Columbus Water Works · 18 hours ago
Chief of Engineering
Columbus, GA, US
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
$165K/yr - $201K/yr
5+ years expColumbus Water Works (CWW) is seeking an experienced, Georgia-licensed Professional Engineer to serve as Chief of Engineering. This senior leadership position is responsible for directing the Engineering Division and providing strategic leadership in the planning, delivery, and stewardship of the City’s water and wastewater infrastructure. The role is integral to supporting the City’s economic development by ensuring reliable, sustainable infrastructure that promotes business growth, attracts investment, and meets the long-term needs of the community.
Health Care
Responsibilities
Serve as the organization’s engineering authority for EPD permitting, compliance, and regulatory coordination
Resolve complex permit submissions and regulatory compliance matters
Respond to advanced technical requests requiring professional engineering judgment and approval
Provide oversight of public water and sewer infrastructure installations by the development community (approx. $5M annually)
Lead and manage in-house engineering design projects (approx. $2M in annual construction value)
Direct system expansions for water distribution and wastewater collection systems across multiple service areas
Manage engineering aspects of contract modifications related to the Fort Benning contract
Proactively identify current and future operational and infrastructure needs for CWW Engineering
Serve as a key contributor to short- and medium-term engineering and capital planning
Participate actively in monthly and annual planning processes
Develop and implement process improvements, quality management practices, and engineering standards
Monitor effectiveness of implemented improvements and adjust as needed
Lead, mentor, and develop engineering staff, with a strong focus on professional growth, licensure progression, and career development
Build a high-performance, customer-focused team culture grounded in respect, accountability, and collaboration
Promote a positive employee experience through clear expectations, coaching, feedback, and training
Foster a workplace environment where employees feel supported, valued, and connected— a true CWW family
Collaborate across departments within CWW to align engineering objectives with organizational goals
Build strong relationships with community leaders, consultants, contractors, vendors, developers, and customers
Enhance public trust and recognition through professionalism, transparency, and responsiveness
Present technical and strategic information to executive leadership and the Board of Directors as needed
Ensure all safety policies and regulations are followed by staff and management
May assume oversight responsibilities for additional departments as delegated
Perform other duties as assigned
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in civil, Environmental, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline from an accredited university
Georgia Professional Engineer (PE) license required
Minimum 5+ years of progressive engineering experience, with increasing leadership responsibility (senior-level experience strongly preferred)
Ability to obtain Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission (GSWCC) Erosion and Sediment Control certification within six (6) months
Deep knowledge of civil engineering principles as applied to water and wastewater utilities
Proven ability to analyze complex technical, regulatory, and operational challenges and deliver sound, practical solutions
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical concepts for non-technical audiences
Demonstrated ability to represent the organization professionally with regulators, elected officials, contractors, consultants, developers, and the public
Commitment to CWW's Purpose, Vision, and Values, and the ability to model leadership behaviors that foster trust, accountability, and collaboration
Preferred
Senior-level experience strongly preferred
Company
Columbus Water Works
Columbus Water Works (CWW) supplies drinking water and provides wastewater treatment to the Columbus area including Fort Moore as well as parts of Harris and Talbot Counties.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Carl Robertson
Chief Financial Officer; Senior VP of Communications, Customer Service & Financial Services
Company data provided by crunchbase