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

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, best practices, and sustainability, consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2025, Howard County received a record-breaking 83 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo).

About the role

The Deputy Bureau Chief of Utilities works in the Department of Public Works (DPW), Bureau of Utilities and is 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.

This is a Classified position, meaning it is 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 shifts during inclement weather, emergency situations, County holidays, and on an on-call basis. This position is not telework eligible.

Responsibilities

• Serves as Acting Bureau Chief of Utilities in the absence of the Bureau Chief, assuming full responsibility for leadership, administration, and management of the Bureau, including decision-making, operational oversight, personnel management, emergency response, regulatory compliance, financial management, and representation 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.
• Performs 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.
• 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 and Capital Project implementation.
• 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 and 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering and six (6) years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• State of Maryland Registered Professional Engineer and/or Maryland Licensed Architect.
• 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 performing complex design work including 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 tasks such 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.

Preferred Qualifications

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

Pay

Hiring Range: $50.63 - $97.50 per hour ($105,310 - $202,800 annually). 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.

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.

• Occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk or hear, and taste or smell.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, high or 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.