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Deputy Director of Water Resources

Location:  City of Greeley, CO Download:  City of Greeley, Co - Deputy Director of Water Resources - brochure

About Greeley, Colorado

Established in 1870, Greeley became a Home Rule City in 1958 and operates as a Council-Manager form of government. The county seat of Weld County, Greeley lies 20 miles east of I-25 with spectacular views of the Front Range of the majestic Rocky Mountains near the confluence of the Cache la Poudre and South Platte Rivers and 52 miles northeast of Denver.

Education, Commerce, and Community Excellence.  Greeley thrives as the education, trade, transportation, cultural, and marketing center of Weld County. It’s one of the top ten most prosperous and productive agricultural counties in the U.S. and leads the State of Colorado in oil and gas production. With an estimated population of 109,000, the city covers an area of 46.4 square miles at an elevation of 4,658 feet. Greeley enjoys a rich cross-section of cultures and ethnicities with approximately 40% of the community identifying as Latinx and many other immigrant families from across the globe, offering a variety of marketplace and cultural experiences. Greeley is home to both the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), the third-largest university in Colorado, and Aims Community College. In addition to investments in education, there is a deep commitment to achieving community excellence by fostering economic opportunities, expanding educational partnerships, enhancing quality of life, cultivating a sense of belonging, promoting talent and workforce development, enhancing transportation and mobility systems, and providing sustainable infrastructure to serve Greeley’s future. 

Greeley has a growth mindset and is home to a diverse mix of industries - from food processing, agricultural innovation, health care, and energy to breweries, entertainment, hospitality, and destination shopping. Greeley boasts an eclectic and diverse economy and community character that is vibrant, dynamic, and rich with creative industries and individuals. The city is home to a mix of generations and corporate citizens who provide inspired leadership, community support, and skilled-labor jobs that pay competitive salaries. 

Arts and Culture.  Greeley offers some of the most diverse arts, music, and cultural events in the region and is one of the State’s Certified Creative Districts. Performances produced by the UNC’s nationally acclaimed College of Performing and Visual Arts, the Greeley Chorale and the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the longest continually operating orchestras west of the Mississippi, are just a few examples of the superb cultural offerings of the community. The City’s Cultural Affairs Division manages the 1700-seat Union Colony Civic Center, art shows, movies, performances, festivals, farmers’ market and the City’s Public Art program. Greeley is also home to favorite community events such as the Greeley Stampede, Arts Picnic, Friday Fest, Monster Day, the Multi-Cultural Festival, OktoBREWfest, and so much more. 

Parks, Recreation and Mountain Access.  With a plethora of parks and facilities encompassing over 650 acres, the recreational amenities in Greeley are endless. The city’s golf courses, recreation centers, swimming pools, fields and courts, skate parks, playgrounds, fishing ponds, picnic areas, and open space create a community rich with options for sports and outdoor fun. Residents get to experience even more time outdoors on biking and hiking trails along the Cache la Poudre River and throughout the community. As the ‘front porch to the Front Range’ Greeley's connection to the outdoors extends to the plains and mountains with easy access to diverse outdoor experiences from the Pawnee National Grassland on the east to Rocky Mountain National Park to the west to Wyoming to the north and everything in between - all less than 50 miles away.  The city’s mountain water system collects sourcewater from four separate river basins, and the staff team regularly engages in field work in a foothills and subalpine environments.

What’s happening in Greeley?

Exciting things are happening in Greeley: 

In recent years Greeley and the Weld County region have been nationally recognized in a number of ways:  

·        Second-fastest population growth in the United States (Weld County - 2017)

·        6th best place in the United States in 2019 for First Time Homebuyers by WalletHub

·        8th most dynamic metropolitan area in the United States by the Walton Family Foundation based on economic performance - specifically job growth, income gains, and the proportion of jobs demonstrating entrepreneurship.

·        8th on WalletHub’s 2019 Best Small Town Real Estate Market Study 

In just the last three years, the City has constructed three new and replacement fire stations and constructed a state of the art combined City Council Chambers, Municipal Court, and office building to better serve its elected and appointed officials, staff, and the public. Respectively, these infrastructure investments enhance the city’s commitment to public safety and increase the city’s ability to serve residents through convenient, flexible space and integrated technology while also increasing transparency and accessibility through hybrid broadcasting systems. Ongoing investment in the redevelopment of Downtown Greeley with major investments in public art, road & pedestrian infrastructure, stormwater mitigation, redevelopment incentives, and place-making enhancements are attracting investment and innovation. A new, upscale hotel and conference center recently opened downtown attracting new visitors, business meetings, and special events and over 200 new market rate apartments have been developed in the Downtown/University corridor, further increasing the appeal of this area. New restaurants, hospitality, and retail outlets are choosing to locate in every corner of the city.

