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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Utility Assistant Manager

💰 $60,000 - $95,000

OperationsUtilitiesManagementField Services

🎯 Role Definition

The Utility Assistant Manager is a hands-on operations leader who supports the Utility Manager in planning, directing and optimizing all aspects of utility field work and maintenance programs. This role combines crew supervision, safety leadership, regulatory oversight, customer service coordination, emergency response, contract management and capital project support. The Assistant Manager is responsible for improving reliability, reducing risk and delivering efficient, compliant utility services by coordinating crews, contractors and stakeholders while using asset management, SCADA and CMMS tools to inform decisions.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Field Technician / Lead Operator
  • Utility Crew Supervisor
  • Maintenance Foreperson

Advancement To:

  • Utility Manager / Operations Manager
  • Director of Utilities / Public Works Director
  • Asset Management or Reliability Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Project Manager (Capital Projects in Utilities)
  • Safety & Compliance Manager
  • Distribution System Specialist (SCADA/GIS)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Plan, schedule and supervise daily work of field crews and contractors for routine maintenance, emergency repairs and capital project support to ensure safe, timely and cost-effective utility service delivery.
  • Lead incident and outage response activities including dispatching crews, coordinating mutual-aid, communicating with stakeholders and ensuring rapid restoration while preserving safety and regulatory requirements.
  • Maintain and improve safety culture by enforcing OSHA/industry safety standards, conducting toolbox talks, incident investigations, root-cause analysis and corrective action follow-up.
  • Oversee preventive maintenance and asset inspection programs (pumps, valves, mains, transformers, meters, lift stations) and ensure accurate documentation in the CMMS/GIS/asset management system.
  • Manage workforce performance through mentoring, coaching, conducting performance reviews, approving timecards, enforcing policies and developing succession plans.
  • Coordinate and oversee utility construction, repair and rehabilitation projects, including field supervision, quality assurance, contractor oversight and punch-list closeout.
  • Support capital planning by providing field assessments, condition data, estimated labor and material needs, risk assessments and life-cycle cost input to project prioritization.
  • Ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations (EPA, state utility commissions, local health departments) and prepare/submit required reports and documentation.
  • Direct vegetation management, line clearance and right-of-way programs to reduce outage risk and improve system reliability.
  • Manage meter operations and meter reading programs, including AMI/AMR support, meter testing, billing exceptions, and coordination with customer service teams.
  • Collaborate with engineering on SCADA/controls, protection coordination, asset replacement strategies and as-built documentation to maintain system integrity.
  • Implement and manage contractor procurement and contract administration activities, including scopes of work, performance monitoring, change orders and invoicing.
  • Monitor and control operational budgets, purchase orders and inventory levels; recommend cost-saving initiatives and approve expenditures within delegated authority.
  • Serve as a primary field liaison with customers, developers, vendors and regulatory inspectors to resolve service issues, respond to complaints and manage permits and inspections.
  • Develop and deliver training programs for field staff on technical procedures, safety, regulatory compliance, emergency response and new equipment/technology adoption.
  • Collect, analyze and report key performance indicators (SAIDI/SAIFI for electric, unplanned outage frequency, water main breaks, response times) to drive continuous improvement.
  • Coordinate confined space, hot-work and lockout-tagout procedures and ensure permits, PPE and rescue plans are in place for hazardous work.
  • Lead outage restoration planning and preparedness drills, including mutual-aid agreements, inventory staging and emergency logistics.
  • Maintain accurate as-built records, GIS attribute updates and work order closeouts to support accurate asset registers and regulatory audits.
  • Investigate customer service escalations and technical complaints, develop corrective action plans and coordinate cross-functional resolution with billing and customer service teams.
  • Oversee inventory and spare parts programs; manage stock levels, reorder points, vendor relationships and warehouse organization to support uptime.
  • Assist with long-term resilience planning including climate adaptation, redundancy, critical infrastructure hardening and emergency response planning.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Assist in preparing grant applications, regulatory filings and funding requests by providing operational data, cost estimates and implementation timelines.
  • Support community outreach and public information efforts related to system upgrades, planned outages and safety campaigns.
  • Help maintain and improve operational procedures, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and field manuals for consistent execution and regulatory compliance.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Distribution system operations (water, wastewater, electric or gas): in-depth understanding of routine operations, system components and field practices.
  • SCADA and control systems: experience operating, troubleshooting and coordinating SCADA actions with field crews and engineering.
  • GIS and asset management systems: ability to update and interpret GIS layers, asset registers and work order histories.
  • CMMS / Work order systems (e.g., Maximo, Infor, Cityworks): create, assign and close work orders and use CMMS data for maintenance planning.
  • Preventive maintenance and reliability best practices: developing PM schedules, vibration/thermography/condition-based inspections.
  • Regulatory compliance and reporting: knowledge of EPA, state utility regulations, NERC (for electric) or applicable regulatory frameworks.
  • Emergency response and incident management: experience leading outage restoration, emergency mobilization and mutual-aid coordination.
  • Project management fundamentals: scope definition, scheduling, cost estimating, contractor coordination and quality control.
  • Mechanical and electrical troubleshooting: hands-on diagnostics for pumps, valves, transformers, switchgear and distribution equipment.
  • Safety and training programs: practical knowledge of OSHA standards, confined space entry, lockout-tagout, fall protection and hot work permits.
  • Metering technologies: AMI/AMR systems, meter testing and meter data analysis.
  • Budgeting and inventory control: forecasting labor/materials, managing POs, and optimizing spare parts inventory.
  • Contract administration and vendor management: scope development, bid evaluation and performance oversight.
  • Microsoft Office and data analysis tools: Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP), Power BI or equivalent for KPI reporting.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and people management: coaching, developing and motivating field teams under pressure.
  • Clear oral and written communication: prepare reports, coordinate with stakeholders and present to management or the public.
  • Problem solving and critical thinking: prioritize competing demands, troubleshoot field failures and design corrective actions.
  • Decision-making under stress: make timely, safety-first decisions during emergencies and outages.
  • Customer service orientation: handle escalations professionally and work cross-functionally to resolve issues.
  • Time management and organization: manage multiple crews, projects and administrative responsibilities concurrently.
  • Conflict resolution and negotiation: mediate contractor disputes, crew scheduling conflicts and stakeholder concerns.
  • Attention to detail: ensure accurate documentation, compliance and safe execution of technical work.
  • Continuous improvement mindset: drive process improvements, operational efficiencies and performance metrics.
  • Collaboration and stakeholder management: work with engineering, finance, permits, and elected officials.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED required; vocational/technical training or relevant certifications in utility operations preferred.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's degree or Bachelor's degree in Engineering Technology, Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, Public Administration or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Electrical, Mechanical or Civil Engineering Technology
  • Utilities Management / Public Utilities Administration
  • Construction Management
  • Environmental Science / Water/Wastewater Technology
  • Occupational Safety and Health

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10+ years of progressive field experience in utility operations, including at least 2–3 years in a supervisory or lead role.

Preferred:

  • Hands-on experience with distribution systems (water, wastewater, electric or gas), SCADA and CMMS.
  • Proven track record of managing field crews, emergency response and contractor relationships.
  • Certifications such as CDL, confined space trainer, OSHA 30, First Aid/CPR, and industry-specific licenses (e.g., water operator, wastewater operator, journeyman electrician) are a strong plus.
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