Deputy Science and Policy Manager at Contra Costa Water District – Concord, California

Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) provides safe, reliable, high-quality water and related services that support the health and vitality of the communities it serves. Through responsible stewardship of both its infrastructure and its people, CCWD is committed to building and sustaining a skilled workforce prepared to meet today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges.

Our Values:

• Safety: We provide, as a top priority, a safe and healthy work environment for our team.
• Trust: We protect the public trust with uncompromising integrity, commitment to our professional standards, full transparency, and fairness in all our business dealings.
• Responsibility: We take ownership of our results and deliver on our performance outcomes to responsibly serve our customers, our community, and our planet.
• Exceptional Service: We value our customers, act in their best interest, and take pride in delivering personalized service.
• Employee Success: We share a meaningful sense of purpose in an environment that strives to offer professional growth, diversity, inclusivity, and work-life balance.
• Teamwork: We engage in respectful, collaborative, trust-based relationships at all levels within the organization and with our business partners.
• Continuous Improvement: We continuously seek opportunities to optimize our business practices and assets by engaging the expertise of our employees and embracing innovation.
• Recognition: We reward the positive contributions of our employees at the organization, team, and individual levels.
• Communication: We strive for open, effective dialogues at all levels of the organization to ensure input is valued and considered and reasons for decisions are explained.

Deputy Science and Policy Manager:

Contra Costa Water District’s General Management team is seeking a skilled and forward-thinking Deputy Science and Policy Manager. This position plays a vital role in protecting the CCWD’s water quality and supply reliability by analyzing complex legislative trends, evaluating adaptive management strategies, and recommending strategic policies.

This unique position offers the flexibility to share time between the Sacramento region area and Concord area. We offer competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement, and deferred compensation plans, plus more! Please visit the following to view the brochure: Deputy Science and Policy Manager Brochure.

We are looking for someone who is:

• A collaborative relationship builder with demonstrated success in cultivating effective partnerships with regulatory agencies, other water agencies, and conservation groups.
• A strategic thinker and versatile communicator equally comfortable in technical scientific discussions and high-level executive briefings.
• A proactive leader who thrives in high-accountability environments where independent judgment, initiative, and discretion are essential.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Analyzing proposed legislation, regulations, and policies to recommend CCWD's positions related to Bay-Delta watershed issues and regional strategic initiatives.
• Collaborating with a wide range of interested parties, including government agencies and academia to ensure the use of the best available science in regulatory efforts.
• Evaluating water management activities within the Bay-Delta to assess potential impacts and recommend necessary mitigation strategies.
• Serving as a CCWD representative in formal hearings, workshops, and negotiations, providing persuasive reports and expert testimony.

A few reasons you might enjoy this job:

• You will work alongside highly effective and collaborative teams.
• Every day brings a variety of work challenges, opportunities, and rewards.
• The role offers the unique opportunity to advance to the Science and Policy Manager role, provided the Deputy is excelling at their performance expectations.
• You will play a vital role in protecting water quality and supply reliability for approximately 550,000 customers.

The following will also benefit candidates with a few of the unique challenges related to this job:

• A thorough understanding of the Central Valley Project, the State Water Project, and the environmental interests within the Bay-Delta.
• The ability to think strategically and creatively to negotiate solutions to complex problems.
• Mastery of environmental planning and policy development, including impact assessments, permitting, and compliance with state and federal regulatory processes.
• The skill to translate sophisticated technical studies into clear, persuasive reports and presentations for both technical and non-technical audiences.

For a full description of examples of duties, please visit the following link: Deputy Science and Policy Manager
For a full listing of required qualifications, please visit the following link: Deputy Science and Policy Manager

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; to operate a motor vehicle and visit various District and meeting sites; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds.

When working in the field, must possess strength, stamina, and mobility to sit, stand, and walk on level, uneven, or slippery surfaces to conduct field visits and assess field conditions; and reach, twist, turn, kneel, bend, stoop, squat, and crouch in the performance of assigned duties.

ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS
Employees primarily work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may also work in the field and are exposed to loud noise levels, cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, road hazards, vibration, chemicals, mechanical and/or electrical hazards, hazardous physical substances and fumes, dust, and air contaminants.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Work hours may be irregular and include evening meetings, as necessary.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
One of the many CCWD goals is to pursue organizational excellence through diversity, equity, inclusivity, leadership, and professionalism. We recognize the strengths of staff creativity, innovation, problem-solving, and improved decision-making resulting from diverse perspectives, and we strive to be a culturally diverse organization that values, recognizes, and supports inclusion.

CONVICTION HISTORY
A condition of employment for all CCWD positions includes successfully passing a Department of Justice Live Scan fingerprint check and completion of the federal Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. Additionally, in compliance with federal law, CCWD participates in E-Verify.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER
All CCWD employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. As such, CCWD employees may be called upon to support the activities of CCWD during an emergency situation.

Applicants requesting reasonable accommodation during any phase of the recruitment process should contact Human Resources at 925-688-8002.