PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT MANAGER

Tucson Water Organizational Development Office

Recruitment #2110-0455-001

Introduction

Tucson Water is the second largest water utility in Arizona, serving over 730,000 customers over a 390 square mile service area. Tucson Water is recognized internationally as a leader in water conservation, sustainability, and service. Our employees are proud stewards of our community’s most precious natural resource, working to embody the utility’s motto of “Pride In Service.”

Tucson Water is seeking an experienced Process Improvement Program Manager to develop and lead continuous improvement initiatives throughout the utility. The position has three broad areas of responsibility:

  • Fostering a culture of continuous improvement at Tucson Water
  • Formulating developing, and managing process evaluation and improvement initiatives
  • Developing a cadre of trained staff throughout the organization who can identify and implement process improvement efforts within their divisions

Selecting an experienced professional for this role is critical to supporting improvement initiatives throughout the Water Department. The Process Improvement Program Manager will  serve as a thought leader and subject matter expert on continuous improvement for the Department. They will work with all levels of the organization to identify opportunities for improvement, linked to the strategic plan and goals of the Department and develop and lead these initiatives. They will also promote an ethos of continuous improvement throughout the utility, through training staff in all divisions to recognize and implement improvements in their own areas of responsibility.

Like many utilities nationwide, Tucson Water is facing the challenge of replacing an aging workforce. The Process Improvement Program Manager will lead efforts to plan for this by identifying potential points of failure and by developing mechanisms for knowledge transfer and succession planning. They will also play a key role in creating, evaluating, and managing standard operating practices (SOPs) for major functions. 

Tucson Water has launched a digital transformation, investing in new system control, asset management, and customer information systems. These will revolutionize how the utility collects and uses business intelligence. The Process Improvement Program Manager will play a key role in this as we revise business processes to make optimal use of technological innovations.

The Process Improvement Program Manager will join a team of highly-skilled colleagues in the Organizational Development Office (ODO). ODO focuses its efforts on people, process, and technology. Current initiatives include a major revision and expansion of the Tucson Water training program, providing project management and oversight for the technological innovations, and developing a Benchmarking and Key Performance Indicator function for the utility.  A successful process improvement function will add greatly to this mission.


CITY WIDE BENEFITS

The City of Tucson offers a wide range of generous benefits for eligible employees. Some of those benefits include:

  • Medical: Choice between a high deductible plan (HSA or HRA), or Network plan
  • Dental: Choice between a national dental PPO and a local dental HMO
  • Vision: Coverage for annual eye exam and glasses or contacts, plus LASIK
  • Life: City-paid coverage for you & dependents, plus option to buy more
  • Long-Term Disability: Income replacement of up to 60% of your base salary in the event of a qualifying disability
  • Employee Assistance Program: Enhance your wellbeing when life doesn’t go as planned
  • Flexible Spending: Pay for qualified health and dependent care expenses using pretax dollars
  • Colonial Voluntary Benefits: Financial help in the event of cancer, hospitalization, accident, and more

 

Your Security and Future

  • Pension: Generous pension plans that help both civilian and public safety employees retire more comfortably
  • Deferred Compensation: Save more toward a comfortable retirement with a 457(b) plan
  • Training & Tuition Assistance: Pursue your dream through internal training or financial help toward a degree
  • Back-Up Care: Care for your loved ones when your regular care is unavailable

 

Your Peace of Mind

  • Paid Parental Leave: Six (6) weeks paid leave when you welcome a child, plus other generous leave policies for FML, Medical and USERRA
  • Paid Time Away: New hires enjoy 37 days of paid time off in the first year, with time increasing steadily thereafter (In year one: 13 accrued days of vacation, 13 accrued days of sick leave, and 11 paid holidays)
  • Employee Discounts: Generous discounts, ranging from car rentals to computers, gifts to groceries, electronics to entertainment.
  • Social Connectedness: Forge connections with the community we serve through paid volunteerism and payroll-deducted charitable giving

For a full description of benefits offered to eligible employees, or to inquire further about the City of Tucson's benefits options, please visit: https://www.tucsonaz.gov/hr/employee-benefit-snapshot

General Description

Manages complex projects and coordinates experts from different fields for the duration of each project. Prepares forecasts of needed funds, assists in developing and implementing project budgets, and monitors expenditures.

Essential Functions

The essential duties include but are not limited to:

  • Manages and directs complex projects by assigning work, forecasting timelines and project parameters, reviewing and approving plans and documents, devising solutions to problems, deploying resources, ensuring projects are completed effectively and efficiently within budget timeframes, studying and approving agreements, disbursing payments, conducting, and attending meetings with associated parties.
  • Prepares forecasts of needed funds, assists in the development and implementation of budgets, monitors project budgets, authorizes expenditures and budget allocations, reviews budget documents and prepares reports and communications.
  • Collaborates with intra and inter-departmental personnel, develops project goals and objectives, evaluates project success and regulatory compliance, and makes presentations.
  • Performs administrative duties by preparing and reviewing reports and correspondence, performing safety audits and inspections, reviewing policies and procedures, providing advice, researching and analyzing information such as cost-benefit studies, developing and maintaining databases and responding to and forwarding inquiries.

