DESCRIPTIONTHE OPPORTUNITYDiscover the vibrant City of Long Beach, where endless opportunities meet a dynamic coastal lifestyle. Long Beach Utilities offers a rewarding career in a city known for its rich cultural diversity, thriving arts scene, and beautiful beaches. Join a forward-thinking team dedicated to sustainability and innovation while enjoying the perfect balance of work and play. Make Long Beach your new home and be part of a community that values progress, inclusivity, and a high quality of life. Long Beach Utilities presents an excellent career opportunity to join a progressive organization dedicated to providing the highest quality of service to water, natural gas and sewer customers in Long Beach. Ideal candidates must have a proven track record of proactive, participative management experience and possess excellent interpersonal, problem solving, communication, leadership, and financial management skills. The General Manager is responsible for all functions of the Water, Natural Gas and Sewer Utilities. The General Manager will direct a staff of approximately 500 full-time employees led by an executive leadership team that includes three Assistant General Managers. The Board of Utilities Commissioners recently adopted a $378 million budget for FY25 to fund the Long Beach Utilities Department. The budget encompasses a $180 million Water Fund, a $165 million Gas Fund, and a $33 million Sewer Fund supporting infrastructure, maintenance and services from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.
LONG BEACH UTILITIES
Long Beach Utilities provides three primary utility services to nearly 500,000 residents and businesses, including: a) the unfailing delivery of high quality, delicious drinking water, b) the safe delivery of natural gas throughout Long Beach (as well as the City of Signal Hill), and c) reliable sewer services. The City has successfully provided these three utility services to the community for over 100 years. These utility services are provided via a vast network of approximately 5,000 miles of underground pipeline. These services are provided 24/7 due to the dedicated professional employees who handle pipeline maintenance and construction, field operations, customer service, engineering, water quality testing, water treatment, sewer inspection, accounting, call center activities, utility billing, meter reading, emergency response, and many other services. In November 2022, the voters of Long Beach approved a change to the City’s charter to create the Public Utilities Department, consolidating the City’s water, natural gas, and sewer services into one department. This consolidation improved utility customer service, reduced impacts to streets through better coordination of pipeline repairs and achieves cost savings through economies of scale and efficiencies. Oversight of the City’s water, natural gas, and sewer operations is provided by the independent Board of Utilities Commissioners and managed by the General Manager who reports directly to the Board. Prior to the charter change, water and sewer utilities were provided by the Long Beach Water Department and natural gas services by the Long Beach Department of Energy Resources, formerly the Long Beach Gas Department.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIESTHE POSITION
Under general guidance from the Board of Utilities Commissioners, the General Manager provides leadership in the implementation of Board policies and the development of strategies, business plans, budgets, programs, procedures, long-range plans and administrative and personnel management for the Long Beach Utilities Department. Specific responsibilities include:
• Plans and evaluates executive staff performance, provides leadership and collaborates with the City executive team; establishes programs, services, and rates that best meet the needs of the Department’s customers;
• Represents the Department before external organizations, including other governmental and regulatory agencies, private entities, professional and community organizations, the media, and the general public;
• Oversees a variety of complex managerial and technical matters involving water and natural gas procurement and distribution, sewer operations, water, natural gas and sewer regulatory compliance, water treatment, water production, and development of new water supplies;
• Directs the preparation of a wide variety of special studies, projects and reports, including working with and directing staff in collecting and researching information to identify and resolve operational and administrative problems, issues, and challenges.
Specific Duties include but not limited to: • Directs the development and implementation of organizational goals, visions, policies, and procedures for the Long Beach Utilities Department; establishes a strategic plan for the Department and continues to develop innovative programs to address the long-term water supply of the city, natural gas needs, reliable sewer operations, increase conservation efforts.
• Communicates clearly and concisely the Department’s vision to the community (i.e., community outreach, rate studies, new legislation).
• Acts as the principal advisor to the Board, keeping the commissioners informed in a timely and transparent manner; educates and guides the commissioners on technical matters, personnel decisions, and regional activities.
• Represents the Department locally and regionally while being visible and active to protect the city’s best interests; navigates through the political environment in a professional, inclusive and sophisticated way.
• Works closely with the Mayor and City Council, the City Manager and executive team, external agencies, and other important stakeholders; maintains strong relationships with City Hall.
• Establishes overall priorities, allocates resources; directs implementation of bureau work plans; monitors and evaluates work methods and procedures.
• Builds a long-term workforce by continuing to develop managers at every level; reviews staffing structure and reorganizes roles and responsibilities as needed.
• Selects, trains, motivates and evaluates assigned personnel confers with employees to correct deficiencies; implement discipline and termination procedures.
• Actively participates in a variety of Board and Committee meetings; approves, finalizes and presents staff reports and other necessary correspondence.
• Explains, justifies, and supports bureau programs, policies, and activities; negotiates and resolves controversial issues; investigates and responds to difficult and sensitive citizen inquiries and complaints.
• Identifies opportunities for improving service delivery methods and procedures, directs, plans, organizes, controls, integrates, and evaluates work plans of all departments to ensure administrative operations and services comply with the policies and strategic direction set by the Board of Utility Commissioners and all applicable laws and regulations.
