Description
JOB SUMMARY
Provide executive leadership for Louisville Water Company’s organization consisting of Distribution Operations, Emergency Response, Capital execution, Fleet, Warehouse services, Customer Service, Remittance, Collections, Metering, and Billing. Responsible for leading and directing these areas to ensure water supply to approximately 1 million people, ensuring drinking water regulatory compliance, responding to emergency water outages, meeting customer expectations, and supporting the Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District through billing services. This position leads a workforce of more than 200 employees and serves as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) to identify, plan for, and implement strategic initiatives, policies, and procedures for the company.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Achieve an elevated level of operational performance through effective management of an annual O&M budget of over $36 million and an annual capital investment of up to $25 million.
Responsible for day-to-day operation and maintenance of the company’s water distribution system supplying water to over 1,000,000 customers in the Metropolitan Louisville Area and surrounding region. Areas of responsibility include emergency response, distribution maintenance, fleet management, and capital construction. The organization maintains over 4,300 miles of water distribution mains, over 24,000 fire hydrants and over 300,000 service connections.
Plan and direct efficient, cost-effective repairs in the distribution system to ensure uninterrupted water service meeting all Kentucky Division of Water (KDOW) regulatory requirements with high quality customer service and value.
Respond to distribution system emergencies ensuring regulatory compliance in a manner that restores water service quickly while minimizing inconvenience and risk to customers.
Manage the installation of all new development and new service installations as requested from developers, customers, and industrial and commercial businesses using in-house and contractor personnel.
Consistently manage union and non-union employees throughout the departments. Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of bargaining agreement with Local 1683, all company policies and procedures ensuring consistent application.
Responsible for effective management and capital execution of $15 million in Fleet assets including cars, trucks, backhoes, trailers, Dump Trucks and Crew Trucks.
Responsible to meet all U.S. EPA Regulatory requirements for the Distribution System including distribution water quality response programs to reduce cross-contamination and enhance customer satisfaction.
Responsible for assuring quality service to over 1 million external customers by resolving their issues, providing direction and communication to department employees so that customer’s needs and questions are addressed in a timely, efficient, and knowledgeable manner and implementing technological solutions that meet customer expectations and improve the customer experience. This includes the management of the call center operations, the web portal, cashier and remittance functions, collections activities, and the new service applications area.
Responsible for the timely and accurate reading of all customer water meters and the processing of approximately 3.5 million customer bills annually; the planned and emergency repair and maintenance of the Company’s over 300,000 large and small water meters ensuring the Company’s $225 million revenue stream; the administration of all Metering information technology to accurately and timely read and maintain water meters, bill customers, and respond to customer inquiries; and the oversight and implementation of Advanced Metering Technologies throughout the service area.
Responsible for providing billing, collections, and associated customer service to Louisville MSD and their customers under a contract valued at over $8 million annually.
Responsible for the implementation of customer-facing technologies including customer web portals, Integrated Virtual Assistant (IVA) systems, and automated payment and survey technologies.
Develop, mentor, and coach staff members to enhance organizational bench strength and succession planning efforts.
Provide insight and advice to the President and collaborate with his/her peers to develop, execute, and monitor the organization’s operating and strategic plans.
Promote teamwork amongst the various departments within the company to deliver elevated levels of internal and external customer satisfaction.
Compose written correspondence, reports, graphs, and exchange of information for both internal and external customers.
Participate as a full member of the Executive Leadership Team, including establishing operating budgets, capital budgets, and corporate policy. Attend regular meetings of the Board and present monthly information.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Requirements
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s Degree preferably in Business, Engineering, or closely related discipline; and
Ten (10) years’ experience at an executive level in operations, construction, utilities, or customer service; and
Seven (7) years management experience at an executive level; and
Valid driver’s license
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Master’s degree.
Utility experience.
Experience supervising employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
Knowledge of ratemaking and cost of service principles.