This description is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of management to assign, direct and control the work of employees under supervision. The listing of duties and responsibilities shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty. They are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this position.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education Level & Type: Bachelor's Degree

Minimum Experience Qualifications: At least 3 years managing complex projects and coordinating experts from different fields

Valid and Unrestricted Class D - Driver's License

An equivalent combination of education, training and experience, which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of this position, may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the above minimum qualifications as well as have relevant experience in the areas of:

  • Three years of  professional experience leading projects, facilitating process Improvement events, and conducting complex research and analysis
  • Three years of experience in facilitating  process improvement training for staff
  • Extensive project management experience in organizational development projects
  • Three years of experience of internal consulting
  • Experience facilitating groups of 5-30 individuals
  • Experience analyzing business processes, programs, and policies, and creating recommendations for improvement
  • A minimum of one year experience facilitating process improvement initiatives, preferably in the public sector environment
  • Demonstrated experience developing and sustaining innovation programs

Preferred Certifications: 

  • Lean and/or Six Sigma Certifications and/or significant experience with these methodologies
  • PMP or similar project management certification

Selection Plan

**You are encouraged to print this bulletin because it contains important dates and information that will not be available online once this position closes.**

All applicants will be required to submit a resume under the "Resume" tab as part of the online application, as your resume will be reviewed and scored during the testing process.  Please ensure your application contains the required resume prior to submission. 

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be evaluated on the education and work experience in their employment profiles and the responses to their supplemental questions.  The highest scoring applicants will then be invited to participate in a Virtual Oral Board Interview.

  • Virtual Oral Board Interviews will be held December 9 and December 10, 2021 (as needed)

Upon completion of all examination processes, the highest scoring applicants will be placed on the Civil Service Employment List.  An applicant’s ranking on the Civil Service Employment List will be based on their final score which will be calculated as:

  • 10% of the rating for education and work experience 
  • 90% rating for the Oral Board Interview

This recruitment will establish a civil service list that may be utilized to fill vacancies occurring at Tucson Water within the next 6 months. Post list hiring interviews may be conducted prior to final selection.

Veterans, Native American, or Disability preference points will be added to the final score for those that are placed on the Civil Service Employment List.  If you qualify for preference points as outlined in the Employment Profile, you must upload your documentation as part of the application process or email it to Roxie.Escarcega@tucsonaz.gov. The DD 214 must be a copy that indicates characterization of service.  

If you are in need of Americans with Disabilities Act-related accommodation during the testing process, please contact Roxie Escarcega at (520) 837-2138 at least 48 hours prior to the evaluation.

**The City of Tucson values the safety of our employees, our residents, our community, and our visitors.  In support of these values, if you are selected for this job, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except when vaccination is not medically advised or violates your sincerely held religious beliefs. If you are invited to join our team, you must submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to your initial HR representative, or you must request an exemption from your representative. New employees must either provide proof of vaccination or be granted a medical or religious exemption before working with the City of Tucson.**

Conclusion

Communication during this process will be sent via email to the email address on file, so please ensure your browser accepts emails from jobs@tucsonaz.gov and check your email account regularly; this may include your junk box/spam filter.  Failure to respond or follow instructions may result in disqualification.

Pre-employment Medical Testing Requirements

None

**The City of Tucson values the safety of our employees, our residents, our community, and our visitors.  In support of these values, if you are selected for this job, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except when vaccination is not medically advised or violates your sincerely held religious beliefs. If you are invited to join our team, you must submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to your initial HR representative, or you must request an exemption from your representative. New employees must either provide proof of vaccination or be granted a medical or religious exemption before working with the City of Tucson.**

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To ensure accurate payroll information for tax purposes, the successful candidate will need to provide their original Social Security Card or original letter from the Social Security Administration with their social security number prior to beginning work with the City of Tucson.

The City of Tucson hires lawful workers only - US citizens or nationals and non-citizens with valid work authorization - without discrimination. Federal immigration laws require all employers to verify both the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. In its efforts to meet the law's requirements, the City of Tucson participates in the E-Verify program established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to aid employers in verifying the eligibility of workers.

Retired City of Tucson employees receiving benefits from the Tucson Supplemental Retirement System who are considering reemployment with the City should be aware that pursuant to Section 22-37(g) of the Tucson City Code, retirement benefits shall be suspended during the period of reemployment with the City of Tucson unless you have been separated at least twelve consecutive months before returning to work AND you return to a non-permanent employment classification. Creditable service does not accrue during any reemployment period.