Job Abstract

• Service Excellence
• Efficiency
• Water Supply Reliability
• Fiscal Responsibility and Value
• Public Trust, Accountability and Transparency
• Environmental Stewardship
• Employee Empowerment
• Innovation

THE POSITION

At Western, we're looking for an experienced individual with a strong background in warehouse operations and inventory control management with a specific interest in optimizing resource allocation and improving asset management procedures by building an inventory control program dedicated to accurate inventory to meet the needs of the agency. We need someone who is experienced, organized, detail-oriented and can support a variety of team needs while balancing shifting priorities and a range of day-to-day tasks.

If you're a team player with strong warehouse and inventory management experience and interpersonal skills who will continue raising the bar, then this is your chance to join an exceptional agency and be part of something bigger.

Western Municipal Water District stands out:

• Western is one of the largest public agencies in Riverside County providing water and sewer services to nearly one million people;

• We see ourselves as more of a business than a bureaucracy;

• We view our customers as an essential partner in ensuring long-term water security for our region;

• And together, the Western team is focused on being the definitive leader in water and sewer services, upholding the highest level of stakeholder trust.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is an experienced warehouse and inventory management professional with a proven track record of managing and maintaining our warehouse and inventory to support and collaborate with high-performing teams in a complex public utility environment. In addition to technical expertise, you bring exceptional emotional intelligence, communication skills, and a talent for building productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders between departments within Western Water that we work with and support.

Your collaborative mindset and commitment to transparency will be key to partnering effectively with the Operations Manager and peer leaders across Western Water. You'll serve as a trusted advisor on critical agency assets and an ambassador for the department's priorities. Like the Operations Manager for EAM, you believe in directly interacting with staff and will be a visible presence for both your team and customers.

This Senior Operation Technician position will have full oversight of warehouse services and will use Western Water's computerized work management system (CWMS) and financial information system (FIS) to manage inventory under the Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) department.

The EAM team has become Operation’s primary internal resource for asset data management, administering or leveraging multiple Operations software including CWMS, FIS, GIS, and SCADA. This position will work within EAM to support department goals including enhancing inventory controls, increasing warehouse efficiencies, continuous improvement of workflows and user access to work orders and assets, development of new standards, and improved performance analysis of mission-critical assets.

Individuals within the Senior Operations Technician series can expect to perform complex duties related to repair and maintenance of District water and wastewater facilities. Seniors utilize their leadership skills to assign, plan, and review the work of team members in partnership with Operations supervisors. Incumbents will be assigned to a Department within the Operations function.

The Senior Operations Technician I is the advanced journey-level class in the series. Incumbents within the series assume a high level of complex duties including the use of independent judgment, decision-making, and workload planning, while providing technical and functional direction over department personnel. Incumbents at this level are required to fully understand departmental procedures.

The Senior Operations Technician II is the highest level in the series. Incumbents serve in the capacity of a crew leader. Incumbents perform the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned within this series, including providing technical and functional direction over department personnel. Employees at this level have or will take extensive leadership training courses in preparation for supervisory responsibilities.

Incumbents within this classification may report to the Asset Management Manager or other management staff. Receives general supervision from assigned supervisory staff and provides direction to Operations Technicians I-IV employees.

District employees are expected to work overtime, weekends, evenings and holidays as required to accommodate Western Water's needs, in addition to responding as a Disaster Emergency Service Worker.

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this classification.

Inventory control functions:

• Establish effective control methods and auditing procedures to improve inventory management and accounting
• Track inventory movement and perform budget analyses and accounting
• Process and manage requisitions and purchase orders, improve acquisition and replenishment activities to manage spending
• Prepare executive summaries and warehouse inventory reports as requested
• Perform routine inspections and/or schedule preventative maintenance activities of inventory and mission-critical assets
• Enhance warehouse services to better meet customer needs
• Prioritize warehouse requests to optimize resource allocation
• Create various user forms, activity reports, materials lists, spreadsheets, and dashboards for management and staff, as needed
• Perform data entry and ensure accuracy in all inventory transactions including requisitioning, asset identification tagging, filing, shipping and receiving
• Investigate discrepancies and exceptions, and follow up with accounting team to make corrections and adjustments
• Coordinate with different departments to ensure inventory is made up of fiscally-responsible, quality product to meet operational and customer needs
• Establish professional relationships with both internal and external customers, maintain customer profiles; provide vendor performance feedback
• Develop policies and procedures to timely dispose of obsolete, aged, or expired items
• Inspect and maintain in good working condition all warehouse equipment and tools
• Organize and clean warehouse storage areas to reduce safety hazards
• Analyze and improve physical stocking locations, capacities, and layouts; make recommendations to optimize space and storage

Working hours and schedules may change with operational need.

Enterprise Asset Management is responsible for ensuring the proper care and preservation of Western Water assets. The EAM team supports the maintenance and repair activities conducted by the various operations teams throughout the agency boundaries. The performance of this team is essential to ensuring the reliability of Western Water's assets for the purpose of providing consistent services.

