The Position
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) is seeking a Deputy Executive Director to lead and direct the utility’s plant operations, engineering, planning, and construction activities. This top leadership position develops plans and programming, formulates budgetary data, assigns job duties, conducts employee evaluations, prepares contractual obligations, develops educational curriculum, and reports parameters as they relate to the overall programming of the office. The Deputy Executive Director serves as a member of the CFPUA leadership team and may act on behalf of the Executive Director in his or her absence.

The Deputy Executive Director ensures the development of effective engineering design and construction standards and oversees the engineering, construction, and inspection of CFPUA built or developer built infrastructure projects. The role requires oversight of the process to track the allocation of system treatment capacity and advises the Executive Director and Board regarding on-going capacity allocation. The Deputy Executive Director ensures design and construction are conducted in a safe and environmentally sound manner, and ensures unsafe work is stopped until deficiencies are corrected. Further, the Deputy Executive Director oversees the preparation of water and wastewater Master Plans and revises the Master Plans as needed and as conditions change.

The Deputy Executive Director leads or participates in the development of various other plans including a CFPUA strategic plan that proactively anticipates future customer and area needs, long-range water resources plan, and a proactive plan to replace collection and distribution lines in advance of significant problems. Further, they will develop and manage annual division goals with and supportive of the CFPUA mission by developing and overseeing division policies and procedures and implementing improvements for programs, the ten-year Capital Improvement Plan for CFPUA, and relevant updates to the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) as conditions and priorities change.

The Deputy Executive Director coordinates closely with CFPUA staff, City and County planners, elected officials, and the development community in the development and updating of the CIP. They meet with developers and County and City officials on future expansions and the allocation of existing system capacity. This position is required to work in partnership with their own department and all other CFPUA departments toward achieving organization goals. This position is a member of the organization’s management team and is responsible for demonstrating and holding others accountable to the CFPUA values. The Deputy Executive Director provides reports to the CFPUA Board and various subcommittees that meet once per month. This position is responsible for ensuring compliance with all CFPUA policies and procedures.

The Deputy Executive Director oversees three operation departments including Water Treatment, Wastewater Treatment, and Centralized Maintenance, as well as the core-corporate Engineering Department. Water Treatment includes two state of the art water treatment plants: the Sweeney surface water facility with a total treatment capacity 44 million gallons per day (MGD) and the Richardson groundwater facility with a total treatment capacity of 7 MGD; and the Monterey Heights well system at 1.63 MGD. Wastewater Treatment includes two publicly owned treatment works; the James A Loughlin (Northside) facility rated at 16 MGD and the M’Kean Maffitt (Southside) facility rated at 12 MGD. Central Maintenace supports both water and wastewater treatment. The Engineering Department includes Development Services (works with developers, builders, and contractors for private development), the Project Management Group, and the Asset Management Group, all reporting to the Chief Engineer (Director of Engineering). The Deputy Executive Director Oversees 120 FTEs (24/7 Operations) with direct reports that include an Assistant Director of Operations (Water Treatment/Wastewater Treatment and Maintenance) and the Chief Engineer (Asset Management, Project Management, and Development Services). This role serves as a staff coordinator for the Long-Range Planning Committee comprised of four CFPUA Board members. As a CFPUA leader, this position is responsible for creating a culture of belonging and inclusion. This position works in partnership with the Human Resources department to ensure staff complete all relevant employment training and to ensure compliance with federal and state employment law.

Qualifications
Minimum requirements include a bachelor’s degree in engineering, or any related course study as determined by the Executive Director. A master’s degree in engineering, public administration, or business administration, is preferred. Ten (10) years of professional engineering work experience and five (5) years of managerial experience in water utility operations, wastewater operations, or any related work field, is required. The selected candidate will possess a Professional Engineer certification or have the ability to obtain a North Carolina Professional Engineer certification within two (2) years from the date of hire. Possession of or ability to readily obtain a valid State of North Carolina driver's license is also required. In the event of an emergency, all employees are considered essential personnel and may be required to perform alternate duties.

Compensation and Benefits
The expected hiring range is $119,395 to $215,511 with a midpoint of $167,395. The full range will be considered, and compensation will depend on qualifications and includes an excellent benefits package.

How to Apply
Applications will be accepted electronically by Raftelis at jobs.crelate.com/portal/raftelis. Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. The position will be open until filled with a first review of applications beginning July 12, 2024.