Chief Administrative Officer

JOB SUMMARY

The Chief Administrative Officer partners with the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer to develop and implement strategies and policies that align with the organization's goals. Leads the functions of External Affairs, Communications, Government and Customer Relations, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Human Resources (HR). Responsible for communicating internally and externally the Sewer District's commitment to fiscal responsibility, customer relations, environmental stewardship and innovation. Directs community relations and customer engagement initiatives focused on residents, customers and public officials. Ensures the effectiveness of internal and external communications and HR operations. Performs other duties of a similar nature as may be required.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

- Acts as an advisor, in collaboration with other members of the C-Suite, on strategies and policies to achieve Sewer District goals. Provides support and counsel to all Sewer District departments and staff and serves as a bridge to support services they may need.

- Provides leadership, direction and coaching to department leaders and staff reporting to the CAO, ensuring alignment with performance goals and organizational objectives.

- Oversees work assignments and performance. Creates development plans for managers and staff to support employee advancement, engagement and effectiveness.

- Develops and manages department budgets and staffing plans.

External Affairs and Communications

- Implements the Public Engagement Strategy to build customer and public relations. Develops the Employee Engagement Strategy for the organization.

- Develops and executes a community relations plan/public information campaign to create and maintain support for the Sewer District's efforts. Maintains awareness of community concerns and priorities and develops responses.

- Prioritizes, oversees and evaluates outreach programs, special events and internet/intranet content to ensure alignment of activities with the Sewer District's mission and vision. Develops systems to monitor and evaluate the impact of such programs.

- Engages vendors as needed to enhance outreach activities. Negotiates, administers contracts and manages results.

- Builds and maintains appropriate professional, political and media relationships such that the Sewer District's image remains respected and positive. Attends events, networks and keeps abreast of citizen and political issues that impact the Sewer District.

- Cooperates and advises all Sewer District departments in the development and alignment of the Sewer District's communications.

Government and Customer Relations

- Provides strategic leadership of the Sewer District's Government Affairs and Customer Relations functions with a focus on building and maintaining relationships with customers.

- Ensures the development and implementation of policies and procedures that adhere to regulations and result in accurate billing as well as positive relationships with billing agencies.

- Builds productive relationships with elected officials, government leaders, and community and business representatives to promote open, two-way communication and collaboration.

Human Resources

- Provides strategic oversight of all HR functions including HR operations, employee and labor relations and talent strategy.

- Ensures the HR team delivers exceptional customer service to employees and managers, fostering a positive and responsive work environment.

- Oversees the development and implementation of Sewer District personnel practices and policies to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and organizational standards.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

- Establishes the Sewer District's strategic priorities for diversity, equity and inclusion. Ensures implementation of DEI strategic plans and monitors progress by interpreting data.

- Partners with senior leaders to promote understanding of diversity issues and initiatives.

- Monitors the effectiveness of internal diversity and inclusion programs including training, employee resource groups (ERGs), and talent management practices.

- Oversees the development and execution of wide-ranging community relations and outreach efforts.

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION

- Candidate must possess a bachelor's degree, preferably in Political Science, Public Relations, Communications, Business, Human Resources or a closely related field.

- Master's degree preferred.

EXPERIENCE

- Candidate must possess ten (10) years of experience in HR, public relations or a closely related field.

- Candidate must possess five (5) years of experience in supervising, managing, and/or leading a diverse team.

- Experience where DEI activities were a significant part of professional activities is strongly preferred.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATIONS

- Candidate must possess a valid driver's license with a driving record in accordance with the Sewer District's acceptable guidelines.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

- Candidate must possess effective written and verbal communication, organizational skills and decision-making abilities.

- Candidate must possess effective planning, listening and prioritization skills.

- Candidate must be able to effectively build and maintain positive relationships through interpersonal sensitivity, building effective teams, diversity and inclusion awareness and conflict management.

- Candidate must possess negotiation, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills to address issues and opportunities for improvement.

- Candidate must have the ability to empower and develop others through motivating, delegating and appraising people and their performance.

- Candidate must demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous learning by proactively acquiring new knowledge, adapting to change and applying insights to improve performance and support team growth.

- Candidate must establish priorities and optimize performance through problem solving, setting goals and standards, decision making and managing and measuring work.

- Candidate must demonstrate a history of fostering an inclusive culture where all employees feel valued, respected and able to contribute fully. This includes modeling inclusive behaviors, promoting unbiased recruitment and retention practices, developing diverse talent, championing equitable policies and practices and fostering a safe and respectful work environment.

- Candidate must manage the vision and purpose of the organization through high impact communications and demonstrating managerial courage.

- Candidate must demonstrate the ability to make decisions and think strategically.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

During the course of performing the essential functions of this position, the employee must be able to analyze, communicate, comprehend, coordinate, make decisions, possess general intelligence, interact, interpret, negotiate, possess numerical intelligence, organize, problem solve, have resilience and perform tasks. Physical work will need to be performed, such as driving, sitting, standing, talking, typing and walking. Repetitive movements will need to be performed such as simple grasping with one or both hands. Ability to push, pull and lift from floor to waist, up to 20 lbs. on an occasional, frequent, continuous basis may be necessary. Position will require visual demands of accommodation, color vision, depth perception, far acuity and near acuity. Ability to withstand faint to moderate noise exposure for fifteen minutes or longer on an infrequent basis is required.

Pay Range: USD, Commensurate with Experience

$180,929 - $235,206

Our Employee Benefits & Wellness Programs
We offer a comprehensive employee benefits package including Health Insurance Coverage, Various Retirement Planning Options (Ohio Public Employee Retirement System and Deferred Compensation Plans), Flexible Spending Accounts, Employee Assistance Program, Free Parking at our facilities, Corporate Discounts, and more! We also have an active Health & Wellness Program that promotes a life/work balance.

NEORSD supports the use of hybrid work as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity and better prepares the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for hybrid work. hybrid eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

DISCLAIMER: The information outlined in this job description indicates the general nature and type of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to provide a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities or competencies required of employees within this classification