Engineering Program Manager

Charlotte Water is an enterprise department of the City of Charlotte and one of the largest public water and sewer service providers in the southeast, serving over 330,000 customer accounts and employing over 1,300 staff. Our service area includes the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and the towns of Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mint Hill, Matthews, and Pineville.

About the role

This position provides management duties for the Environmental Management Division (EMD) engineering of Charlotte Water, overseeing the Environmental Management System (EMS) and continuous improvement initiatives. Responsibilities include monitoring and implementing EMD’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), rehabilitation, and upgrade projects for Water Resource Recovery Facilities, Resource Recovery Programs, and Biosolids/Residuals handling. The role ensures compliance with permits such as Dam Safety, Stormwater/Spill Response, and Reclaimed Water, and maintains the division’s ISO 14001 certification for the EMS.

The EMD Engineering Program Manager collaborates with internal teams to identify and prioritize projects, participates in capital improvements, and supports contract and task order administration. This role promotes staff development, provides technical expertise, and represents EMD within the department, the City, and in public-facing situations.

Responsibilities

• Participate in and provide input on capital improvement projects for Water Resource Recovery Facilities and wastewater treatment.
• Serve as a consultant on project design and construction teams, attending monthly design and construction status meetings.
• Review plans and specifications, providing technical input.
• Monitor and implement EMD CIP, rehabilitation, and upgrade projects and studies.
• Coordinate and review construction engineering plans, designs, and specifications.
• Provide technical advice and assistance related to wastewater treatment, stormwater management, and reclaimed water.
• Reprioritize projects and funding with the EMD Division Manager to address urgent needs.
• Oversee EMD Senior Engineers for division-managed projects during design and construction, including field decisions and root control program management.
• Respond to internal and external customer inquiries, complaints, and requests.
• Facilitate project meetings, resolve issues, and provide status updates for EMD-managed projects.
• Manage administrative aspects of projects, including budget negotiation, expense monitoring, scheduling, permit coordination, inspections, payment requests, and quality control.
• Provide hands-on operational assistance at treatment plants as needed.
• Ensure compliance with ISO 14001 standards for the EMS, supporting the division’s environmental management program and leading corrective action investigations.
• Collaborate with EMD leadership to develop and implement division-wide policies.
• Participate in special projects, such as evaluating new treatment technologies for the EMD research and development program.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• Five (5) years of related work experience in engineering or construction management, preferably in civil engineering or municipal capital improvement projects.
• Two (2) years of supervisory experience.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to obtain and maintain a City Driver’s Permit.
• Certification as an Engineering-in-Training (EIT) (must obtain within one year of hire).
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure preferred; may be required depending on assignment.

Skills

• Strong understanding of advanced wastewater treatment practices and equipment, including anaerobically digested solids, solids dewatering, and biosolids handling.
• Knowledge of fundamental engineering and construction principles for project initiation, planning, implementation, and closeout.
• Proficiency in project management tasks and software.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to apply and direct change control principles in project planning and implementation.
• Ability to develop technical reports and work cooperatively with city employees and the public.
• Strong conflict resolution skills.

Physical Demands

This role involves light work, requiring the ability to apply 10 pounds of force frequently and up to 20 pounds of force occasionally. Physical abilities include:

• Climbing, feeling, manual dexterity, grasping, and handling objects.
• Perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels and discriminating among sounds.
• Mental acuity, pulling, pushing, repetitive motion, speaking, standing, stooping.
• Visual acuity for data, color, observations, equipment, and inspections.
• Walking.

Work Environment

Work is performed in a dynamic environment requiring adaptability to changing goals, priorities, and needs. The role may require occasional on-call emergency work and is primarily in-person with limited remote work opportunities.

Pay

$111,072.60 - $123,413.99 annually.