The Senior Operation Technician in charge of Warehouse Operations and Inventory Control is expected to exercise leadership skills in the areas noted below:

• Plan assigned work by reviewing work orders, determining work to be performed and estimating time and materials to be used for jobs.
• Develop schedules and methods to accomplish assignments ensuring department work is completed in a timely and efficient manner.
• Provide feedback on team evaluations, recommending improvements and/or modifications.
• Ensure services comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and strategic direction.
• Develop, implement, and monitor short and long-term plans, goals, and objectives.
• Assist in the development of assigned department operating and capital improvement budgets, in addition, monitor the implementation of adopted budgets.
• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of plans, programs, projects, and systems.
• Ensures adherence to safety policies and procedures, while identifying appropriate safety precautions and equipment are utilized.
• Provide and ensure new employees have proper training to perform work for their department.
• Attend meetings to provide updates on productivity, assignments, and planned projects.
• Provide field oversight and technical assistance to assigned department functions.
• Inspect, operate, calibrate, and maintain light/heavy equipment linked to department functions.
• Perform inspections and maintenance of Western Water facilities, equipment, tools, and vehicles.
• Coordination and purchase of department supplies or equipment.
• Utilize and maintain detailed records for use in the Computerized Work Management System, ensures work orders are developed and completed accurately.
• Maintain accurate and legible records for timesheets, workload planning, and related documents in accordance with state and federal laws, regulations, and District policies and procedures.
• Utilize leadership skills with the ability to inspire and influence with a high level of energy, enthusiasm, and creativity coupled with a positive attitude.
• Develop and maintain systems to track and report key performance indicators.
• Ensure the District maintains compliance with all regulatory agencies.
• Call Teams: Contingent upon meeting certification and experience requirements, employees may be assigned to the after-hour response team to provide continuous operational services in accordance with the California Municipal Water District Act of 1911.
• Must maintain a valid California Driver License.

• Strong working knowledge of warehouse operations and how to set-up and maintain a functional and accurate inventory system.
• Know and understand District personnel rules, policies and labor contract provisions with the ability to exercise sound independent judgment within general policy guidelines.
• Perform a variety of manual tasks for extended periods of time.
• Independently oversee and direct crews during after-hour activities and emergency response.
• Utilize exceptional customer service and communication skills both verbally and in writing, with the ability to cultivate professional business partnerships and inspire team collaboration.
• Think creatively and seek alternative solutions in order to produce results that benefit Western Water, its internal and external customers, while clearly articulating options to management and policy makers.
• Use modern office equipment including basic computer software applications, and those related to the field of work.
• Define and explain key processes and business requirements within the department.
• Make effective and engaging oral presentations clearly, logically and persuasively.
• Highly motivated professional who is a self-starter, resourceful and able to work independently with minimum supervision.

Minimum Certification/License Requirements

(a) Desirable.

Maintenance = any one or more of the following: California Water Environmental Association Mechanical Technologist, or other equivalent trade certifications/ experience

Note: Other professional development coursework ( PDC ) desirable based on specific job function and supervisor's discretion.

May be required to and be medically able to wear respirator and fall protection, to be annually fit tested, confined space entry trained, and maintain facial hair such that it does not interfere with any respirator or SCBA sealing surface. Each may be required to be a member of the confined space rescue team at the sole discretion of the District.

The characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical: Employees in this position may be required to work in both an office and outside environment. Depending on department responsibilities, employees are required to use repetitive motion for keyboard use and writing; frequently grasp, reach/work overhead, hold and reach; sit for long periods of time; frequently walk, stand, squat, twist and bend; balance, stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl; occasionally climb stairs and ladders; occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds or 60 pounds with assistance; employees may be required to operate equipment, machinery, controls and tools; perform manual labor; constantly use overall color vision plus hand, eye, and feet coordination; and frequently hear and talk, in person and on the phone.

Mental: Employees should possess the ability to speak, read, and write English, in addition to exercising math and computer aptitude as required. Employees work under pressure with frequent interruptions while communicating and interacting with a variety of District personnel, the public, and others encountered in the course of work. The ability to explain, interpret, and apply related rules, regulations, policies and procedures; and work on multiple concurrent assignments, often within tight timeframes using good business judgment is necessary.

Environmental: Employees occasionally work in a temperature controlled office environment subject to typical office noise and settings. The employee will primarily work outside with exposure to various weather conditions and regularly work near moving mechanical parts. The noise level is typically loud. Employees may work in confined spaces and may be exposed to fumes, vapors, dust, sewage, toxic or caustic chemicals. Employees may work in areas with poisonous plants and/or venomous or threatening animals or insects. Incumbents are expected to use principles of effective safety practices including the use of personal protective equipment in a proper and safe manner, use of preventative personal ergonomic techniques, and maintaining safe personal and common workspaces.

Western is a tobacco free campus prohibiting smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and unregulated nicotine products in any District vehicle and building, which includes any building owned and occupied, or leased and occupied, by the District, including, Headquarters, the Operations Center, and any remote facilities owned, leased and/or operated by the District.