The Organization

A Home Rule Municipality that is self-governed under the State of Colorado Constitution, Greeley operates under a Council-Manager form of government with seven elected officials on the Council, including the Mayor.  Under this form of government, the City Council sets the policies for the operation of the Greeley government while the council-appointed City Manager has administrative responsibilities for city operations. 

Following the 2021 retirement of a City Manager with 16 years of service in the position, the City Council recently appointed Raymond C. Lee III as City Manager. Mr. Lee brings his enthusiasm and vision to lead the city organization as it prepares and plans for significant population growth and development over the next ten years. 

The City has a total 2022 budget of $486.3 million and a staff of approximately 1,101.75 full-time equivalent positions.

The Position

The Deputy Director for Water Resources is a leadership position with the City’s water utilities overseeing the city’s raw water operations, long-range strategic water planning, water resource acquisition, water court, water conservation, alternative transfer method projects, expansion of the non-potable irrigation supplies and systems, watershed health and agricultural lease and farm management programs.  The position is responsible for both ongoing water resource programs and implementation of new capital projects and programs identified in the Integrated Water Resources Plan and reports directly to the Water and Sewer Utilities Department Director.  The Deputy Director coordinates, obtains, aligns resources, and develops policies to secure water supplies and develop water projects necessary to meet current and future water demands.  The Deputy Director regularly interacts with the Water & Sewer Board and the position may serves as both program and project manager on key water resource projects and policies. 

Essential Job Duties

·        Supervises the Water Resources Division of the Water and Sewer Department comprised of professional, technical, maintenance, and administrative staff in seven primary programs: raw water operations; Water Court management; high mountain reservoirs; long-range water planning; water acquisition and farm management; water conservation; and non-potable system operations.

·        Sets strategic priorities and objectives for the Water Resources Division.

·        Develops and implements plans, policies, code updates, and projects through the Integrated Water Resources Plan.

·        Develops and recommends capital and operating budgets for the Water Resources Division.

·        May act directly as project manager for water resource projects.

·        Provides technical oversight to programs and projects based on specialized skills and knowledge in water resources management.

·        Regularly evaluates organizational activities and make recommendations for improvement.

·        Represents the city at local, regional, and state water organizations and on irrigation company boards of directors.

·        Decides Water Court action based on recommendations from staff, attorneys, and consultant engineers.

·        Determines and negotiates water acquisitions based on staff recommendations.

·        Negotiates, coordinates, and administers a variety of legal agreements in matters related to water acquisition, Water Court, purchasing, leases, litigation, etc.

·        Supports state and federal lobbyist activities related to water policy matters.

·        Supports federal and state grant applications and oversees grant deliverables.

·        Supports other department divisions and other city departments in matters related to development code, raw water requirements, and water resource matters 

Supervisory Responsibilities

·        Organizes and delegates assignments to team members

·        Hires, trains, motivates, and coaches employees

·        Develops and maintains effective teamwork

·        Establishes employee expectations and evaluates employee performance

·        Holds employees accountable for assigned task and goals

·        Provides timely and constructive feedback

·        Provides training opportunities with a focus on employee development and retention

·        Resolves conflicts and complaints

·        Analyzes staff output and develop more effective or efficient processes

·        Ensures compliance with safety procedures 

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

·        8+ years' experience in water resources planning, management, and administration or equivalent combination of education and experience

·        Ability to supervise large staff teams and managing program budgets

·        Ability to develop and advocate strategic plans and policies

·        Ability to establish and achieve business and financial outcomes that meet departmental objectives

·        Ability to manage consultants, legal counsel, and lobbyists to achieve Department objectives

·        Expertise in Colorado Water Law (prior appropriation system, Water Court, and water rights administration)

·        Experience in water resource planning and management for a municipal water system

·        Experience in technical program and project management

·        Experience in contract development and management

·        Ability to communicate and collaborate with a wide variety of audiences including customers, executive leadership, elected officials, and other departmental staff, with particular emphasis on public presentations.

·        Ability to manage multiple competing priorities with frequent interruptions while achieving a high level of accuracy in work products 

Knowledge of Equipment

·        Expertise in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access)

·        Understanding of customer information and enterprise resource systems

·        Familiarity with water resource and hydrologic modeling platforms (MODSIM, RiverWare, etc.) 

Education

Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree gained through a four-year college/university academic program or specialized technical training of equivalent length.   

Salary

The City of Greeley is offering a competitive salary range between $117,501 - $176,251, commensurate with experience, and a comprehensive benefits package. Please note that the salary range is subject to a compensation and classification study that is currently underway and scheduled to be completed in 2022. Relocation assistance may also be available for the successful out-of-area candidate. 

How to Apply

Interested applicants should forward a cover letter and resume to: 

resumes@affionpublic.com
Reference: GREELEYDDWR 

Affion Public
PO Box 794
Hershey, PA 17033
888.321.4922
www.affionpublic.com 

**The deadline to receive resumes is July 21, 2022** 

The City of Greeley is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Posted: 06/22/2022