DEPUTY DIRECTOR / T&ES ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

Deputy Director / T&ES Environmental Services

Are you a collaborative leader who thrives on solving complex challenges and making a visible impact in your community? The City is seeking a forward-thinking Deputy Director of Environmental Services to help shape and lead critical infrastructure and environmental programs that directly affect residents' quality of life.

In this key leadership role, you will guide a talented, multidisciplinary team responsible for stormwater management, sanitary sewer systems, and environmental quality initiatives. You'll play a central role in advancing innovative solutions, maintaining essential infrastructure, and ensuring the City delivers responsive, high-quality services.

Reporting to the Director of Transportation & Environmental Services, the Deputy Director is a senior member of the leadership team. You will bring a collaborative mindset, a strategic outlook, and a hands-on approach to managing operations, supporting staff, and driving continuous improvement across the Environmental Services division.

What You'll Do

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for stormwater, flood management, sanitary sewer, and environmental quality programs
• Lead and support a high-performing team responsible for critical public infrastructure and services
• Champion customer-focused solutions that address community concerns and enhance quality of life
• Oversee operations, maintenance, and long-term planning for environmental infrastructure systems
• Partner across departments and with regional, state, and federal agencies to advance key initiatives
• Serve as a trusted advisor to City leadership, including the City Manager, City Council, and commissions

What You Bring

• Proven experience managing complex infrastructure programs, particularly in stormwater, wastewater, or related fields
• Strong financial, operational, and organizational leadership skills
• A collaborative, solutions-oriented approach to leadership and team development
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with staff, elected officials, and the public
• Experience navigating organizational change, including labor relations or collective bargaining environments
• A passion for public service and a commitment to delivering results that matter to the community

This is more than a leadership role—it's an opportunity to shape the future of the City's environmental infrastructure, support a dedicated workforce, and make a lasting difference in the community.

The Opportunity

Sanitary Infrastructure: implements the City's Sanitary Sewer Master Plan and is responsible for planning level engineering related to sanitary sewer capital projects throughout the City.

Stormwater Management: helps protect water quality in the City. The program has three focus areas: Stormwater Quality, Flooding and Drainage Issues, and Public Infrastructure Maintenance.

Environmental Quality: administers the City's air, water, and noise improvement programs, which help preserve and protect the environment and public health and welfare.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the City's 10-year Sanitary Sewer Capital Improvement Program. Ensures that the City stays in compliance with state and federal environmental regulations and permits. Prepares, submits and manages the processing of applications for permits or City projects and programs from environmental regulatory agencies and ensures adequate resources and programs are established to comply with various state and federal environmental laws and regulations. Current examples include permits and programs covering the City's Combined Sewer system (CSO) and the City's municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4), which each have separate permits issued under the Clean Water Act by VA Dept of Environmental Quality. As a result of these permits and
• conditions, the City is required to have two separate programs administered by the
• Environmental Services branch. These regulatory issues have serious legal and fiscal
• implications for the City;
• Coordinates Environmental Programs as relevant to the Eco-City Alexandria Programs.
• Conducts and coordinates public relations activities to promote environmental protection and conservation programs, including Eco-City Alexandria, Environmental Action Plan 2040, Flood Action Alexandria, signage programs, pollution prevention, storm drain markers, brochures, newsletters, reports, and presentations. Attend and make presentations to civic associations and other group meetings to discuss, promote, and educate the public on environmental issues;
• Oversees the development or redevelopment of contaminated properties, both City projects as well as private developments as required by the Administrative Procedures for Contaminated Land and as required under the City's Zoning Ordinance. Duties involve reviewing highly technical reports and plans involving Site Characterization, Human and Ecological Risk Assessments, Remediation, and Corrective Action Plans and Health and Safety Plans for contaminated sites;
• Serves as the lead technical expert for numerous environmental areas such as air pollution, water quality, exposure to toxic and hazardous materials, noise, and contaminated land. Supervises and coordinates the activities of professional personnel of the Environmental Services branch and outside consultants, gathering information and data, analyzing data, preparing plans, studies and reports of all levels of complexity including those which are highly scientific and technical in nature for the Director, Environmental Policy Commission, Planning Commission, City Council, City Manager, City Attorney, and the general public. Responds to hazardous material spills and releases as needed. Responds to media inquiries concerning various environmental issues;
• Prepares docket items, reports, and/or analyses for the Director of T&ES, City Manager, City Council, and recommends strategies and policy options on studies, proposals, and other reports. Regularly attend City Council meetings. Prepares and oversees the budget for both the operating budget and for Capital Improvement Budget projects;
• Lead the sustainability, development, management, and control of the environmental infrastructure budget; and
• Performing related work as required

About the Department

T&ES is a community partner in shaping a livable, green, and prospering Alexandria. We plan, build, manage, and maintain transportation systems and environmental infrastructure that provide people and businesses with mobility and utilities. We help keep Alexandria moving and growing sustainably. We are a vibrant, diverse department that plays a major role in how the City operates day-to-day as well as how it will look in the future. With approximately 300 employees, including civil and environmental engineers, equipment operators, transit planners, laborers, construction inspectors, and financial analysts, we are an interdisciplinary and committed workforce. We are also an APWA accredited public works agency with award-winning environmental and planning programs, such as Eco-City Alexandria.

Minimum & Additional Requirements

The Ideal Candidate

Four-Year College Degree in a technical field related to Environmental/Civil/Water Resources engineering is required; four-five years of supervisory experience in managing technical or professional staff. Five years of progressively-professional experience in environmental engineering and/or natural resources field. Ability to grasp technical and scientific literature relating to environmental and health issues. Experience of working in a field related to water resources and air pollution required. Candidate should have excellent communication skills both verbal and written; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess an advanced degree in one of the areas that helps the person to better appreciate the need and scope of technical services required when dealing with other areas. More than five years of supervisory experience in managing technical or professional staff and seven years of professional experience in environmental engineering and/or natural resources field. Experience with regulating agencies and experience as a regulator with decision-making authority is preferred, as the ability to weigh competing interests and use sound judgment is key to this position.

The Ideal Candidate will also:

• Be adept at vendor management, including issuing RFPs, selecting contractors, and ensuring work standards are met;
• Incorporate best practices from localities engaged in collective bargaining;
• Bring an entrepreneurial approach to local government;
• Be politically savvy to appropriately address complex issues in a public setting;
• Promote a customer-oriented approach towards meeting client needs;
• Work collaboratively cross-departmentally and with other community organizations;
• Build trust and demonstrate transparency, strong work ethic, and integrity.

The City of Alexandria is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its workforce. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, military status, or disability.