant portion of the workday.

15. Motor Skills: Duties may involve close hand and eye coordination and physical dexterity. Manipulation and motor control under conditions that may require extreme accuracy may be critical. The manual skills required are comparable to those which might be needed in making repairs to delicate electronic instruments or complex equipment, conducting laboratory tests, performing microscopic experiments.

16. Visual Demands: Visual demands include constantly reading documents for general understanding and for analytical purposes, routinely reviewing non-written materials such as instrumentation for analytical purposes and with a need for color vision.

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer, as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change