Director of Engineering & Operations

Clean water. Quality life. This is our vision created by our staff to embody who we are and what we do. We are looking for a strategic utility engineering and operations leader to join our team of dedicated operations engineers and professionals and continue to provide safe, efficient, high quality, and reliable drinking water and wastewater services to our community. Working as the Director of Engineering & Operations at Eagle River Water & Sanitation District puts you at the forefront of service and environmental stewardship in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. 

The Director of Engineering & Operations provides leadership and strategic vision to the District in the primary operational functions of Water, Wastewater, Field Operations, Operational Technology Services, and Engineering. The ideal candidate for this role is visionary, strategic, technical, communicative, team-focused, and has a big-picture mindset to manage the breadth and depth of our operations initiatives and execute our strategic organizational goals to realize our vision of excellence. 

Why work for us? The work you will do as the Director of Engineering & Operations will help guide the future of an essential resource in our growing community. Not to mention the opportunity to work with an amazing team and our excellent benefits. 

THE DAY TO DAY 

• LEADERSHIP & PEOPLE MANAGEMENT: Guide and develop leadership across operational divisions (Water, Wastewater, Field Operations, Operational Technology Services, Engineering) through manager and supervisor direct reports. Establish and implement organizational goals and strategies, monitor performance metrics, ensure accountability at all levels, and champion employee development and succession planning. Work in close partnership with the General Manager and fellow Directors to align division priorities and advance organizational strategy. 
• VISION & STRATEGY: Shape and communicate a clear long-term vision for operations, regulatory compliance, capital improvements, and organizational priorities. Build consensus across departments and drive cross-departmental collaboration on complex initiatives. Direct development of long-term capital planning, asset management strategies, and regulatory compliance roadmaps, ensuring departmental work plans emphasize accountability, engagement, safety, and fiscal responsibility. 
• OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE: Ensure organizational readiness and resilience through emergency preparedness and cross-functional alignment. Drive optimization and efficiency initiatives across the organization, ensuring regulatory compliance, resource allocation, and priority setting are coordinated at the organizational level. Foster a culture of continuous improvement by providing teams with the support, tools, and guidance necessary to succeed. 
• REGULATORY COMPLIANCE: Direct the District’s compliance strategy with all federal, state, and local requirements for drinking water, wastewater, distribution, and collection systems (Regulations 11, 31, 100, etc.). Oversee coordination with CDPHE officials during sanitary surveys, compliance inspections, and certification processes. Collaborate with Managers and Engineering to integrate regulatory requirements into planning, operations, and capital projects, reducing risk and supporting future system demand. Lead organizational preparedness and resilience efforts, ensuring compliance standards are embedded into continuity and emergency preparedness planning. 
• REPORTING: Oversee preparation of monthly, quarterly, and ad hoc reports for the Boards of Directors, ensuring clear communication of performance, operations, and resource needs. Provide regulatory reporting and documentation required by state and federal agencies, coordinating with managers to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance. Develop memos and presentations that translate technical and regulatory information into strategic insight. 
• PROJECT & CONTRACT MANAGEMENT: Provide strategic oversight of capital planning and project delivery by guiding development of long-term master plans and capital improvement programs. Partner with directors to prioritize investments, align resources with organizational goals, and ensure all engagements support sustainable, cost-effective outcomes. 
• FISCAL STEWARDSHIP: Lead development of operational, maintenance, capital, and water quality budgets with a focus on robust maintenance programs, resiliency, and organizational priorities. Create long-term capital plans that address regulatory requirements, risk, and aging infrastructure. Work with Directors to align annual budgets with strategic initiatives, balancing near-term needs with organizational vision. Ensure fiscal accountability through disciplined resource allocation and transparent reporting. 
• SAFETY & EMERGENCY RESPONSE: Champion a culture of emergency preparedness, safety and resilience across all divisions. Advance emergency preparedness programs by defining strategy, vision, and clear organizational expectations, ensuring accountability for consistent implementation. Direct organizational readiness and coordinated incident response, confirming systems, resources, and leadership are aligned for both resilience and timely response and corrective action. 
• OUTREACH: Lead public and employee outreach efforts including updates on financing strategies, regulations, construction, water quality, and operations; represent the District at events and incorporate best practices into daily operations. 
• Perform other assigned duties of similar nature and complexity as those described above. 

Qualifications

• Any combination of education, experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be: 
• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a scientific field related to water quality management, such as biology, microbiology, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, environmental science, water management, construction management, or related disciplines. 
• Experience: Ten (10) years of technical experience related to water and/or wastewater. 
• Leadership: Eight (8) years of progressively responsible managerial experience which demonstrates extensive knowledge of modern management practices and methods in the water and wastewater industry. Experience directly supervising large teams, with at least 3 years of experience supervising indirect reports. 
• State of Colorado Water Distribution & Wastewater Collection Class IV certification required within the first one (1) year of employment in this role. 
• State of Colorado Water Treatment Class D certification required within the first one (1) year of employment in this role. 
• State of Colorado Wastewater Treatment Class D certification required within the first one (1) year of employment in this role. 
• Professional Engineer’s License preferred 
• Must possess a valid Colorado Driver’s license within 30 days of full-time employment and be insurable under District’s standards. 
• Must possess certification in the principles of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS). 
• Must obtain CPR/First Aid Certification within the first six (6) months of employment. 
• Must be willing to work overtime, weekends and be on call; responds to emergency situations. 

HIRING RANGE  

The pay range for this role is $167,128 – $250,681. Starting range depends on qualifications but generally falls within the minimum and midpoint of the pay range.

BENEFITS

At ERWSD, we value life-work balance and are leaders in the industry with our holistic benefits package, which includes but is not limited to:  

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage 
• Employee housing or $522 monthly housing stipend 
• 13.5 paid holidays + generous PTO 
• Paid parental leave 
• Wellness program & recreation benefit ($700/year) 
• 457 & 414h retirement plans (we are social security exempt) 
• Tuition reimbursement & professional development budget 
• Ski pass, EV, and tech loan programs 
• Relocation assistance (if applicable) 

Click here to view our full 2025 Benefits Guide. 

All District employees must possess a valid Colorado Driver License and submit to a pre-employment drug screen, extensive background check including an educational verification, and reference check. For a full position description including work environment and physical demands, email erwsdjobs@erwsd.org. All applicants must apply online at www.erwsd.org by October 17, 2025.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer  

We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job-related factors.