Job Description

UTILITY FOREMAN

JOB CODE 53050

Effective Date:	Rev. 11/08

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

A Utility Foreman in the Water Distribution Division oversees the work of staff involved in the construction, maintenance, and repair of the water distribution system. A Utility Foreman in the Wastewater Collection Division oversees the work of staff involved in a sanitary sewer preventive maintenance program providing TV inspection, cleaning, repair and construction of the wastewater collection system; or staff performing blue stake locating. Supervision is exercised over any combination of Senior Utility Technicians, Utility Technicians/Trainees, Backhoe Operators, Equipment Operators, Utility TV Technicians, and/or Utility Specialty Technicians. Utility Foremen are subject to periodic rotation and are expected to be able to perform effectively in any of the assigned areas within their respective divisions. Work is performed under the general supervision of a Utility Supervisor or Senior Utility Supervisor who reviews the work by making work site visits and analyzing job reports.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Monitors and directs crew activities to ensure safety and water quality or other policies are followed;
• Represents the City to citizens in resolving service requests and complaints and contacts property owners, contractors, utility company employees, and other City departments to coordinate the completion of service requests or to resolve problems;
• Coordinates the daily use of equipment;
• Coordinates activities with other departments, divisions, and sections to accomplish work tasks;
• Enforces safety regulations and directs barricading and traffic control when needed;
• Prepares investigative reports of accident, injury, and flood damage incidents;
• Calls or electronically generates requests for blue stake markings before construction projects begin;
• Maintains radio contact with all assigned staff and arranges for the delivery of materials and equipment to job sites;
• Pre-inspects job sites to determine the scope of work;
• Prepares field drawings of work performed;
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.

Water Distribution:

• Supervises and evaluates the work of crews engaged in maintaining, monitoring, constructing, installing, replacing or repairing water mains and service lines of various sizes, or supervising crews engaged in specialty operations.

Wastewater Collection:

• Supervises and evaluates the work of employees engaged in the operation, maintenance, cleaning, inspection, preventive maintenance, repair and construction of the City's sanitary sewer system;
• Orders and accepts delivery of chemicals, equipment and materials while monitoring contractors.

Blue Stake:

• Supervises and evaluates the work of employees engaged in marking utilities including water and sewer infrastructure;
• Responds to damaged and unknown utilities to investigate and determine responsibility;
• Uses current information to determine locates for large or difficult projects.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• The general water distribution system or wastewater collection system of the City of Phoenix.
• Methods, materials, tools and equipment used in constructing, maintaining, and repairing the City’s water distribution system or in constructing, maintaining, repairing, and inspecting the City’s wastewater collection system and related structures and facilities.
• Hazards of water distribution or wastewater collection work and safety measures to be observed, including trench safety, confined space entry, personal protective equipment hard hat, vest policies, and disinfection procedures.
• Construction techniques and sewer maintenance methods.
• Principles and practices of supervision.

Skill in:

• The use and care of equipment and tools used in constructing, maintaining, and repairing of the City’s water distribution system or in constructing, maintaining, repairing, and inspecting of the City’s wastewater collection system and related structures and facilities.

Ability to:

• Perform a broad range of supervisory responsibilities over others.
• Communicate orally with customers, clients or the public in either a face-to-face, one-to-one setting or by using a telephone.
• Observe or monitor objects or people's behavior to determine compliance with prescribed operating or safety standards.
• Comprehend and make inferences from written material, such as operations, maintenance and procedures manuals and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
• Read and interpret engineering specifications and drawings.
• Read and use graphic instructions such as quarter-section maps and other visual aids.
• Produce written documents with clearly organized thoughts using proper English sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar.
• Retrieve data or information from a terminal, PC, or other keyboard device on the service request system in order to plan and schedule work activities.
• Work in a variety of weather conditions with exposure to the elements.
• Learn job-related material through oral instruction and observation or through structured lecture and reading. This learning takes place in either an on-the-job training setting or in a classroom setting.
• Travel across rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces.
• Measure distance using a tape measure or other measuring device.
• Move heavy objects (50 pounds or more) short distances (20 feet or less).
• Work with raw sewage and chemicals in the collection system using only normal protective equipment (Wastewater Collection Division only).
• Work with disinfection and dechlorination chemicals in the distribution system using only normal protective equipment.
• Set up and remove barricades, traffic cones, or similar objects.
• Work safely without presenting a direct threat to self or others.

Additional Requirements:

• Possession of a Grade III Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Water Distribution or Wastewater Collection certification at time of hire.
• This classification requires the use of personal or City vehicles on City business. Individuals must be physically capable of operating the vehicles safely, possess a valid driver's license and have an acceptable driving record. Use of a personal vehicle for City business will be prohibited if the employee is not authorized to drive a City vehicle or if the employee does not have personal insurance coverage.
• In addition, individuals may be required to pass an Arizona Department of Transportation physical exam and possess the appropriate commercial driver's license (CDL).
• Pre-employment drug testing is required for all positions. Employees in CDL Tester positions will be subject to unannounced alcohol and drug testing as a condition of continued employment.
• Some positions will require the performance of other essential functions depending upon work assignment, location or shift.

ACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
Four years of experience involving the construction, maintenance, and repair of the City’s water distribution system or four years of experience involving the construction, maintenance, repair, and inspection of the City’s wastewater collection system. One year of lead experience is required at the level of Senior Utility Technician, or Utility Specialty Technician, or other equivalent lead experience. Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted.