Northern Water is seeking a Senior Water Quality Specialist. This is an exciting opportunity to grow or enrich a career in water quality policy. This individual will represent Northern Water in water quality related regulations workgroups, track emerging issues and contribute to Colorado water quality standards development. This role requires a skilled, strategic thinker who enjoys working on complex water quality policy issues, while thoughtfully representing Northern Water's interests in various regulatory forums. The ideal candidate will have a passion for policy, knowledge of the Colorado water quality regulatory framework, and be skilled at verbal and written communications. They will work well in collaborative and stakeholder group settings with an ability to maintain and enhance relationships with regulatory agencies and others in the water sector.
Northern Water is growing and we’re seeking employees who are passionately committed to helping us collect and deliver water to more than 1 million people and about 615,000 acres of irrigated farmland. Since 1937 our strong and stable reputation has attracted employees to be a part of our mission. We offer competitive pay, exceptional benefits and a workplace environment that offers great culture and collaboration. With more than 180 employees, most are based at our beautiful Berthoud, Colo. headquarters, and about 20 are based in scenic Grand County on the West Slope of the Continental Divide.
This is an exciting time to become a part of our organization as we embark on building two of the largest water storage projects in recent United States history. We’re proud of our reputation as a leading water delivery, conservation and management organization, not only in the western United States, but across the nation. Come join our team!
DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION
The Water Quality Department serves the Northern WaterandMunicipalSubdistrict, its allottees and constituents to monitor,assess, protect and improve water quality within the District boundaries. Core responsibilities of thedepartmentinclude monitoring plan development, data management, reporting and assessment, involvement in regulatory issues, watershed/aquatic habitat restoration, and outreach efforts.The department alsoworkswiththeOperationsand Engineering Divisions to support multi stakeholder adaptive management processes to evaluate and implement operational controls to improve water quality, fisheries health, and recreation.
GENERAL STATEMENT
The Senior Water Quality Policy Specialist plays a critical role in monitoring water quality regulations and representing the organization in various regulatory and policy forums and workgroups. This role has a deep understanding of Northern Water's activities related to water quality matters, permits held by the organization, and compliance with regulatory requirements. This senior-level position requires extensive knowledge of water quality regulations, active participation in regulatory workgroups, and effective communication with regulatory agencies as well as internal and external stakeholders involved in water quality regulatory matters.
Salary: $91,988.00 - $117,026.00
Requirements
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Monitors water quality regulations at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Develops, maintains, and strengthens relationships with state, regional, and federal water quality policy administrators and policy makers, and other water quality stakeholders.
- Participates in regulatory workgroups and committees organized by the Colorado Water Quality Control Division.
- Assists with preparation of testimony for Colorado Water Quality Rulemaking Hearings.
- Represents the organization with the Colorado Water Quality Forum, the Water Quality Committee of the Colorado Water Congress and any other relevant group involved in the coordination of water quality policy and regulatory matters.
- Represents the organization in discussions and negotiations related to water quality regulatory affairs, including meetings with regulatory agencies and stakeholder groups.
- Reviews regulatory and policy proposals relevant to water quality, including technical aspects, coordinate internal comments with staff, legal counsel, as governmental affairs representative as part of the public comment process.
- Monitors comments from other stakeholders and participates in discussions to advocate for the organization's interests.
- Attends hearings, meetings, and other regulatory events, and reports back on discussions, decisions, and potential impacts on the organization.
- Stays informed about new issues and developments in water quality regulation that could affect the organization, and subsequently providing timely updates and recommendations to management and to the Board of Directors as needed.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provides support to the organization in meeting water quality policy objectives.
- Collaborates with internal departments and legal counsel to promote alignment between regulatory requirements and organizational goals and initiatives.
- Assists in the development and implementation of strategies to address emerging water quality challenges and opportunities.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Public Policy, or related field required. Master's degree preferred.
Experience
- Must have a minimum of ten years of experience, preferably in Colorado, in water quality regulatory affairs, environmental policy, or working with environmental federal, state, and local environmental regulatory standards such as the Clean Water Act, and the Colorado Water Quality Control Act.
- General knowledge of water quality, water resource management, and environmental policy is required.
LICENSE, CERTIFICATE AND CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIESKnowledge
- Comprehensive understanding of water quality regulations at local, state, and federal levels, with a focus on Colorado-specific regulations.
- Familiarity with the activities and permits of Northern Water related to water quality matters, including compliance obligations.
- Knowledge of regulatory processes, public comment procedures, and stakeholder engagement strategies.
- Understanding of the roles and responsibilities of regulatory agencies and other organizations involved in water quality oversight and management.
- Awareness of emerging issues and developments in water quality regulation that could impact or influence Northern Water.
- Technical understanding of water quality issues.
- Proficiency with M.S. Office Suite, use of collaborative platforms such as SharePoint, OneDrive and Google Drive, and general computer literacy.
Skills
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate complex regulatory concepts and their impact to water resource management to a diverse audience.
- Analytical skills, including the ability to review and interpret regulatory proposals, policies, and technical documents.
- Organizational skills, with the ability to manage and prioritize tasks effectively to meet deadlines and objectives.
- Collaboration skills, including the ability to work collaboratively with internal teams, external stakeholders, and regulatory agencies.
- Attention to detail, with a focus on accuracy and completeness in reviewing regulatory documents and preparing comments.
Abilities
- Navigate complex regulatory environments and effectively advocate for Northern Water’s interests.
- Represent Northern Water professionally in regulatory meetings, hearings, and other forums.
- Adapt to changing priorities and respond effectively to emerging regulatory issues.
- Analyze and assess the potential impact of regulatory proposals on Northern Water and develop appropriate strategies in response.
- Stay informed about new developments in water quality regulations and apply this knowledge to support Northern Water’s objectives.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to occasionally walk/hike at high elevations around water features such as canals, reservoirs, and rivers/streams.
- Balancing, using legs to stabilize self on uneven surfaces, ditch sides, concrete abutments, etc.
- Ability to tolerate temperature extremes, intense sunlight, rain and/or snow, high winds, dust, pollen, etc.
- Ability to lift, drag, or push objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
- Requires prolonged sitting, standing, repetitive hand movement, and fine coordination in using a computer keyboard and mouse.
- Must be able to meet the physical requirements of a post job offer physical examination.
Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.