Executive Director Water Forum

THE POSITION

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The City of Sacramento seeks an Executive Director for the Sacramento Water Forum. This executive management-level position oversees the strategic direction and operational activities of the Water Forum. The role involves managing staff and consultants who support the Water Forum Successor Effort, collaborating with a wide array of stakeholders including business and agricultural leaders, environmental groups, water managers, and citizen organizations. The Executive Director also serves as the primary contact for city, county and agency officials, councils and boards, and state and federal authorities on matters of water policy and regulation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and direct the activities within the Water Forum.
• Manage and support the diverse group of stakeholders involved in the Water Forum Successor Effort.
• Engage with city, county and agency officials, including councils and boards, and state and federal officials, to discuss and influence water policy and regulations.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The Executive Director will be responsible for developing a comprehensive communication strategy to strengthen public support, overseeing the facilitation of local water planning activities, and ensuring compliance with reporting requirements. This critical role requires a deep understanding of water issues specific to California, including water policies, environmental regulations, engineering, water supply management, ecosystem restoration, and fish habitats. This position demands a leader who is both a thoughtful strategist and a pragmatic manager, someone who is seen as a neutral and credible leader in the water management and environmental sectors. The ideal candidate will possess a comprehensive grasp of the interplay between governmental policies and procedures.

Desired Qualifications:

• Expertise in Water and Environmental Issues : Strong technical knowledge in water policies and management, with a focus on environmental regulations and ecosystem health.
• Leadership and Communication: Demonstrated ability to lead a small organization effectively, managing budgets, contracts, and grants. Exceptional communication skills are essential, with the capability to convey complex technical information clearly and engage diverse audiences.
• Consensus Building: Proven experience in fostering consensus among disparate groups and managing conflicting viewpoints with diplomacy. The candidate should be adept at facilitating discussions and negotiations, maintaining neutrality and transparency.
• Relationship Management : Strong interpersonal skills with a proven track record of building and maintaining relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including government entities, community groups, and environmental organizations.
• Strategic and Operational Acumen: Experience in strategic planning and execution, including the development and oversight of budgets. The candidate should be action-oriented and capable of thinking globally while managing detailed project implementation.
• Advocacy and Representation: Ability to serve as a spokesperson for the Water Forum, representing the organization at state and national levels in conferences, workshops, hearings, and through the media.
• Regulatory and Legal Insight: Keen awareness of legal and regulatory developments that could impact water management and forum agreements. Skills in monitoring and implementing necessary adaptations to strategy based on these changes.
• Mission-Driven: A strong personal commitment to the Water Forum’s mission, with the enthusiasm and dedication to advance its objectives and initiatives.
• Calm and Flexible Leadership : Ability to remain composed under pressure, adapt to changing project scopes based on stakeholder feedback, and inspire others to achieve collective goals

