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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Water Resource Program Manager

💰 $95,000 - $145,000

Water ResourcesEnvironmental ManagementProgram Management

🎯 Role Definition

The Water Resource Program Manager leads planning, design, delivery, and compliance of municipal, regional, or watershed-scale water resource programs. This role directs cross-disciplinary teams and external partners to implement projects and policies that improve water quality, reduce flood risk, and increase resilience to climate impacts. The manager is accountable for program strategy, budgets, grant administration, regulatory compliance (e.g., NPDES, SWPPP, NEPA/CEQA), stakeholder engagement, contractor oversight, monitoring, and performance reporting.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Water Resources Engineer / Civil Engineer
  • Environmental Scientist or Hydrologist
  • Stormwater or Floodplain Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Senior Program Manager, Water Resources
  • Director of Water Resources or Director of Public Works
  • Deputy/Assistant City Engineer or Chief Resilience Officer

Lateral Moves:

  • Stormwater Program Manager
  • Floodplain & Hazard Mitigation Manager
  • Watershed or Natural Resources Program Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, implement, and manage integrated water resource programs (stormwater, watershed restoration, flood risk reduction, water quality improvement) end-to-end, ensuring alignment with agency strategic goals and regulatory requirements.
  • Create and manage multi-year program budgets, monitor expenditures and forecast funding needs, and implement cost controls to deliver projects on time and within budget.
  • Lead grant identification, proposal development, submittal, and post-award grant management, including compliance reporting, invoicing, deliverable tracking, and closeout for federal, state, and foundation funds.
  • Oversee planning studies, design efforts, and capital improvement projects (CIP), coordinating engineers, scientists, and consultants to translate policy objectives into technical solutions and constructed infrastructure.
  • Ensure regulatory compliance with federal, state, and local water quality and land-use regulations (e.g., Clean Water Act, NPDES permits, SWPPP, NEPA/CEQA), preparing permit applications and coordinating with permitting agencies.
  • Direct and use hydrologic and hydraulic analyses (HEC‑HMS, HEC‑RAS, SWMM or equivalent) to evaluate flood risk, model storm events, size conveyance and storage, and support technical decision-making.
  • Manage water-quality and ecological monitoring programs, including sampling design, QA/QC, data analysis, and interpretation to measure program outcomes and inform adaptive management.
  • Lead stakeholder and interagency coordination—organize and facilitate public meetings, technical committees, tribal consultations, and partner working groups to build consensus and advance projects.
  • Develop program policies, technical standards, and standard operating procedures for stormwater management, low-impact development (LID), source control, and O&M of water infrastructure.
  • Negotiate, prepare, and administer professional services and construction contracts; manage procurement, scope changes, claims, and contractor performance to protect project schedules and budgets.
  • Direct asset management and capital planning activities for water control infrastructure (detention basins, levees, culverts, pump stations), including condition assessment and life-cycle replacement planning.
  • Advise elected officials, boards, and senior leadership on technical and policy matters related to floodplain management, water supply reliability, climate adaptation, and regulatory drivers.
  • Implement climate resilience and nature-based solutions (green infrastructure, riparian restoration, wetland enhancement) to reduce risk while maximizing co‑benefits for biodiversity and community amenity.
  • Design and implement program-level monitoring and performance metrics (KPIs) to quantify program effectiveness, produce annual reports, and drive continuous improvement through evidence-based decisions.
  • Provide technical review and quality assurance of consultant deliverables, engineering reports, technical memoranda, and environmental documents to ensure accuracy and compliance with standards.
  • Oversee permit and enforcement tracking systems, ensure timely responses to compliance issues, and coordinate corrective actions with operations and maintenance teams.
  • Coordinate emergency response and post-event recovery activities related to floods, major storm events, or water infrastructure failures, including field assessments and repair prioritization.
  • Lead community outreach and education campaigns—prepare materials, present at public forums, and manage communications to promote program initiatives and behavior change (e.g., pollution prevention).
  • Integrate GIS and spatial analysis into program planning, producing maps, asset inventories, and scenario analyses to inform prioritization and funding strategies.
  • Drive cross-functional coordination with transportation, parks, land use planning, and public health departments to align investments, policies, and permit conditions.
  • Prepare permitting-related technical studies and environmental documentation (EAs, EISs, IS/MNDs) in coordination with environmental compliance specialists and legal counsel.
  • Mentor and supervise professional staff and technicians: set performance goals, develop training plans, conduct evaluations, and foster a high-performing, collaborative team culture.
  • Develop procurement strategies and alternative delivery approaches (CMAR, design‑build) where applicable to accelerate program delivery and control costs.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc technical reviews for land development projects to ensure compliance with municipal stormwater and watershed regulations.
  • Maintain and update program web pages, dashboards, and public-facing progress trackers to increase transparency and stakeholder engagement.
  • Assist in the development of internal training modules on permitting, LID design, and watershed planning for staff and partner agencies.
  • Coordinate pilot studies for innovative technologies (sensors, IoT monitoring, remote sensing) and document lessons learned to scale successful pilots.
  • Contribute to strategic planning efforts and funding strategies including fee studies, rate setting analyses, and identification of bond or financing opportunities.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling (HEC‑RAS, HEC‑HMS, EPA SWMM, MIKE, or equivalent)
  • GIS analysis and geoprocessing (ArcGIS, QGIS) for watershed delineation, asset mapping, and prioritization
  • Strong understanding of water quality regulations and permits (NPDES, MS4, TMDL, SWPPP)
  • Experience preparing and managing grant-funded projects and federal/state compliance reporting
  • Capital project delivery and construction management principles, including contract administration and change order control
  • Familiarity with environmental review processes (NEPA, CEQA) and preparation of technical appendices
  • Proficiency with data analysis tools (Excel, R, Python) and dashboarding/reporting platforms
  • Knowledge of green infrastructure and low-impact development (bioretention, permeable pavements, bioswales)
  • Asset management and lifecycle planning for stormwater and water control infrastructure
  • Budget development, fiscal forecasting, and financial reporting for multi-year programs

