POLICY AND RESOURCES SPECIALIST - WATER

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE APPLICANTS TO READ THE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR THIS POSITION. The City of Torrance recognizes the principles of diversity and inclusion, and strives to ensure equal opportunities for its workforce, applicants and community members. If you are a person who wants to make a difference, give back to your community, and be a voice for change, The City of Torrance is recruiting for a Policy and Resources Specialist to be part of the Municipal Water Division! The Department The Public Works Department is responsible for providing the essential infrastructure needs of the City. The department is made up of over 200 employees who provide service to our residents, businesses, and other City departments to improve and maintain the City's streets, sidewalks, landscaping, traffic, sewers, and water system. The Department is comprised of six divisions: Engineering, Sanitation, Street Operations, Streetscape, Water and Administration. The Division Torrance Municipal Water is an enterprise-funded municipal utility serving approximately 105,000 residents and businesses throughout about 78% of the City. The Water Division is responsible for water supply reliability, water quality, conservation, infrastructure planning, regulatory compliance, and regional partnerships that ensure safe, dependable water service for the community. The Position Reporting to the Water Operations Manager, the Policy & Resources Specialist for Water provides strategic policy, planning, financial, and regulatory support for Torrance Municipal Water. The position leads initiatives involving water resources, conservation, enterprise fund management, legislative analysis, grants, contracts, and regional partnerships that strengthen the City's long-term water reliability and sustainability. The position also researches and analyzes emerging water legislation, regulations, policies, programs, and funding opportunities and develops recommendations to support the City's water supply reliability, conservation, and long-term resource planning objectives. Key Responsibilities of the Policy and Resources Specialist Water Commission & Regional Agency Liaison – Act as liaison to the Water Commission and regional agencies including Metropolitan Water District (MWD), West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD), Water Replenishment District (WRD) and other agencies on policy, regulatory, legislative, and programmatic matters impacting water. Water Use Efficiency & Conservation – Act as program manager for water-use efficiency and conservation; collaborate on regional conservation efforts. Grant Strategy & Administration – Identify, pursue, prepare, administer, and monitor state, federal, and regional grant opportunities supporting water reliability, conservation, groundwater sustainability, infrastructure improvements, climate resilience, recycled water initiatives, and regulatory compliance. Planning & Strategic Initiatives – Develop the Urban Water Management Plan for TMW and other water resource, strategic, and business plans, initiatives, and studies. Groundwater Rights Management – Manage groundwater rights for the City, oversee conjunctive use carryover each year, and pursue acquisition of additional groundwater rights through lease or purchase. - Agreements & Contracts – Assist in preparing pricing and service agreements with MWD, WBMWD and WRD. Boards, Committees & Partnerships – Serve on regional boards or committees as needed and develop collaborative partnerships with other agencies. Enterprise & Policy Support – Assist with enterprise budgeting and forecasting, rate studies, legislative analysis, regulatory compliance, audits, contracts, and other policy and resource related activities. Prepare reports, presentations, staff recommendations, and other materials for the Water Commission, City management, and other decision-makers regarding water policy, programs, projects, and resource issues Education and Experience Bachelor’s Degree from a college or university in Public Administration, Business Administration, Public Policy, Environmental Planning, Biology, or a related field. Three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience in environmental resources related to water, which includes at least one (1) year of lead or supervisory experience of at least one major environmental resources program. Licenses and/or Certificates A valid California driver’s license. Successful candidates will possess the following Strong knowledge of water policy, regulatory, and legislative issues impacting municipal water utilities. Demonstrated experience building relationships with regional agencies and stakeholders. Exceptional analytical, written, and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex information for diverse audiences. Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and lead projects from concept to completion. Experience working with enterprise-funded municipal utilities or comparable public-sector organizations. Experience in water resources, water conservation, water utility operations, grants, regulatory programs, groundwater resources, or related municipal water programs is highly desirable. A proactive, solutions-oriented professional who thrives in a collaborative, team-focused environment. The application filing period will remain open until a sufficient number of qualifying applications have been received. Review of applications will be those received by Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 11:59pm. Only those candidates who best meet the City and Department's needs will be invited to participate in theexamination process, which will consist of the following components: Performance Test: Weighted 40% & Interview Panel: Weighted 60% (Tentatively scheduled on Thursday, October 8, 2026) The Performance Test will be conducted first, followed by the Interview Panel Visit to find out more information about our community. As a condition of employment, candidates must pass a background check and a pre-employment medical examination. Applicants with disabilities who require special testing arrangements must contact Human Resources prior to the examination date(s). The provisions of this announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract and any provisions contained in this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice. City of Torrance Inclusion Statement The City of Torrance is a welcoming and culturally rich community. As a pillar of public service, we strive to be an employer of choice by attracting and retaining a talented workforce where people of diverse backgrounds, cultures, religions, and lifestyles are valued. Our mission is to create an inclusive environment where our staff are empowered to perform at their highest level and contribute towards making a positive impact. The City is an equal opportunity employer and works towards building collaborative teams from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, ancestry, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law. Come join us to help cultivate a workplace that welcomes and celebrates the diversity of our employees! #J-18808-Ljbffr City of Torrance