Lee County, Florida is conducting a national search for their next Director of Utilities with experience in overseeing state-of-the-art, diverse, highly technical, and regulated water and wastewater facilities and systems. This is an exciting opportunity with a variety of unprecedented challenges for an experienced Water/Wastewater professional. The ideal candidate will be a business-minded individual who is entrepreneurial in spirit with strong leadership skills and a proven track record of building a strong vision and then delivering quality results. The new Director of Utilities is an at-will position that will report to the Assistant County Manager while maintaining close working relationships between departments. The Director will be responsible for a highly capable staff of over 310 full-time employees with an operating budget of almost $98 million and adjusted CIP budget over 5 years of approximately $894 million.
Lee County Utility (LCU) was founded in 1968 and began as a small community water utility. It has since evolved into an award-winning utility providing services to more than 254,047 customers. LCU is a progressive and effective potable water and wastewater management enterprise serving within the unincorporated area of the County. The enterprise is dynamic and ever-changing to keep up with regulations, technologies, financial demands and partnerships with special districts, franchise utilities, and municipalities.
The LCU is full service with 310 full-time employees and includes Customer Services and Billing, Regulatory Compliance, Plant Operations and Maintenance, Field Operations and Maintenance, New Development and Long-Term Planning, Engineering – Project Management, Grants, Permitting, management of a 10-year Capital Improvement Program, and a Major Maintenance budget of approximately $1.1B.
Experience – This position requires 7 years of increasingly responsible utilities experience, including 3 years of administrative and management responsibility.
Education – Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in civil or sanitary engineering, public administration business administration or a closely related field. A Master’s degree is considered a plus. Candidates with current or recent private sector experience are strongly encouraged to apply if career history is complemented with previous public sector experience.
The successful candidate will receive a highly competitive salary with an excellent executive benefit package that considers track record of career success.
Candidates should apply by May 30, 2025. Interested candidates should email a compelling cover letter, comprehensive resume, and 6 professional references to apply@ralphandersen.com. If you have any questions or wish to discuss the opportunity further, please contact Robert Burg at (916) 630-4900. Detailed brochure available at www.ralphandersen.com.