The Woodfin Sanitary Water and Sewer District is seeking a dynamic, experienced professional to become its next Executive Director. The District’s current Executive Director is retiring after nearly twenty years with the District. Located in the thriving city of Asheville, North Carolina, this position is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of a three-member elected Board of Trustees. The District has thirteen full-time employees and an annual budget of approximately $2 million and serves a population of 10,000 covering parts of the Town of Woodfin, the City of Asheville, the Town of Weaverville, and unincorporated areas of Buncombe County. The District is fiscally sound and maintains cash reserves of more than $3 million and has no outstanding debt. Current in-house operations include a water treatment plant, maintenance of approximately 110 miles of potable water lines, several storage and pumping facilities, and billing and administrative services for other municipalities. The Executive Director also serves as the District’s Finance Officer.
Major responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Drafting, proposing, and implementing the District’s annual budget;
Directly or indirectly managing District employees;
Overseeing all operations of the District;
Ensuring compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations;
Overseeing all financial aspects of the District.
The ideal candidate will share the Board of Trustee’s philosophy of financial and environmental conservatism, progressive and creative thinking, and strategic problem-solving, while maintaining a well-compensated and qualified staff. The ability to cooperatively and collaboratively work with other municipal agencies is important, as is the ability to address the myriad of problems and opportunities that come with leading a small local government. The successful candidate will be well-equipped both financially and administratively to lead the District into the future and will be expected to maintain the stability of the District’s operations, excellent relationship with its customers, suppliers, and outside agencies while simultaneously meeting the challenges of a growing geographic location. Over the past fifteen years the District’s service area and population have increased by over 25% while its budget has nearly doubled. Despite this growth, the District has maintained a small but dedicated qualified staff and has received numerous operation awards. It has also maintained overall excellent financial audits characterized by continual growth in assets and financial position. Geographically, the District covers approximately 25 square miles of territory; the oldest water lines in the system are approaching 100 years of age. Opportunities and challenges for the future will include rehabilitation of the District’s treatment plant, replacement or rehabilitation of aging lines, and maintaining a qualified workforce in a high-growth area.
Preferred qualifications include:
A Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration or a related field and at least three to five years management or supervisory experience in a governmental organization;
Experience in the fields of water, wastewater, or other municipal utilities;
Experience working with an elected board or council;
A strong background and understanding of financial documents and software including billing and accounting packages.
Minimum qualifications for the position can be found by reviewing the following classification positions: Executive Director Finance Officer
Aside from an excellent location in one of the nation’s most desired communities, the District offers a competitive salary and benefits package and a challenging yet relaxed work environment. In addition, the District’s retiring Executive Director will be available as a resource for the new Director for up to a year to help ensure a smooth and successful transition of leadership. The expected salary range for this position is $80,000 – $100,000 depending on experience and qualifications. There is no residency requirement for this position but the successful candidate will be expected to maintain a daily and regular presence at the District’s offices.
As a way of helping the Board of Trustees better understand the philosophy that has guided your career, please include a completed version of the following short questionnaire with your resume: Questionnaire (MS Office version) Questionnaire (PDF version)
To apply, please e-mail a resume, cover letter, and a completed questionnaire to execdirectorsearch@woodfinwater.com . Resumes should detail job experience and salary history. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled; interviews are anticipated to begin in May 2022. Application material will be held in confidence.
