Branch Chief, Watershed Projects Implementation - Central (Assistant Division Director DPWES)

Company: University Of Nebraska - Lincoln
Location: Fairfax
Posted on: April 10, 2025

Job Description:

Are you a collaborative servant leader and passionate about improving our watersheds, stormwater quality, and reducing flooding through the implementation of innovative and sustainable stormwater capital improvement projects?This position leads and is a member of a collaborative team of dedicated high-performing staff that are responsible for the implementation of major stormwater capital improvement projects in the county. Supervises and manages personnel in a Watershed Projects Implementation Branch and management of all assigned and related functions. Leads in the development, coordination, management and implementation of the Stormwater Capital Improvement Program containing multiple stormwater projects including stream restorations, detention basin retrofits, site retrofits, flood control/mitigation, and other water dependent or environmental facilities to achieve regulatory compliance and established watershed planning, flood mitigation and dam safety goals and objectives. Provides leadership, guidance, oversight, training, mentoring and direction to assigned engineers, project managers, landscape architects, technicians and other technical specialists. It is responsible for the work prepared by the individuals assigned to the branch and under his/her direct supervision.Develops and manages project scopes of work, budgets and schedules. Also negotiates, manages and ensures the work of professional engineering and consulting services firms complies with contract and schedule requirements and serves as the project manager for complex and/or sensitive stormwater capital improvement projects. The position requires extensive project management and stormwater project implementation experience and knowledge of local, state and federal codes and regulations. Provides responsive and effective communication orally and in writing and regularly represents the agency and provides presentations, reports, and information on project related matters to elected and appointed officials, federal and state agencies, county senior staff, outside agencies and residents. Responsible for maintaining excellent relations and ensuring projects are properly coordinated with all stakeholders. May be called upon to serve as expert witness in court cases, claims, public hearings, appeals boards, or the state legislature.DPWES is a diverse, nationally-accredited and award-winning public works agency with approximately 1,000 employees providing solid waste, capital facility development, wastewater, stormwater, urban forestry, and land acquisition management services for the most populous county in Virginia. Join our team to help us protect the environment and serve the people of Fairfax County by creating and preserving a sustainable community that is an ideal place to live, work, and play for everyone.Fairfax County Government is committed to our employees, and offers comprehensive benefits, including a defined-benefit retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; paid leave; tuition reimbursement; and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Through our LiveWell Program and the County Benefits Division, we endeavor to cultivate a culture of wellbeing that empowers, educates and engages employees and retirees to make life-long choices that promote a holistic approach to their physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and financial wellness.NOTE: The appointee to this position will be required to be available twenty-four hours a day/seven days a week (24/7) to respond to snow, flooding, and other designated emergencies on an as-needed basis.This position works in the DPWES Stormwater Planning Division located at 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, Virginia.Illustrative Duties

• Under senior leadership, serves as Assistant Division Director;
• Directs and supervises the work of a group of subject matter experts and professionals in the design or construction of highly complex projects such as buildings, transportation or stormwater projects, solid waste management or waste water facilities;
• Manages highly complex projects or programs that typically have a broad impact to public safety including regulatory compliance, budgeting, planning, scheduling, and coordination;
• Responsible for resolving claims and disputes and customer concerns that arise out of the administration of programs and projects;
• Responsible for administering and maintaining design, construction, or professional services contracts;
• Coordinates with other County, state, and federal agencies;
• Provides technical review and guidance on complex scientific and/or engineering issues in collaboration with senior management and project stakeholders;
• Represents the County on local, state, regional, or national workgroups and associations comprised of stakeholders, technical experts, advisory members, and/or planning councils;
• Responsible for program quality assurance, such as meeting regulatory permit requirements, maintaining specified levels of service established by the County policy, compliance tracking, scheduling development and monitoring, permitting, certification, and contract management;
• Responsible for coordinating small scale and full-scale continuous emergency response for their program's assets, such as wastewater, stormwater, transportation, and solid waste infrastructure;
• Supervises the work of a group of business operations managers responsible for maintaining public works infrastructure and utility assets;
• Heads monitoring, planning, and conservation programs of significant impact;
• Makes high level decisions on annual budget, blanket procurement contracts, consultant contracts, or investment in software updates;
• Performs the most difficult or highly technical design or review of program requirements for asset management;
• Ensures work performed under contract meets county standards and agreed upon specifications and timeframes, and all applicable permit and regulatory requirements;
• Directs and approves long-range work plans for the work of the branch;
• Provides technical guidance and input on key projects throughout the conceptual, preliminary and final design and construction or implementation phases;
• Leads public meetings and conferences, and makes recommendations concerning county budget appropriations for operations and/or projects;
• Reviews and supervises proposed revisions to technical design standards, ordinances, and the Comprehensive Plan;
• Serves on leadership and management working groups including business area teams;
• Serves on technical committees and provides expert testimony at public hearings;
• Works to resolve or make recommendations to resolve complex ownership and liability issues, design issues and construction issues;
• Provides code-related technical training;
• Designs, implements, and manages compliance and enforcement programs related to County codes, ordinance, and State and Federal regulatory requirements;
• As an Assistant Division Director Serves as Acting Director in the absence of the Division Director on technical and administrative matters;
• Establishes policies, procedures and priorities for the operating programs of the division;
• Represents the Division Director at meetings with County staff, contractors and resident groups.MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")Graduation from a four-year college or university in an engineering, science, or related field; plus, six years of progressively responsible experience in public works or utility operations, including two years of supervisory experience managing skilled trade professionals, contractors, or technical experts.CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:A valid driver's license.NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Three or more years of demonstrated successful supervisory, leadership, teamwork and program/project management skills.
  • Three years of experience overseeing the professional work of engineers, project managers, landscape architects and technicians.
  • Three years of experience successfully managing stormwater capital improvement projects from concept, through design and construction utilizing professional service engineering contracts.
  • Three years of experience reviewing and analyzing capital project construction plans and specifications.
  • Three years of experience demonstrating extensive knowledge and experience implementing stormwater projects including stream restoration, flood mitigation, and stormwater facility retrofits through applicable federal, state and local codes and regulations.
  • Three years of strong oral and written communication skills experience, including demonstrated ability to communicate effectively.
  • Three years of experience demonstrating the ability to establish collaborative relationships with staff, outside agencies, residents, environmental groups and government leaders, and the ability to lead and build teams through collaboration and development and implementation of effective and efficient processes.PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:Ability to drive a motor vehicle. Ability to perform field investigation on storm drainage, flood proofing, channel restoration, regional pond construction and other stormwater improvement type projects. Physically and mentally able to use all applicable personal protective equipment in an outdoor environment; including hardhat, eye protection, hearing protection, safety footwear, and personal fall arrest harness. All duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.SELECTION PROCEDURE:Panel interview and may include exercise.The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home () and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.
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Keywords: University Of Nebraska - Lincoln, Arlington , Branch Chief, Watershed Projects Implementation - Central (Assistant Division Director DPWES), Executive , Fairfax, Virginia