Water & Wastewater

Serving a diverse urban and rural population of more than 475,000, Niagara Region is focused on building a strong and prosperous Niagara. Working collaboratively with 12 local area municipalities and numerous community partners, the Region delivers a range of high quality programs and services to support and advance the well-being of individuals, families and communities within its boundaries. Nestled between the great lakes of Erie and Ontario, the Niagara peninsula features some of Canada’s most fertile agricultural land, the majesty of Niagara Falls and communities that are rich in both history and recreational and cultural opportunities. Niagara boasts dynamic modern cities, Canada’s most developed wine industry, a temperate climate, extraordinary theatre, and some of Ontario’s most breathtaking countryside. An international destination with easy access to its binational U.S. neighbour New York State, Niagara attracts over 14 million visitors annually, as well as a steady stream of new residents and businesses.

Please note that effective February 12, 2023 mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations are no longer required as per the Niagara Region’s amended COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. As a result, you will not be required to submit verification of your vaccination status before starting employment with the Niagara Region. However, the Niagara Region continues to reserve the right to reintroduce vaccination requirements in the future if necessary to respond to changing public health advice and\or government direction. The Niagara Region continues to strongly encourage everyone to remain up-to-date with vaccinations.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Senior Project Manager, the Project Manager Water & Wastewater Engineering is responsible for managing and administering CSO (Cost Sharing Projects) and capital works projects from initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, controlling and closing. Including managing conceptual design, predesign, detailed design, environmental assessment, public meetings, tendering, contract award, construction services, progress payments, conflict management, asset management, completion of contract work and turn-over of completed works.

Education

• Post-secondary diploma in Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical or Environmental Engineering or a related discipline.
• Post-secondary degree in Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical or Environmental Engineering or a related discipline is preferred.

Knowledge

• 5 years of project management experience in areas of initiation, planning, execution (design and field experience), monitoring, controlling, and close out of capital water and wastewater projects. Certification with the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) as a Certified Engineering Technologist (C.E.T.)
• Knowledge of MS Office MS Outlook, MS Project or other Project Tracking Systems.
• Knowledge of the Class Environmental Assessment process, Niagara Peninsula Standard Contract Document (NPSCD), Ontario Provincial Standard Specifications (OPSS), Ontario Provincial Standard Drawings (OPSD), the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide, Drinking Water Quality Management System (DWQMS) and Waste Water Quality Management System (WWQMS), all applicable legislation and regulations, such as Occupational Health & Safety Act, Environmental Protection Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Ontario Water Resources Act, Municipal Act, Construction Lien Act, Ontario Building Code, etc., all applicable contract law, and all water and wastewater standards (American Water Works Assoc., Canadian Standards Assoc., National Sanitation Foundation, etc.).
• Registration with Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) is preferred.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is preferred.
• Licensed Engineering Technologist (L.E.T) is preferred.

Responsibilities

Manages and delivers Water and Wastewater Capital Projects (such as Tier 1 complex Plants and Facilities, Tier 2 pumping stations, reservoirs, CSO tanks, forcemains, and watermains, and Tier 3 other system and linear assets), under the guidance of a Senior Project Manager, throughout the Project Lifecycle (Initiation, Planning, Environmental Assessment, Design, Construction, Commissioning, and Close-out) by Managing the Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communications, Risk, and Procurement for each project. (80% of the time)

• Plans and manages the delivery of capital projects, including the development of terms of reference, feasibility studies, definition of scope, execution (design and construction) and project closeout.
• Manages the scope, budget, schedule throughout the Project Lifecycle. Ensure provision of project deliverables as set forth in the RFP. Conducts quality assurance of deliverables through design review workshops, cost estimating, risk management and constructability reviews.
• Seeks cost savings, revenue generating, and cost recovery opportunities associated with the implementation of capital projects (i.e. cost-sharing programs with area municipalities, such as Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) and infrastructure improvements, other government bodies, and utilities; energy rebate programs; development charges; servicing surplus lands for sale for decommissioned sites recycling metal during demolition; etc.).
• Negotiates with service providers and authorizes extra expenditures and changes in scope of work for consultants and contractors as per Procurement By-Law and approved by the Niagara Region, and administers clauses as per the Region’s Agreement for Professional Services and Contractors Agreement.
• Assigns work and provides direction on water and wastewater capital projects, ensuring proper due diligence and compliance including providing direction to technical (in-house or contract) staff, consultants and contractors in studies, programs, and capital projects.
• Initiates, organizes and manages professional engineering consultants and contractors throughout projects, studies, technical workshops and meetings (i.e. value engineering, feasibility, optimization, functional design, facility needs assessments, technical assessments, pre-design and detailed design) for capital projects.
• Manages Municipal Class Environmental Assessment studies to ensure compliance with the Environmental Assessment Act.
• Manages contract preparation, administration, inspection, and quality assurance during construction phase of the project, ensuring compliance with contract specifications, negotiating and approving changes to contracts.
• Reviews consultant reports, designs, contract drawings, specifications, and equipment and materials to be supplied, ensuring compliance with legislated regulatory standards and certificates of approval, and expediting approvals from relevant agencies.
• Manages project resources and schedules (including milestones) and identifies project risks and mitigation measures.
• Manages the commissioning process of linear infrastructure and upgraded components of water and wastewater facilities and pump stations, ensuring regulatory compliance, while maintaining operations including review and approval of plans, equipment start-up, equipment testing, operations and maintenance training, functional testing, identifying deficiencies, and negotiating resolutions with contractors.
• Prepares and/or sign applications for required approvals, permits, inspections and services.
• Monitors and evaluates the performance of contractors, consultants, and others as appropriate.
• Prepares reports to Public Works, Corporate Services Committee, and other standing committees, researching and assisting in the preparation of reports to regional or municipal councils, or more senior levels of government and other agencies on environmental issues and project-specific topics.