Soft Skills

  • Strategic leadership with the ability to set program vision, prioritize investments, and motivate cross-functional teams
  • Clear, persuasive communication—oral and written—with experience briefing elected officials and publishing technical reports
  • Strong stakeholder engagement and conflict-resolution skills to build consensus among diverse interests
  • Project management discipline: organization, scheduling, risk management, and delivery under competing priorities
  • Problem-solving mindset with the ability to translate technical analysis into practical, policy‑relevant recommendations
  • Political acumen and the ability to navigate municipal processes and interagency relationships
  • Coaching and team development skills to grow technical capability within the organization
  • Adaptability to changing regulatory and climate conditions and the ability to pivot program priorities accordingly
  • Attention to detail and quality assurance mindset for technical review and compliance tracking
  • Customer-service orientation for responding to community concerns and service requests

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering, Hydrology, Water Resources, Environmental Science, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Water Resources Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Hydrology, Watershed Science, Public Administration, or related discipline.
  • Professional licensure (PE) or relevant certifications (CPESC, CFM, AICP) preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Civil or Environmental Engineering
  • Hydrology / Hydraulics
  • Watershed Science / Environmental Science
  • Public Policy / Public Administration (for program and funding management)
  • Urban Planning (stormwater and land-use interaction)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–12 years of progressively responsible experience in water resources planning, stormwater or watershed program management, or engineering project delivery.

Preferred:

  • 7+ years managing programs that combine capital projects, operations, grant management, and regulatory compliance.
  • Demonstrated experience working with municipal, regional, or state agencies and coordinating multi‑stakeholder initiatives.
  • Track record of securing and managing external funding (grants, bonds) and delivering measurable program outcomes.
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