Irrigation Manager

Description

ABOUT THE ROLE

Cagwin & Dorward has been caring for Northern California landscapes since 1955. Water management is central to what we do. We maintain irrigation systems across our maintenance portfolio, test backflow devices, build water budgets, and employ more than 25 CLCA-certified Water Managers.

We are seeking an experienced Irrigation Manager to lead our water management efforts throughout the North Bay region. This is a unique opportunity to combine technical expertise, leadership, training, and consultative sales. You will help clients reduce water consumption, improve irrigation system performance, develop the irrigation skills of our branch teams, and identify upgrades and renovations that deliver measurable results.

If you're the person everyone calls when an irrigation system doesn't make sense, and you're equally comfortable presenting solutions and ROI to HOA boards and property managers, this could be the perfect opportunity.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

Water conservation is one of the most important priorities in commercial landscape management today. In this role, you'll directly impact client satisfaction, resource conservation, regulatory compliance, and branch profitability by helping properties operate more efficiently while maintaining landscape quality.

You'll have the opportunity to make a measurable difference and see the results of your work reflected in reduced water consumption, healthier landscapes, and improved system performance across the properties you support.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Build and manage water budgets for client properties, tracking usage and savings against established targets
• Program and manage smart and central irrigation control systems to reduce water consumption while maintaining plant health
• Conduct site inspections and irrigation audits, transforming findings into prioritized recommendations with clear return on investment
• Diagnose complex irrigation issues, including hydraulic problems, two-wire faults, pressure challenges, excessive water use, and chronic repair concerns
• Complete the irrigation portion of new property start-ups, including controller programming, repair recommendations, irrigation maps, and baseline water usage assessments
• Bring newly acquired properties into established water budgets within their first 90 days
• Identify and process available water agency and utility rebates on behalf of clients
• Present recommendations, project proposals, and water-saving strategies to property managers, HOA boards, management companies, and municipal clients
• Recruit, train, and develop irrigation technicians while serving as the irrigation subject matter expert for branch management teams
• Train Account Managers and Operations teams on irrigation best practices, controller technology, and water management strategies
• Ensure backflow testing, MWELO requirements, recycled water compliance, and related documentation remain current and properly tracked
• Achieve annual sales goals through irrigation enhancements, upgrades, repairs, and renovation projects

Requirements

WHAT YOU BRING

• 5+ years of commercial landscape irrigation experience, including leadership, training, or supervisory responsibilities
• Extensive hands-on knowledge of irrigation systems, hydraulics, valves, controllers, drip irrigation, wiring, troubleshooting, and repair
• Experience working with smart irrigation and central control systems, including platforms such as Weathermatic, WeatherTRAK, Calsense, Baseline, Rain Bird IQ, Hunter Centralus, Toro, ETwater, or similar technologies
• Strong understanding of two-wire irrigation systems
• Ability to communicate and train effectively in both English and Spanish
• Comfort working with water budgets, usage data, and return-on-investment calculations
• Proficiency with computers and business software, including Google Workspace or similar platforms
• Strong presentation, communication, and consultative sales skills
• Valid California Driver's License with an acceptable driving record

Preferred Certifications: Certifications are preferred but not required. We actively support professional development and credentialing, including:

• CLCA Certified Water Manager
• QWEL (Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper)
• Irrigation Association CLIA or CIC certifications
• Backflow Tester Certification