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

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

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

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 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.

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

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 position is located in Department of Public Works, Bureau of Utilities and will manage the technical and engineering aspects of the Bureau of Utilities as well as the support functions to include operational budgeting and accounting for the Utility Fund and purchasing for the Bureau. This position performs the duties of the Bureau Chief of Utilities during their absence.?

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:$50.63 - $57.06/hour $105,310 - $118,681/year*This is theanticipated starting salary range for this position. Please note that the finalsalary 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-callbasis.*This position is not telework eligible.

• Leads decision-making, operational oversight, personnel management, emergency response, financial stewardship, and representation of the Bureau to County leadership, regulatory agencies, and external stakeholders.
• Manages personnel overseeing daily operations, inspections, budgeting, purchasing, accounting, and support activities.
• Performs special projects as needed with or without advance notice.
• Serves as Acting Bureau Chief of Utilities with full responsibility for leadership, administration, and management of the Bureau.

• Collaborates with DPW’s Enterprise Asset Manager to oversee long-range infrastructure replacement and renewal strategies.
• Guides asset condition assessment, lifecycle planning, and risk-based investment priorities to ensure reliable and sustainable water and wastewater infrastructure.
• Collaborates with the Water and Sewer Planning Division to prepare the Water and Sewer Master Plan and supports Water and Sewer capital project implementation.
• Provides leadership and oversight of customer service, meter services operations, and water and sewer system repair and maintenance activities.

• Ensures adherence to EPA, MDE, OSHA, and County regulatory requirements.
• Directs implementation of the Capacity, Management, Operations, and Maintenance (CMOM) Program.
• Oversees annual Water Audit, permit compliance, regulatory reporting, and technical investigations.
• Leads corrective actions to protect public health and the environment.

• Provides oversight of the Bureau’s Operational Technology systems, including SCADA.
• Leads initiatives to improve system reliability, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and data integration supporting efficient and safe utility operations.

• Directs 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.
• Coordinates water and wastewater payments and billing between Howard County and regional utility partners.

• Represents the Bureau in coordinating technical, operational, and financial activities with regional utilities and government partners including Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, WSSC Water, MDE, and EPA.
• Assists with negotiation, administration, and oversight of intergovernmental agreements, regional partnerships, and service contracts.

• Manages the Bureau’s emergency response and homeland security planning programs.
• Serves as emergency personnel and may berequiredto report during inclement weather or emergent situations.

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.