State President

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we're delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities. If you're looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S.

At Essential, we know that water and gas are precious resources - ones that play a critical role in sustaining life. That's why we take seriously our mission: protecting and providing Earth's most essential resources. At Essential, we are guided by a set of principles that embody the character of our company and inspire our work together. They are embedded within our business practices and our behavior. We are proud to be united by integrity, respect, and the pursuit of excellence to be the best we can be for the customers and communities we serve.

Together, the women and men of Essential serve over 1.9 million customers across nine states. Essential uses science, technology, capital investments, and amazing talent to provide communities with clean, and safe essential resources. Join our team and make a difference!

Reporting to the Vice President of Aqua, this position is based out of Aqua Indiana's state headquarters in Indianapolis, but also spends considerable time at several operational centers throughout the state. Aqua is the water and wastewater utility subsidiary of Essential Utilities, Inc. The President provides leadership, strategy, and vision for our Indiana water and wastewater business, including overall responsibility for utility operations, business development, financial management, forecasting and planning, internal management reporting, risk management and internal control functions. The President will cultivate and maintain regulatory and legislative relationships to facilitate a high level of credibility in these activities and issues. Growing the customer base and net income will be among the President's objectives. This position has a team of three direct reports and approximately 42 indirect reports and it shares resources in the areas of Safety, Compliance and Communications with Aqua Illinois.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: (Primary Duties and Responsibilities)

• Leads and develops high-performing teams capable of delivering water and wastewater safely, by meeting environmental compliance regulations, while maintaining system reliability and efficient operations.
• Leads the financial management of the state's performance including the development of a successful rates and financial strategy and execution while ensuring proper internal controls are in place to function effectively in both a regulated and non-regulated environment. Oversees long-term financial planning and budgeting.
• Leads the Indiana team. Interviews, hires, sets high performance standards, and manages performance in accordance with all applicable HR policies and procedures. Creates an energized work environment, fostering an atmosphere that enables employee trust and engagement. Inspires confidence and motivates others to perform at their best. Develops and coaches' staff while effectively addressing performance issues.
• Develops and establishes the state's operation and financial growth strategies in cooperation with Aqua corporate leadership. This includes growing through acquisitions and organic growth.
• Responsible for growing the Aqua Indiana's footprint in conjunction with the Business Development Team by identifying, qualifying, and acquiring new business opportunities
• Develops and oversees the capital expenditure strategy and plan to deliver business-applicable, timely, accurate, effective, and executable water and wastewater infrastructure including production, pumping, storage, and treatment facilities.
• Develops and establishes company operating policies and procedures consistent with Aqua and Essential guidelines. Leads and directs management members in the development of departmental goals, objectives, and strategies to attain the company goals.
• Fosters and develops relationships with external agencies, governments, and municipalities to enhance long-term partnerships and business opportunities and drive Aqua expansion in Indiana. Will be active in the Indiana Chapter-NAWC and work closely with the company's legislative lobbyist.
• Acts as a key member of the Aqua leadership team in the development of overall long-range Company strategy and direction designed to provide strong shareholder return.
• Ensures that all corporate activities and operations are carried out in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and laws governing business operations.
• Leads other related efforts as needed.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function(s).

QUALIFICATIONS (Required Experience, Education, Licenses, and Certifications)

• A Bachelor's degree is required with a preference for those with a Master's Degree.
• Minimum of ten years of utility management experience with increasing management responsibilities including demonstrated ability to grow customers and revenues through acquisitions.
• Demonstrated regulated utility experience preferably in water and wastewater.
• Experience should include working with municipalities and other government entities on financial, managerial procurement consulting or similar activities.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: (Examples below)

• Sound background and level of knowledge in operational, environmental, and financial aspects of managing a utility. Technical experience and knowledge of water and wastewater treatment and operations preferred.
• Strong leadership skills including contributing to an atmosphere in which people work together, enthusiastically, and effectively, in producing outstanding results.
• Ability to develop positive relationships with customers, communities, public officials, and regulators. Lead and participate in the annual United Way Fund Drive, various volunteer efforts and manage the company's charitable giving program.
• Ability to motivate people, manage differences and resolve conflicts to unite people in a common effort to obtain company objectives. Must be able to anticipate change and organize people to adapt to the environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills and understanding of executive conciseness.
• Excellent financial and analytical abilities
• A team player able to work effectively in a team fostered multi-tasking environment.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Perform sedentary work-exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.
• See, hear, talk, and perform tasks requiring manual dexterity.
• Working conditions include travel to work sites of Essential Utilities.
• Overnight travel is required.

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.