Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wastewater Director

🎯 Role Definition

The Wastewater Director is the senior operational leader for wastewater collection and treatment systems, responsible for strategic planning, regulatory compliance, capital project delivery, financial management, staff supervision and stakeholder relations. This role combines deep technical knowledge of wastewater treatment processes (biological nutrient removal, secondary/tertiary treatment, disinfection, sludge handling), asset and project management, and strong people leadership to ensure system reliability, environmental performance and continuous improvement.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Wastewater Plant Superintendent or Operations Manager
Senior Plant Engineer or Process Control Engineer (Wastewater)
Collection System Manager or Pretreatment Manager

Advancement To:

Director/VP of Utilities
Chief Operations Officer for municipal utilities or environmental services
Executive Director of Water and Wastewater Services

Lateral Moves:

Environmental Compliance Manager
Water Reclamation Manager
Asset Management or Capital Projects Director

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Provide executive leadership and operational oversight for one or multiple wastewater treatment plants and collection systems, ensuring 24/7 reliable operations, permit compliance (NPDES or state equivalents), and continual process optimization to meet effluent limits and sustainability goals.
Develop, implement and continuously improve operational policies, procedures and standard operating guidelines for treatment, sludge handling, collection system maintenance, odor control, safety and emergency response to minimize risk and ensure regulatory compliance.
Direct the preparation, oversight and management of annual operating budgets, capital improvement budgets and multi‑year financial forecasts, driving cost control, lifecycle planning, and prioritization of capital projects to meet regulatory and infrastructure needs.
Lead and deliver complex capital improvement projects, including planning, design, procurement, contractor management, construction oversight and commissioning, ensuring projects are completed on schedule, within scope and on budget.
Serve as the primary point of contact and technical lead for regulatory agencies (EPA, state environmental agencies), local health departments and permit authorities for permit negotiations, reporting, audits, inspections and enforcement actions.
Oversee laboratory quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) programs, analytical testing schedules and data integrity processes to validate compliance monitoring, influent/effluent characterization and process control decisions.
Establish and monitor KPIs and performance metrics for treatment performance, collection system integrity, asset reliability, energy use, chemical usage and biosolids management, and translate data into continuous improvement initiatives.
Manage staffing strategy including recruitment, training, performance management, succession planning, union/collective bargaining relations (where applicable), and development of operator certification programs to maintain a competent and resilient workforce.
Direct preventative and corrective maintenance programs, asset management plans and predictive maintenance activities using CMMS and SCADA data to extend equipment life and reduce unplanned downtime.
Oversee process control, automation and SCADA systems, working with IT and engineering teams to ensure secure, reliable remote monitoring, alarm management, and process optimization through advanced control strategies.
Lead industrial pretreatment and source control programs, coordinating inspections, permitting, enforcement and outreach to industrial customers to protect treatment processes and maintain permit compliance.
Manage biosolids handling, dewatering, stabilization and beneficial reuse or disposal programs, ensuring compliance with land application rules, trucking/contractor oversight and public communication about biosolids practices.
Develop and implement emergency preparedness and response plans for plant upsets, bypasses, spills, severe weather events and public health incidents; lead incident command during emergencies and coordinate mutual aid requests.
Establish and oversee workplace health, safety and environmental programs including confined space entry, lockout/tagout, HAZWOPER, respiratory protection, and OSHA compliance to reduce incidents and promote a safety culture.
Lead odor management and community relations programs to address neighborhood concerns, coordinate public outreach, and maintain positive relationships with elected officials, neighborhood groups and media.
Direct procurement, vendor selection and contract management for operations, maintenance and professional services, ensuring compliance with procurement policies and cost effective vendor performance.
Provide technical review and approval of engineering designs, process selection, pilot studies and field trials for upgrades such as nutrient removal, membrane systems, advanced oxidation, or biosolids technologies.
Conduct lifecycle cost analyses, energy audits and sustainability assessments to identify energy reduction opportunities, grant funding, and strategies for greenhouse gas reduction and resiliency.
Prepare, review and submit regulatory reports, discharge monitoring reports (DMRs), biosolids reports, and other required submissions in a timely and defensible manner.
Mentor and coach plant leadership and operations staff on troubleshooting, process optimization, regulatory expectations and professional development to build internal technical capacity.
Coordinate with water utilities, stormwater, public works and emergency services to ensure integrated utility planning, capital coordination and cross‑functional response during system events.
Maintain and update asset inventories, GIS documentation and as‑built records, ensuring accurate documentation for planning, permitting and operational continuity.