Develops, Manages, and administers, Capital budgets and 10 year forecast ensuring support of Council’s objectives, financial transparency and accountability, monitoring budget adherence, identifying and explaining variances, timely billing and completeness of funding and financial reporting is effectively managed in compliance with corporate financial and capital asset accounting policies and best practices in asset management planning. (5% of the time)

• Authorize and administer the acquisition of goods and services per the procurement policy.
• Authorize, and administer the acquisition of goods and services for the projects and direct reports in accordance with the procurement policy and procedures.
• Identifies needs relating to water and wastewater facilities and linear infrastructure, by using appropriate asset management systems forecast.

Leads communication with project teams, Councils, external stakeholders/agencies, special interest groups and the public on behalf of the Region. (5% of the time)

• Represents the WWW Engineering Division in project and planning meetings and presentations to Local Area Municipalities, Councils and / or committees, other departments within the Region, stakeholders and agencies, special interest groups, Business Improvement Associations, and the public.
• Develops project charter and identifies and incorporates stakeholder interests in developing project scope.
• Communicates and presents project-related information at Regional and local councils, Business Improvement Associations, special interest groups.
• Coordinates with utility companies, area municipalities, regulatory agencies (e.g. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, Ministry of Transportation, etc.), Indigenous communities, railways, and other levels of government (i.e. provincial and federal), or elsewhere as required, to promote good public relations and customer service on behalf of the Region.
• Communicates and solicits input and engagement from Indigenous communities.
• Communicates with the public and local businesses through Public Information Centres and Project Notifications, construction notices, and project/construction updates to promote awareness, good public relations, and customer service on behalf of the Region.
• Ensures the full involvement of Regional departments in the implementation of capital projects (from project conception to the end of the warranty period) including coordinating the participation of Water & Wastewater operations and maintenance staff and Transportation operations staff, as required. Solicits project review and comments from the project team at multiple formal and informal project milestones throughout the design and construction phases.
• Resolves conflicts encountered on projects, involving consultants, external agency or government representatives, contractors, internal engineering, operations and maintenance staff, the public, and other stakeholders, etc.
• Leads communications to project team and stakeholders for after-hours (planned and emergency) work, complaints and requests for service, taking appropriate action and investigating insurance claims for damages on construction projects and report findings.
• Develops and responsible for project management reports (budget, schedule, risks and issues) for senior management.
• Carries out responsibilities for project tracking updates, Drinking Water and Wastewater Quality Management System, Standards and Regulations (i.e. notice to maintenance for equipment in-service, MECP director’s notifications, etc.
• Attends review meetings with Region’s legal counsel to provide background information on litigations, attending discovery and other legal hearings, resulting from construction projects as required.

Manages project development and bid processes. (5% of the time)

• Defines project requirements, develops project scope, determining project budget, creating a work breakdown structure, chairing scoping meetings, and preparing Terms of Reference.
• Prepares and issues Requests for Proposal (including issuing of addenda) for retention of consulting engineering services.
• Leads and conducts proposal interviews. Evaluates and analyzes proposals from engineering consultants for purposes of retaining engineering services, including environmental assessment studies, feasibility studies, preliminary and detailed design assignments, contract administration and inspection.
• Schedules and advertises tender calls, issuing addenda, chairing and conducting tender openings, reviewing tenders, and evaluating and recommending on quotation and tender awards for construction.

Recommends on project issues leading to revisions of policies, procedures, and standards relating to the management of municipal water resources, servicing updates, and other related environmental matters. (5% of the time)

• Evaluates effects of updates, changes, or new legislation, regulations, policies, procedures or guidelines, new products and materials, and technological advancements, recommending and adopting new strategies to address impacts on Regional infrastructure and future priorities
• Develops and updates templates and controlled documents including RFP/RFQ/RFPQ/RFT templates, design manual, project management manual, divisional specifications, and construction contract documents.
• Recommends changes to the Niagara Peninsula Standard Contract Document (NPSCD) resulting from site observations, project-specific deviations, and new industry specifications/innovations.
• Develops, researches and recommends new work processes and systems with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Researches new engineering products, materials, processes, and preparing reports outlining findings.

Special Requirements

• In accordance with the Corporate Criminal Record Check Policy, the position requires the incumbent to undergo a Criminal Records Check and submit a Canadian Police Clearance Certificate.
• Must maintain the ability to travel in a timely manner to other offices, work locations or sites as authorized by the Corporation for business reasons.
• Regional staff strive to enable the strategic priorities of council and the organization through the completion of their work. Staff carry out their work by demonstrating the corporate.

Uncover the wonder of the Niagara Region and join a team dedicated to meeting tomorrow’s challenges TODAY!

Let us know why you would be an excellent team member by submitting your online application.

We thank all candidates for their interest however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

If you require an accommodation for the application process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the alternate formats for contacting us are as follows:

• Email: myhr@niagararegion.ca
• Phone: 905-980-6000 or 1-800-263-7215
• Bell Relay: 1-800-855-0511
• In-person: Sir Isaac Brock Way, Thorold, ON L2V 4T7 – Human Resources Department