Branch Chief (Public Works-Environmental Services Manager)

Fairfax County, with almost 1.2 million residents, top notch schools, and thousands of acres of parkland, seeks an Environmental Services Manager eager to bring energy, enthusiasm, and technical knowledge to serve Fairfax residents and to maintain the county’s stormwater and transportation infrastructure. Serves as the branch chief for the maintenance operations branch. The incumbent will provide leadership and guidance to maintenance supervisors in planning and coordinating the work of approximately 70 employees who maintain the County's storm drainage, storm water management, walkways, roads, and other infrastructure. Is the lead for the County’s snow removal response for 200+ facilities and smaller number of walkways and roads. Coordinates supervisors' daily and long-term planning and scheduling efforts for maintenance activities. Authorizes personnel, material, and equipment resource assignments for maintenance projects. In conjunction with program managers, maintains within established levels of services, standards, and production expectations. Leads and coaches’ supervisors to ensure consistency and compliance with county personnel regulations. Performs site investigations and analysis to provide solutions to address maintenance and construction problems that arise in the field. Assigns, tracks, and monitors maintenance work orders. Monitors and evaluates crew work production and cost compared to accepted industry standards. Recommends and initiates actions to improve customer service and reduce costs. Prepares correspondence and reports on program assignments. Prepares specifications for equipment and materials. Evaluates bids for equipment and material contracts and makes recommendations on contract awards. Prepares capital equipment budget submissions. Inspects job sites to determine scope of work and verifies work meets adopted agency service levels. Promotes and ensures compliance with safety regulations such as VOSHA, OSHA, underground protection act, etc. Serves as the division's lead in coordination with the county emergency operations center and other county agencies during emergency situations such a snow response for the county. Performs other duties as assigned. Duties are performed under the supervision of the Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division director.

Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

• Oversees supervisory staff to assure appropriate staff training and compliance with established policies and procedures;
• Ensures that programs comply with federal and state environmental laws and regulations;
• Anticipates impact of changes in environmental laws and regulations that affect county operations and develops plans to ensure compliance when they go into effect;
• Recommends changes to the county code and ensures the application of the code requirements;
• Ensures that operations and work practices comply with all applicable federal and state safety regulations;
• Establishes long term plans, policies, and procedures related to functional area;
• Reviews, develops, and approves response plans to natural disasters, hazardous waste, or environmental incidents;
• Coordinates and integrates emergency response programs with other county, state, and federal agencies;
• Participates on the senior management team in establishing, administering, directing, and monitoring operations, management, and maintenance strategies;
• Supervises employees including performance appraisals, recommending salary actions, promotions and disciplinary actions, interviewing prospective employees, training and development of employees;
• Maintains cooperative and proactive alliances with vendors, citizens, environmental groups, county, state, and federal agencies;
• Reinforces a safety culture and continually seeks to expand safety knowledge through training, mentoring, self-study or other methods of continuous learning;
• Clearly communicates safety expectations;
• Resolves safety-related matters in a timely manner;
• Complies with safety competencies.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

• Expert knowledge of federal and state codes and ordinances which apply to building construction and environmental management in Fairfax County;
• Expert knowledge of federal and state safety and environmental regulations pertaining to the agency and operation;
• Ability to coordinate long-term, complex project plans;
• Ability to determine appropriate technologies to facilitate conducting analytical and evaluative work;
• Ability to implement greater effectiveness and efficiency through the introduction of existing or emerging technologies;
• Ability to supervise professional and paraprofessional employees including delegating and reviewing work assignments, providing coaching and guidance, monitoring and evaluating performance, and supporting training and development planning;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees and the public;
• Ability to make oral presentations to department management, other departments, or the public.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for “Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to”)
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in environmental sciences, engineering, construction management, or a related field; plus six years of experience in an environmental, engineering or construction management program, which includes one year of supervisory experience.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
A valid driver's license.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, credit check, and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

All newly hired employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two weeks after the last required dose) as a condition of employment or obtain approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to their start date. Proof of an exemption or vaccination status will be required during the pre-employment onboarding process. New employees who obtain an exemption from the vaccine mandate for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs may be subject to a weekly testing requirement. Vaccinated employees and employees with a medical or religious exemption will complete the attestation online on their first day of employment or shortly thereafter.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Three or more years of proven leadership/supervisory experience in a field operations environment.
• One year of demonstrated experience in performance metrics.
• Three or more years’ experience working collaboratively with staff at all levels of the organization.
• Five years’ experience effectively managing multiple programs/projects through the application of strong leadership, creative problem solving, collaboration and thoughtful decision-making processes.
• Three years’ experience with written and spoken communications with residents, front-line staff, director-level staff, and Board of Supervisors.
• Three or more years of operations, fieldwork, and regulations in Stormwater.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to push, pull, lift, bend, stoop, walk, and climb in and out of catch basins and manholes including the removal and replacement of manhole covers weighing up to 90 pounds with assistance. Physical and mental ability to use all applicable personal protective equipment in an outdoor environment; including hardhat, eye protection, hearing protection, safety footwear, personal fall arrest harness and emergency retrieval systems, and atmospheric monitoring equipment. Incumbent must be physically and mentally capable of performing confined space entry operations with entry via 21" manholes with vertical descent using integral or portable ladders. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interviews and may include exercises.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.  
 
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.