Westlands Water District

Fresno, CA

Assistant General Manager

Bargaining Unit: At Will
Salary Code: Brand B
Fair Labor Standards Act Designation: Exempt
Effective Date: January 1, 2024

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Under general direction of the General Manager, develops, plans, organizes, directs and implements the District’s legislative and regulatory affairs, strategic water supply and policy initiatives, capital programs, electrical power enterprises, and inter-agency campaigns. The Assistant General Manager analyzes proposed legislation and its effect on the District, performs a broad range of legislative, regulatory, and public policy research, evaluates proposed water supply and power opportunities, works with the management team to support the Board of Directors’ policies, develops and implements the District’s strategic plan, and manages the District’s efforts. The position facilitates correlation between the District and its Board of Directors, other governmental agencies, legislative bodies, commercial, non-profit, public policy organizations, and the general public. This is an “at-will” position that serves at the discretion of the General Manager.

EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED:

The information listed below is meant to serve as examples of the job duties and responsibilities for this classification. This list is neither inclusive nor exclusive, but indicative of several types of duties performed.

  1. Develops, amends, and implements the District’s water policy and objectives.
  2. Oversees, and provides professional advice and assistance to the General Manager, management, board members, and other departments on government affairs, legislative, lobbying activities, water supply, capital, power and inter-agency related matters.
  3. Advises the District on regulatory efforts at the State and Federal level.
  4. Oversees and manages the District’s science, capital program, and water supply efforts.
  5. Provides leadership and management to a diverse group of professional and technical members.
  6. Speaks before local, state, and federal agencies on legislative and other policy matters.
  7. Develops and implements the District’s strategic plan.
  8. Carries out special projects and strategic initiatives as assigned by the General Manager.
  9. May represent the District in matters involving state and federal water policy.
  10. Performs other duties as assigned.

CLASSIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education and Experience

Any combination of education and experience that has led to the acquisition of the knowledge required by the position. A typical way of acquiring the knowledge would be:

A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Policy, Economics, Agricultural, Environmental, or a related field and at least eight (8) years of recent progressively responsible experience as a legislative analyst, lobbyist, program manager, professional engineer or similar related work in the public sector, water industry, or a public utility, including at least three (3) years that must have included supervision of professional and technical staff.

Knowledge of:

  • State and federal legislative processes.
  • Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation and evaluation, project management, and supervision of staff, either directly or through subordinate levels of supervision.
  • Practices, theories, methods, and techniques of public policy development and public affairs.
  • Practices, theories, methods, and techniques used in the design, administration, and evaluation of water supply use and efficiency programs.
  • Organizational practices as applied to the development, analysis, and evaluation of programs, policies, and operational needs of the assigned division and the District.
  • Practices of researching program issues, evaluating alternatives, making sound recommendations, and preparing and presenting effective staff reports.
  • Local, state, and federal policies and regulations related to water resources management for the Central Valley Project and State Water Project.
  • Principles and practices of managing, supervising, and budgeting.
  • The operation of computer systems and equipment.
  • Record keeping principles and procedures.
  • Techniques for effectively representing the District in contact with governmental agencies, community groups, various business, professional, educational, regulatory, and legislative organizations, and various media.
  • Principles of National Environmental Policy Act, California Environmental Quality Act, and Endangered Species Act compliance requirements.
  • Water conservation and management practices including plant-soil-water relationships.
  • Word processing, spreadsheet, and database software applications

Skills/Abilities to:

  • Interpret and apply federal, state, and local laws to the administration of District policies, programs, contracts, and services.
  • Organize, interact, communicate, and manage staff and sensitive situations.
  • Understand local, state, federal, District, and legislative processes.
  • Represent District policies, programs, and services effectively with employees, contractors, representatives, or other agencies and the public.
  • Conduct highly complex problem-solving related to administrative, regulatory, and legislative law in area of expertise.
  • Communicate clearly and concisely, both written and oral, to a wide variety of audiences.
  • Prepare detailed complex oral and written communications on a wide variety of issues.
  • Understand and accurately interpret complex rules, regulations, laws, legislation, policy, and guidelines affecting public agencies, particularly water agencies.
  • Plans, researches, organizes, reviews, and evaluates complex interrelated services.
  • Establishes and maintains cooperative and effective working relationships with a variety of representatives of public and private organizations, board members, local, state, and federal legislative representatives, District staff, and the general public.
  • Maintain and exhibit discretion and integrity when handling sensitive information.
  • Manage complex projects involving multiple teams and requiring coordination and collaboration with external agencies and high-level executive managers.

WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Possess the physical characteristics to perform the critical and important duties of the job.
  • Work hours other than normal work schedule.
  • Travel occasionally by airplane and automobile.

STANDARD REQUIREMENTS

  • Possess a valid California Class C Driver’s License with a driving record acceptable to the District’s automobile insurance provider.