Position: Director of Engineering
Location: Initially home-based (USA), but a move to DigDeep headquarters (Los Angeles, CA) would be required in the future
Employment type: full-time exempt
Compensation: salary competitive and commensurate with level of experience
Simply Put:
DigDeep is the only WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) organization serving the more than 2 million Americans who still don’t have a tap or toilet at home.
DigDeep is growing fast. We won the 2018 US Water Prize for our Navajo Water Project, which has brought clean, running water to hundreds of Native families across New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. Now we’re expanding that work across the country. We’ve built new partnerships with impacted communities and we’re developing WASH projects in Alabama, Texas, and West Virginia informed by data from the first national study on water and sanitation access, which we’ve just completed.
The Opportunity:
The Director of Engineering leads and coordinates DigDeep’s water, sanitation, and hygiene systems, including the design, technical implementation, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability. This position will support headquarters and field programs by creatively identifying appropriate technology, preparing and reviewing designs, monitoring system performance, and providing leadership and oversight throughout the project cycle.
The Director of Engineering is responsible for actively participating in the development and completion of projects, ensuring quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of DigDeep’s WASH systems, providing expert guidance and support, and maintaining positive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, The right candidate has a clear vision for how we can close the water access gap in America and loves creative problem solving and field work. The Director of Engineering will provide technical expertise to an already powerful team of passionate changemakers who will bring clean, hot and cold running water to every American.
This job is full-time and based in Downtown Los Angeles, at DigDeep HQ. It involves frequent travel to program sites across the US.
Reports to: Chief Program Officer (CPO)
Supported by: Program Managers, Program Engineers, Finance Manager, Culture and Ops Manager
1. Plan Projects
You will collaborate with the Chief Program Officer (CPO) to plan our technical water, sanitation, and hygiene projects to serve people in need of water with excellence and efficiency.
- Work with the CPO, Project Directors, and staff to coordinate the timing and execution of individual projects within the regional portfolios.
- Develop strategies for serving communities based on their unique needs and other factors such as geography, economic capacity, and culture.
- Serve as Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Engineering for all DigDeep programs through research, relationship building and conference attendance.
2. Deliver Services
You will design and implement WASH solutions that meet the challenges faced by communities in which DigDeep operates. Through your leadership you will model creative problem-solving, teamwork, and a belief in developing the skills and talents of others.
- Routinely visit project sites to conduct research, monitor implementation, provide capacity building for technical staff, and ensure compliance with relevant laws and company policies.
- Create viable work plans and timelines for the completion of projects; monitor work plans and ensure objectives are met in a timely and complete manner.
- Maintain or review productivity records including construction reports, inventory, water tests, and other datasets; generate periodic reports on program activity.
- Develop and manage relationships with contractors; solicit and evaluate proposals for materials and services; monitor work quality and contract compliance, ensure that projects stay on time and under budget.
- Collaborate with local staff to design and implement enhancements to programs, including new technology and special projects.
3. Steward Resources and Relationships
- Collaborate with the Chief Program Officer and Program Directors to develop an annual program budget; participate in quarterly budget update and analysis.
- Work closely with the respective Project Managers to continually improve efficiency, reliability, and cost of the designs.
- Collaborate closely with the development team to maximize all revenue and storytelling opportunities, especially those related to major donor cultivation and annual campaigns.
- Foster an environment that promotes technical excellence, trust, and cooperation among staff, community members, and partner organizations.
As the organization continues to evolve, duties or tasks may change without impacting the overall Job Description.
Competencies
Others describe you as:
- Demonstrates Cultural and Contextual Awareness – Knowledgeable and experienced within WASH engineering, especially regarding appropriate technologies for rural, low and middle-income contexts.
- Effective Communicator – Strong written and verbal communications skills, and the ability to work in a diverse team environment. You have experience collaborating with key internal and external stakeholders.
- Manages Complexity – Navigates uncertainties and incomplete information with a problem-solving mindset to identify appropriate technologies, creatively apply solutions, and uses a community-driven, sustainable approach. You’re a highly organized multi-tasker with a project management mindset; you believe anything is figure-out-able.
- Builds Team and Talent – Team management skills including strong vision and clear direction, sound judgement, good communication and conflict management skills, and a focus on team-building.
- Demonstrates Ethics and Integrity – Always behaves ethically and in alignment with the values of the organization. Consistently follows through on commitments and lives our values of equality, transparency, and experience. You’re driven by a desire to make our country (and our world) a better place to live.
- Planner and Organizer – Strong project management skills including appropriate tools and techniques, the ability to build and manage a budget, strong writing, data collection and analysis skills. You like to track your performance and continuously improve.
Skills and Qualifications
- You have a bachelor’s degree in engineering; advanced degree and Professional Engineering License preferred
- You have 10+ years of relevant experience in water/wastewater engineering or in international development with a background in water, sanitation and health (WASH) projects.
- You have 5+ years managing a budget.
- You communicate clearly in English; Spanish and/or Navajo fluency is preferred.
- You have the flexibility to travel up to 30% of the time and attend meetings and events outside of regular business hours.
- You have advanced computer proficiencies on both PC and Mac, Slack, Google Business suite, Microsoft Office suite, and relevant project management software.
Compensation and Benefits
At DigDeep, we believe that great work requires a great job. We pride ourselves on creating industry-leading employment opportunities for our team across the United States. We’re a supportive environment that values creativity, diversity and quick-thinking. Here’s how we’ll support you in your work:
- Salary competitive and commensurate with level of experience
- Generous paid vacation and sick leave
- 6 weeks parental leave at full pay
- Medical insurance, 100% employer paid
- Prescription drug coverage
- One Medical membership
- Life insurance, 100% employer paid
- Monthly cell phone allowance
- Domestic travel
- 401k retirement plan
Interested?
Please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to: recruitment@joshswaterjobs.com Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We will respond to all applicants. Please note that Note: DigDeep cannot provide immigration sponsorship for this position. Thank you.