DEFINITION

This management level position plans, directs, and reviews the activities of the City-County Office of Metropolitan Water Planning; manages staff and consultants supporting the Water Forum Successor Effort, a diverse group of business and agricultural leaders, citizens groups, environmentalists, and water managers; and interfaces with City and County officials, City Council, and state and federal officials regarding water policy and regulation.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is a single-position, executive management classification. The incumbent is responsible for implementing the Water Forum Agreement, which involves coordinating with over 40 agencies and non-governmental organizations. The Executive Director serves as the highest-level liaison between the City and the various stakeholders of the Water Forum Agreement, Council Members, County Supervisors, and state and federal agencies. The Executive Director performs work of the highest difficulty, requiring tact, diplomacy, and negotiation skills to bring a diverse group with competing interests to consensus. The Executive Director must have the ability to initiate and manage highly complex technical water resources investigations and analyses and be able to communicate the limitations and results of those analyses to lay-person audiences.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Policy direction is provided by the City Manager and the Sacramento County Executive. Responsibilities include direct and indirect supervision of professional, technical, and clerical staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Manage staff and consultants providing support for implementation of the Water Forum Agreement to achieve two coequal objectives: 1) Provide a reliable and safe water supply for the region’s economic health and planned development to the year 2030; and 2) Preserve the fishery, wildlife, recreational, and aesthetic values of the Lower American River.
• Manage staff and consultants providing support for implementing the Water Forum Agreement.
• Manage staff and consultants providing support for negotiations responding to changed conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.
• ­ Preserve and enhance the good-faith interest-based process which developed the Water Forum Agreement.
• ­ Oversee compliance with reporting requirements for the Water Forum Agreement and its Environmental Impact Report.
• ­ Monitor, identify, and analyze legal developments including legislation, rules, regulations, and court decisions as well as other developments at the local, regional, state, and federal levels which may impact the implementation of the Water Forum Agreement.
• Represent the Water Forum to elected representatives and other local, state, and federal officials, citizen groups, and media.
• ­ Serve as spokesperson for the Water Forum in various venues such as state and national conferences, workshops, hearings and with the media.
• ­ Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive communication strategy concerning the purpose and progress of the Water Forum Agreement and continue the public support for the Agreement.
• Direct and participate in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies and procedures.
• ­ Evaluate and recommend professional consultants and contracts.
• ­ Supervise and participate in the development and implementation of the budget for the Office, which includes working with the City, County, and other stakeholders who fund the operations of the department.
• Analyze and evaluate fiscal data to identify and project resource needs, obtain required resources, and monitor and approve budget expenditures.
• Oversee technical and facilitation support of local groundwater planning activities.
• Coordinate activities and provide information and staff reports to City Council and County Board of Supervisors.
• Manage preparation of complex statistical and narrative reports, correspondence, presentations, GPS maps, and other documents for presentation to stakeholder groups.
• Work with state and federal agencies to identify grant opportunities. Monitor grant-funded projects to ensure compliance with grant requirements.
• ­ Respond to difficult inquiries and complaints.
• ­ Coordinate with local, state, and federal officials on issues related to local water management, the American River Parkway, and the lower American River.
• ­ Select, supervise, train, motivate, and evaluate professional, technical, and clerical staff. Conduct performance evaluations, implement discipline procedures, and maintain discipline and high standards necessary for the efficient and professional operation of the Office.
• ­ Other related duties may also be performed.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Rules, laws, policies, and regulations governing California water supply, management, conjunctive use and other water related issues..
• Environmental regulations including the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Federal Endangered Species Act, the California Endangered Species Act.
• Fishery, wildlife, recreational and aesthetic values of the lower American River.
• Principles of interest-based collaborative bargaining and alternative dispute resolution.
• Recent developments, current literature, and sources of information regarding water supply management and environmental issues related to water supply. Principles of organization, administration, budget, and personnel management.
• Groundwater hydrology and analysis techniques.
• Report writing techniques and statistical concepts and methods.
• Numerical modeling associated with water system operations, reservoir operations, fluvial dynamics, water temperature, and groudwater hydrology.
• Financial and budgeting principles and practices.
• Experience with state and federal grant requirements.

Ability to:

• Organize, direct and coordinate the activities of the Office.
• Mediate collaborative interest- based bargaining which respects both the diversity and the legitimacy of the interests of all stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders, elected officials, staff of local, state and federal agencies, external water users, and state-wide environmental organizations, media, and the public.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing; analyze, interpret, and explain the Water Forum Agreement.
• Communicate complex technical issues related to water management and riverine systems to lay-person audiences.
• Prepare, administer, and monitor a comprehensive budget.

Experience and Education:

Experience
Ten years of increasingly responsible professional and administrative experience in the management of complex water or environmental issues.

Education
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in public policy, water management, environmental science, or a related field.

Substitution
Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Driver License:
Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License at the time of appointment. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to physical disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

THE SELECTION PROCEDURE

HOW TO APPLY:
For consideration, apply by February 24, 2025 at: https://www.cpshr.us/recruitment/2432/

SAVE THE DATE!
Round one interviews will be held on March 19, 2025. Finalists will move forward to interviews on March 24, 2025. Interviews will be held in-person. Candidates invited to interview must be available for both dates.

QUESTIONS?
Please contact your recruiter, Pam Derby:

• Email: pderby@cpshr.us
• Phone: (916) 471-3126

Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? That's right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.

Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employee's Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicant's eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.

Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Sacramento is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Additional Information

Civil Service Rules: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/CivilServiceBoardRules62012.pdf

Union Contracts: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/labor-agreements.html

Salary Schedule: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/SalarySchedule.pdf

Closing Date/Time: 2/24/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• City of Sacramento

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