Strategic Planning Specialist

Summary:

Provides administrative and operational support in the long-term development, management, and coordination of the vision through the strategic planning process and operational excellence of the water and wastewater utility. Responsible for helping to develop, track, and evaluate strategic initiatives that enhance service delivery, regulatory compliance, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. Coordinate with Strategy Leaders to ensure projects and activities are operationally focused and aligned with CWW’s mission, vision, and goals. Assist the VP, Strategic Planning, in the implementation and facilitation of strategic programs. Work closely with the President, Senior and Executive Management, Strategy Leaders, and Strategy Support Members to coordinate continuous improvement efforts, organizational strategic communications, and development and maintenance of the strategic plan at CWW.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Assist with the development and execution of the utility’s strategic plan, which should align with the organization’s mission, regulatory requirements, and community needs.

- Provide support in the continued successful integration and scheduled completion of major projects and milestones related to strategic planning. Assess and support the development, implementation, and monitoring of processes to achieve strategic goals for projects and activities.

- Provides administrative and logistical support in the organizational planning, coordination, and execution of the strategic plan and follow-up of completed processes.

- Provide timely, relevant, and accurate information to Strategy Leaders to support their efforts to succeed. Coordinate directly with Strategy Leaders to track strategy team projects and goals, and provide administrative and logistical support to implement strategy teams’ ideas for newly developed goals.

- Responsible for maintaining a strategic planning dashboard of team goals, activities to include updates from teams, projects, troubleshooting issues (IT assistance as needed), and distribution of reports on a regular basis.

- Assist in preparing reports, performance dashboards, and presentations for internal leadership, board members, and external stakeholders.

- Provide administrative support in executing strategic actions and programs necessary to ensure the successful accomplishment of annual goals and long-term objectives; collect, consolidate, and analyze performance data for monthly reporting; coordinate with Strategy Support Members and departments in reporting and tracking benchmarks, performance plans, and team information.

- Collaborate with continuous improvement programs (AWWA Benchmarking & EUM) that focus on continuous improvement through a systematic approach; monitor performance measures; and develop and deploy a year-end annual strategic report that summarizes strategic accomplishments, performance benchmarks, and long-term strategic objectives.

- Review industry material (publications, articles, abstracts, etc.) and analyze policies, regulations, and environmental mandates to research current and future trends, evolve, improve, and recommend subsequent strategic initiatives, and ensure current initiatives and programs are aligned with industry standards, practices, and expectations.

- Collaborate with Strategy Support Teams and department objectives to present information concerning factors (business situations, organizational capabilities, economic trends for consideration of management; tracking technological, competitive, societal, environmental, economic, and demographic) that affect customer requirements, expectations, preferences, or alternatives or the overall strategy of the organization.

- Schedule and coordinate logistical arrangements for meetings between Strategy Leaders and the President, Executive, and Senior Management; provide administrative and technical support for the strategy teams in their efforts to provide an overview of action items and the status of current/pending projects, relay information, and develop presentation materials.

- Provide strategy meeting reports, notes, progress reports, updates of strategic events, and feedback to Strategy Leaders, Senior and Executive Management, and the President.

- Schedule, coordinate, and facilitate departmental site visits to explain CWW’s Strategic Planning initiatives and benchmarks, sharing historical information for background and foundational purposes with employees; serves as a knowledgeable resource for employees related to strategic planning initiatives.

- Collaborates with an external consultant, serves as the primary point of contact for the management of the Stakeholder Interview Survey; responsible for creating and maintaining the Stakeholder list; guides project approval for budgetary approval; keep leadership informed on progress; makes resources available for project success; assist in a follow-up thank you to Stakeholders who were interviewed and a copy of results; stay engaged and available for questioning, concerns, and assistance; maintains historical records of the Stakeholder Interview Survey.

- Coordinates internal employee Focus Groups at the direction of Senior Management, Executive Management, and the President to pulse the organizational knowledge and progress of the CWW Strategic Plan.

- Coordinate quarterly meetings to assist with updates to the Strategic Plan, the CWW Master Plan, CIP, etc.

- Coordinate efforts with the CWW Communications Dept to facilitate internal and external communications to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of Strategy Support Members.

- Responsible for the development, maintenance and update of the Strategic Plan intranet web page, the development of intranet and internet strategic communications, and annual updates to the Strategic Planning Communications Plan; responsible for the development and deployment of internal communications relative to strategic planning, such as newsletter articles, monthly talking points, etc.

- Provide support for division activities in Community Outreach as needed, such as the United Way Program, Employee Appreciation Week, and Christmas Fellowship.

- Regular and predictable attendance is required.

- Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

- Good understanding of strategic planning, leadership development and succession planning programs and associated frameworks and the ability to lead implementation projects with minimal supervision.

- Experience in utility-centric strategy planning/execution, performance management, or business intelligence a plus.

- Strong project management skills with the proven ability to plan and manage multiple programs and establish priorities.

- Excellent communication skills, particularly facilitation skills in a group setting.

- Ability to develop long-range plans and programs.

- Exceptional knowledge and direct experience in community relations, communications, community partnerships and outreach

- Thorough knowledge of modern office practices and procedures.

- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, the public and management personnel.

Acceptable Experience and Training

Bachelor’s degree with emphasis in Business Administration, Project Management, Industrial Management, Economics and/or Public Relations from an accredited college/university or a minimum of three to five years’ progressively responsible experience in utility management or public sector, community programs; or equivalent combination of education, certifications, training, and experience required. In addition, a minimum of three years progressively responsible administrative or logistical experience, with emphasis on analytical responsibilities required; Experience in the water, wastewater, or environmental services organization is strongly preferred; working experience and knowledge of database systems, Microsoft Office Suite, or related software(s) required. The position requires the ability to effectively prioritize tasks and deliverables in a fast-paced environment, and basic project management skills are required; Must possess attention to detail, strategic thinking, good judgment, and previous working experience atomically. Must be able to engage in cross-functional teams required; demonstrated ability to lead people and get results through others; ability to think strategically and plan both short-term and long-term projects; ability to manage and organize multiple projects and set priorities; must possess sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment and strong operational focus; strong customer orientation; must have excellent written and oral communication skills required. Requires a valid driver’s license and good driving record.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

None

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an office environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT: 25-22

PAY GRADE: 12