Secondary Functions

Support strategic grant writing and pursuit of federal/state funding for capital projects and sustainability initiatives, including preparation of technical narratives, budgets and schedules.
Oversee small research and pilot programs to evaluate new treatment technologies, chemical alternatives or process control strategies and provide recommendations based on pilot data and cost analyses.
Participate in regional wastewater and water sector associations, technical committees and industry conferences to stay current on regulatory trends, best practices and emerging technologies.
Provide advisory support to the city/municipal leadership and elected officials on utility rate studies, policy decisions and public communications related to wastewater operations.
Coordinate workforce development partnerships with local community colleges, trade schools and apprenticeship programs to build a pipeline of certified operators and technical staff.
Support public outreach and educational programs to inform residents and industrial partners about pretreatment requirements, FOG (fats, oils, grease) programs, and proper disposal practices.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Comprehensive knowledge of wastewater treatment processes including activated sludge, biological nutrient removal (BNR), nitrification/denitrification, tertiary treatment and disinfection methods.
Strong familiarity with NPDES permits, effluent limits, biosolids regulations, pretreatment standards (40 CFR Part 403) and state environmental permit frameworks.
Experience with SCADA systems, PLC programming basics, industrial control systems cybersecurity principles and remote telemetry for process monitoring and automation.
Proficiency with laboratory QA/QC procedures, analytical methods (BOD, TSS, TKN, NH3, TP), chain of custody and environmental data validation for compliance reporting.
Skilled in capital project management, construction administration, contract management, RFP development and engineering design review for wastewater infrastructure projects.
Working knowledge of asset management principles, CMMS software, predictive maintenance, lifecycle cost analysis and financial modeling for utility assets.
Ability to interpret hydraulic and process modeling outputs (e.g., H2S modeling, hydraulic profiles) and apply them to collection system and plant upgrades.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, project scheduling software (MS Project or Primavera), GIS, and data visualization/reporting tools for performance dashboards.
Practical understanding of biosolids handling technologies (dewatering, digestion, thermal processes), land application regulations and hauling logistics.
Experience in safety program development, OSHA compliance, confined space programs and hazardous materials management.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and people management skills with demonstrated ability to coach, mentor and lead multi-disciplinary teams in high-pressure operational environments.
Excellent oral and written communication skills to interact with regulators, elected officials, community stakeholders and technical staff.
Strategic thinker with the ability to balance short‑term operational needs and long‑term capital planning and resiliency objectives.
Problem‑solving and analytical mindset with experience translating operational data into performance improvements and cost savings.
Conflict resolution and negotiation skills for managing vendor contracts, union relations and interagency coordination.
High level of integrity, public service orientation and commitment to environmental stewardship and public health protection.
Adaptability and resilience to manage incidents, changing regulations and emergent technical challenges.
Strong organizational skills with attention to detail for regulatory reporting, budgeting and documentation management.
Collaborative mindset to work across departments (water, stormwater, public works, finance) and with external partners.
Customer-service orientation to address community concerns and maintain trust in the utility.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Science, Biology or related technical field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Environmental or Civil Engineering, Environmental Management, Public Administration (MPA) or an MBA with utility management focus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Engineering
Civil Engineering
Environmental Science
Public Administration / Business Administration (utility leadership)
Chemistry / Microbiology (for lab oversight)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 8–15+ years in wastewater operations, process engineering or utility management.

Preferred:

Minimum 7–10 years of progressive supervisory experience in wastewater operations with at least 3–5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multiple teams, budgets and capital projects.
Demonstrated experience with NPDES permit compliance, DMR reporting, and successful delivery of medium to large capital improvement programs.
Active or preferred professional registrations/certifications such as State Wastewater Operator Class IV/Grade V, Professional Engineer (PE), Certified Public Manager (CPM) or equivalent management certifications.