Deputy Bureau Chief - (Engineering Manager I) - Public Works, Bureau of Utilities

Posting number: 26-00612

Department: Public Works

Division: DPW - Utilities Support

Job classification: Deputy Bureau Chief of Utilities (Engineering Manager I) - Public Works, Bureau of Utilities/Technical Support

Posting type: Open

Categories: Engineering, Public Works, Water Treatment, Wastewater, Utilities

Summary

Howard County:

Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.

Howard County Government:

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, best practices and sustainability. It is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2025, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 83 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) – the most awards in the state of Maryland, and the fifth highest in the nation, as compared to more than 3000 counties. NACo Achievement Awards are the premier national honor to recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policy making. 

What are we looking for?

We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.  

• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!  
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs. 
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Deputy Bureau Chief of Utilities works in the Department of Public Works (DPW), Bureau of Utilities and serves as the Technical Services Division Manager responsible for managing the Bureau's technical and engineering programs supporting the County's water distribution, wastewater collection, and the water reclamation plant. This position oversees Bureau-wide support functions, including operational budgeting, financial management, purchasing, procurement coordination, contract administration, and administrative operations. The position works closely with Division Managers, the Bureau of Engineering, the Department of Finance, Regulatory Agencies, Consultants, Contractors, Elected Officials, Developers, and Regional Utility Partners to advance the DPW's strategic priorities. The position performs the duties of the Bureau Chief of Utilities during their absence.

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:
$50.63 - $97.50
$105,310 - $202,800

*This is the anticipated starting salary range for this position. Please note that the final salary will be determined by the Office of Human Resources, commensurate with experience and aligned to ensure internal equity with similarly situated roles.*

CLASS DESCRIPTION:

Performs mid-management level and advanced engineering and/or architectural work under general supervision from an administrative or technical superior. Work involves managing the administrative, technical and budgetary affairs of a division or overseeing the activities of the Bureau of Facilities. Work includes preparing and maintaining an operating budget; projecting manpower needs, materials, and equipment; plans reviews and resolving the most difficult engineering and/or architectural design problems.

This is a Classified position, meaning that it is a part of the Howard County Classified Service upon completion of a probationary period of at least six (6) months.

*This position has been designated as "essential personnel," meaning an employee is expected to report for regular work shift during inclement weather, emergency situations, County holidays and on an on-call basis.*

This position is not tele-work eligible.

Examples of duties

Leadership & Management

• Serves as Acting Bureau Chief of Utilities, in the absence of the Bureau Chief, and assumes full responsibility for the leadership, administration, and management of the Bureau, including decision-making, operational oversight, personnel management, emergency response, regulatory compliance, financial management, and representation of the Bureau before County leadership, regulatory agencies, and external stakeholders.
• Manages subordinate personnel responsible for daily water and sewer system operations and inspections, budgeting, purchasing, accounting, and other Bureau support activities.
• May perform special projects as needed with or without advance notice.
• This position is considered emergency personnel and may be required to report for regular and emergency operations.

Infrastructure & Asset Management

• Works closely with DPW's Enterprise Asset Manager to oversee long-range infrastructure replacement and renewal strategies, asset condition assessments, lifecycle planning, and risk-based investment priorities to ensure the reliability, resilience, and long-term sustainability of the County's water and wastewater infrastructure.
• Coordinates the preparation of the Water and Sewer Master Plan.
• Coordinates Water and Sewer Capital Project implementation.

Regulatory Compliance

• Provides oversight of the Bureau's regulatory compliance programs by ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local requirements, including EPA, MDE, OSHA, and County regulations.
• Directs implementation of the Capacity, Management, Operations, and Maintenance (CMOM) Program.
• Oversees the annual Water Audit.
• Ensures compliance with permits and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Leads technical investigations and corrective actions to maintain regulatory compliance and protect public health and the environment.

Operations & Emergency Management

• Provides oversight of the Bureau's Operational Technology (OT) systems, including Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems.
• Leads initiatives to enhance system reliability, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and data integration to support safe, efficient, and resilient utility operations.
• Manages the Bureau's emergency response and planning programs related to homeland security.

Financial Administration

• Provides oversight of the Bureau's financial operations by directing the development and administration of the Operating Budget.
• Supports capital budgeting and long-range financial planning.
• Oversees procurement, purchasing, contract administration, and financial controls.
• Guides utility rate studies and cost-of-service analyses to ensure fiscal responsibility and the long-term sustainability of the utility system.
• Coordinates the annual operating budget.

External Relations

• Represents the Bureau in coordinating technical, operational, and financial activities with regional utility providers, regulatory agencies, and local governments, including Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, WSSC Water, MDE, and EPA.
• Assists with the negotiation, administration, and oversight of intergovernmental agreements, regional partnerships, and service contracts to ensure regulatory compliance, operational coordination, and the reliable delivery of water and wastewater services.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering and six (6) years related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.?

REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS:

State of Maryland Registered Professional Engineer and/or Maryland Licensed Architect

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Four (4) years experience in supervising technical and support personnel in the water and sewer sector
• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil, Environmental or Mechanical Engineering

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; strenuous climbing, balancing; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell. 
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; outside weather conditions; extreme cold; extreme heat; risk of electrical shock; and vibration. 
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS AND REASONING ABILITY:

• Thorough knowledge of water quality management and pollution control, wastewater and water treatment, hydrology, hydraulics, water chemistry and biology, methodologies used in projecting future demands on facilities and administrative and budget management methods and techniques.
• Skill in interpreting and analyzing engineering designs, plans and specifications as well as being able to do complex design work to include detailed specifications.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. 
• Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. 
• Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format. 
• Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
• Ability to apply advanced mathematical concepts such as exponents, logarithms, quadratic equations, and permutations. 
• Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. 
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.