Water Resources and Planning Manager

The City of Pasadena is seeking an exceptional Water Resources and Planning Manager – a visionary planner, skilled collaborator, strategic thinker, and regional leader – to help shape Pasadena’s water-resilient future. This is a senior leadership opportunity for an experienced professional, who is passionate about sustained water reliability for our communities, regional collaboration, and data-driven decision making.

This position serves as the head of Water Resources and Planning within Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) and plays a critical role in delivering our mission of providing safe and reliable water with superior customer service at competitive rates. If you are looking for a role where you can shape regional water strategy, oversee major planning initiatives, and provide senior management-level leadership, this is an exceptional opportunity.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is an experienced water resources professional with strategic vision, deep knowledge of California water, and strong leadership, analytical, and communication skills. This individual will have extensive experience in water resources planning, demand forecasting, regulatory compliance, and interagency collaboration, with the ability to serve as a key spokesperson and negotiator representing the agency before local and regional water boards, state agencies, legislative bodies, and stakeholder coalitions. The ideal candidate is also a people-first leader, building and stewarding high-performing internal teams.

Essential Functions:

The major responsibilities of this position are listed below. For more detailed information, please review the Job description

• Leads and directs the City’s water resources and planning programs, including groundwater and regional water management, along with water conservation and water-use efficiency initiatives.
• Oversees short- and long-term water demand and supply forecasting, system modeling, and scenario analysis.
• Manages major water resource projects, including groundwater replenishment, indirect potable reuse, and supply optimization efforts.
• Directs development and implementation of major planning documents, including the Urban Water Management Plan and Water Systems Resource Plan.
• Conducts and oversees complex financial, economic, and cost-benefit analyses related to water supply and infrastructure investments.
• Develops and monitors division operating and capital budgets; evaluates program and project performance.
• Supervises, develops, and evaluates professional and technical staff; fosters a high-performance, service-oriented work environment.
• Represents the City in regional, state, and federal forums, including interactions with the Metropolitan Water District and groundwater basin management agencies.
• Leads grant strategy, prepares complex grant applications, and oversees grant compliance and reporting.
• Monitors legislative and regulatory developments and recommends policy and program responses.
• Prepares and presents technical reports and recommendations to City management, boards, commissions, and City Council.
• Serves as a key advisor on water reliability, regulatory compliance, and long-range water sustainability planning.

Qualification Guidelines:

COMPETENCIES 

The following list represents the core competencies needed for success in this position

• Leadership – Leadership spans both big picture issues, such as championing key values and strategic advancements, and more micro tasks, such as driving forward a project or meeting. Most critically it involves guiding others and advancing the mission of your organization, whether from a supervisory position or from the ground.
• Communication – Communication is the art of effectively sharing information with others, typically with goals of building relationships, informing decision processes, and coordinating group action.
• Strategic & Conceptual Thinking – Strategic & Conceptual Thinking is the tendency to step back and see the “big picture”, and to examine a situation or organization coolly and even abstractly, with the goal of formulating solutions that will have positive impacts in the long-term.
• Critical Thinking – Critical Thinking is the process of evaluating information, situations and assumptions in order to ensure sound judgment and appropriate responses. This skill is often particularly helpful in managing complex and uncertain situations, and when the cost of an incorrect decision is high.
• Integrity – Integrity is the habit of acting honestly and professionally, and of behaving in a manner consistent with your personal ethical values and those of your organization, even when there are pressures or incentives to act otherwise.
• Project Management – Ensuring that projects are on-time, on-budget, and achieve their objectives
• Innovation – Innovation is the act of developing, sponsoring, and supporting new and improved ideas, processes or technologies. A spirit of innovation is often essential to ensuring that an organization continually improves and moves forward instead of stalling and falling behind the competition.

Education, Training and Experience

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in environmental studies, civil engineering, public administration, business administration or a closely related field. 
• At least eight years of progressively responsible experience in engineering, hydrology, biology, watershed management and environmental protection or planning, at least two of which were at a manager or supervisory level. 
• Or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process may consist of a training and experience evaluation, interview panel, department-level interviews and possibly a written, oral, or performance examination. To help ensure the best fit for both you and our team, all candidates will complete a brief soft-skills assessment during the selection process. This assessment provides insight into your core interpersonal skills, behavioral traits, and preferred work environment—helping us support your success in the role.

Probationary work period is one year.

Special Requirements:

Licenses; Certificates

A valid California Class C driver’s license and the ability to maintain insurability under the City’s vehicle insurance program.

The following certifications are preferred:

• A valid Certificate of Registration as Professional Engineer issued by the State of California.
• Certified Environmental Planner (CEP), Water Resources Planner, Water Conservation Practitioner, or Landscape Irrigation Auditor at Grade 3.