REQUIREMENTS TO FILEMINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business administration, public administration, civil engineering or related field. A master’s degree is desirable. Ten years of progressively responsible experience in executive level public management. Experience reporting to a Board or Council is strongly desired.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Long Beach Utilities is seeking a General Manager who is a servant leader that will preserve and continue to build upon the legacy of excellence that currently exists in the organization. Long Beach Utilities seeks a leader with significant and relevant experience managing a water, sewer and/or natural gas agency with similar scope and complexities. The ideal candidate will have a verifiable and highly successful career with a record of demonstrated leadership in guiding an organization that embraces best practices while providing a constructive culture to deliver its mission effectively and efficiently. The successful candidate will be a confident, creative, and innovative leader who is comfortable operating in a robust and dynamic environment with a keen customer service focus and commitment to safety. The next General Manager must have a proven ability to instill a culture of change that maximizes both staff and advanced technology resources. Candidates must have a proven track record of achieving goals and be comfortable in an active labor environment and have knowledge of complex utility issues in California, ideally. In summary, Long Beach Utilities is seeking a highly qualified and experienced General Manager who incorporates a professional, open, and friendly approach to the overall operations. The General Manager must be a credible leader willing to deal with a vast array of issues in a multi-faceted organization while maintaining a fair and impartial approach to all communication with staff and the Board of Directors is paramount.
SELECTION PROCEDUREAPPLICATION PROCESS
This is a confidential process and will be handled accordingly. Interested candidates should apply immediately. This position is open until filled; however, candidates are encouraged to apply early in the process for optimal consideration. Resumes will be reviewed and evaluated throughout the recruitment process. This recruitment may close at any time once a strong pool of candidates is received. To be considered, candidates must submit a compelling cover letter and comprehensive resume, via email to gm.longbeach@thehawkinscompany.com by the first review date of August 16, 2024. For additional information or questions, please contact Ms. Yonnine Hawkins Garr at 323-252-1655, yonnine@ thehawkinscompany.com or Will Hawkins at 310-703- 4474, will@thehawkinscompany.com, or Todd Hawkins at 213-300-9342, todd@thehawkinscompany.com .
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY The City of Long Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce. The City of Long Beach is committed to creating a workplace where every employee is valued for who they are. Having our workforce reflect the diversity of our community at various levels of the organization is a continuous goal embraced by our departments, management staff, and policymakers. To support efforts of fairness and diversity, City Leadership is committed to incorporating equity and inclusion into our work by supporting staff and community partners. We are committed to promoting transparency by publishing updated demographic information for employees, including workforce diversity data and pay by race and gender.
The City of Long Beach will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the
California Fair Chance Act . You are not required to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until you receive a conditional job offer. If the City of Long Beach has concerns about a conviction that is directly related to the job after making a conditional job offer and conducting a background check, you will have the opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide evidence to mitigate concerns, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act
The City of Long Beach intends to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If a special accommodation is desired, or if you would like to request this information in an alternative format, please call (562) 570-2330.
Employee BenefitsThe City of Long Beach offers its employees opportunities to grow personally and professionally.As a permanent employee, you are eligible to receive fringe benefits that include:
- Retirement: California Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) defined benefit retirement plan, which is coordinated with Social Security. The benefit is 2.5% @55 for "Classic" members and 2%@62 for new members as defined by PEPRA. Subject to employee contribution. Both the City and the employee contributes toward CalPERS retirement contributions. The city also participates in Social Security.
- Health and Dental Insurance: The City offers the choice of HMO and PPO plans. The city pays major portion of the premium for employee and dependents depending on the health/ dental plan selected.
- Life Insurance: City-paid term life insurance policy equal to three (3) times annual salary to a maximum of $500,000.
- Disability Insurance: City-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.
- Management Physical: Annual City-paid physical examination.
- Vacation: Twelve (12) vacation days after the first year of service; 15 days after four years, six months of service; 20 days after 19 years, six months of service.
- Executive Leave: Forty (40) hours Executive Leave per year. The City Manager has discretion to grant an additional 40 hours each year.
- Sick Leave: One day earned per month; unlimited accumulation; conversion upon retirement to cash credit toward health and/or dental insurance premiums, or to pension credits.
- Holidays: Eleven (11) designated holidays per year, plus four personal holidays to be used at the employee's discretion.
- Transportation Allowance: $450 per month.
- Deferred Compensation Plan: Optional for employee contribution to a supplementary retirement savings program available through Mission Square Retirement formerly ICMA-RC Retirement Corporation). City contributes 1% of employee's base pay to the employee's 401(a) plan; effective September 30, 2022, the City will contribute 2% of employee's base pay to the employee's 401(a) account. Employees may opt to contribute up to the IRS annual limits as well.
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Optional election for employees to reduce taxable income for payment of allowable childcare or medical expenses.
- Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule: Available (subject to City Manager approval).
- Paid Parental Leave: After six (6) months of City employment; up to 30 calendar days (160 hours) of PPL, taken in full-day increments, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, up to the age of seventeen (17).
Management positions -Refer to the Job Posting brochure included in the job posting.
Closing Date/Time: 8/16/2024 5:00 PM Pacific
