Salary: $151,652.80 - $213,512.00 Annually
Location : Tacoma, WA
Job Type: Non-Classified
Job Number: P0570-26A
Department: Environmental Services
Opening Date: 09/10/2026
Closing Date: 10/1/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

Position Description
The City of Tacoma is recruiting for a Transmission Division Manager in our Environment and Public Works Department. The Transmission Division Manager provides strategic leadership and oversight for the operation and maintenance of the City's sewer and surface water transmission systems, and collection of infrastructure. We are seeking candidates with strong leadership abilities, a collaborative mindset, and a proven track record of providing customer-focused services in a team-oriented setting. We recognize that leadership experience is gained in many ways and applicants with paid or volunteer experience with transferrable skills in supervision, coordination, or customer-focused work are encouraged to apply.

Key responsibilities for the positions include the following:

• Provide strategic leadership for utility operations by overseeing the operation, maintenance, and reliability of approximately 1,400 miles of sanitary sewer and stormwater collections systems, ensuring safe, efficient, and uninterrupted service.
• Lead a comprehensive safety and regulatory compliance program that maintains compliance with federal, state, and local requirements while fostering a culture that minimizes accidents, injuries, liability, and operational risk.
• Develop and lead a high-performing workforce by building cohesive, inclusive, and accountable teams; providing clear direction, delegating effectively, removing barriers, and leveraging diverse perspectives to achieve organizational goals.
• Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders by delivering clear, timely, and audience-appropriate communications, navigating complex organizational issues, and building trust across all levels of the organization, Department, and the City's strategic direction and goals.
• Drive organizational performance and continuous improvement by establishing a performance-based culture, aligning operations with the Environment and Public Works Department's mission, the City's strategic priorities, and long-term operational objectives.

Our ideal candidates will exemplify the following traits and competencies:

• Service-Driven Decision Making
  Makes timely and practical operational decisions that support employees, protect the public, and maintain reliable stormwater and sewer collection systems.
• Directs Work
  Sets clear expectations, aligns teams, assigns responsibilities, and ensures accountability.
• Ensures Accountability
  Holds self and others responsible for performance, safety, compliance, and service standards.
• Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
  Promotes high performance by applying best practices, coaching staff, and using tools such as root cause analysis and standard operating procedures to ensure consistent, compliant, and efficient operations.
• Safety Leadership
  Builds and maintains safe work environments through strong safety practices, hazard awareness, and proactive responses to physical and psychological safety needs within high-risk operational settings.
• Builds Effective Teams
  Creates high performing, collaborative, engaged workgroups across diverse roles and backgrounds.
• Values Differences
  Demonstrates inclusive leadership, recognizes strengths in diverse perspectives, and fosters an equitable workplace culture.
• Communicates Effectively
  Shares information clearly, listens actively, provides constructive feedback, and navigates sensitive conversations with professionalism.

Qualifications
Minimum Education*
Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, public administration or directly related field

Minimum Experience*
7 years of experience in one or more fields of environmental sciences including 1 year prior at the supervisory level

*Relevant education and experience may substitute for one another on a year-for-year basis.

Licensing, Certifications and Other Requirements
Washington State Driver's License

Knowledge & Skills
KNOWLEDGE:

• Local government organization, operations, policies, and objectives.
• Community engagement.
• Environmental laws and regulations.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others.
• Relevant labor laws and practices.
• Change management strategies and techniques.
• Performance management and metrics.

SKILLS:

• Ability to work independently with little direction.
• Proficient in use of all office equipment including personal computers and related software applications.
• Ability to assign and review work of others; and plan and organize work to meet schedules and timelines.
• Promote and maintain a culturally diverse work force and take appropriate pro-active steps to provide employees with a work environment free of harassment, intimidation, hostility, and coercion based on race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, and family status.
• Effectively organize multiple assignments, sometimes of a complex nature or involving competing priorities, to produce work products that are accurate, thorough, cost effective and on time.
• Ability to adapt to an ever-changing work environment and make effective decisions quickly during stressful situations.
• Set and communicate clear expectations for staff, follow through and establish accountability for all.
• Ability to interpret, apply, and explain complex regulations, laws, codes, and policies related to environmental protection, climate action and government processes.
• Prepare and maintain various personnel and work-related records and reports; prepare the annual division budget; forecast personnel requirements and authorize purchases within established guidelines.

Selection Process & Supplemental Information

The Community

Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.

Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.

With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video!

View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma:

Application Process

Interested individuals should apply online and attach a detailed resume and cover letter that includes job experience, major responsibilities and accomplishments related to this position. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received for interview consideration.

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the Neogov system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication with the City of Tacoma

We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from Tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Details:

Hourly Rate: $72.91 - $102.66

Annual Salary: $151,652.80 - $213,512.00
The City of Tacoma provides excellent medical, dental and vision plans for the whole family; paid holidays and paid leave; participation in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System (alternate plan for Police/Fire); continuing education and advancement opportunities and a growing variety of City-sponsored health and wellness opportunities and incentives.

Medical Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age 26 or younger.

Dental Coverage: For eligible employees and their families, including domestic partners and dependent children age 26 or younger.

Vision Coverage: For eligible employees and their eligible dependents.

Paid Leave: City employees are entitled to received paid holidays, sick/vacation leave or personal time off (PTO), depending upon union affiliation and appointment type.

Insurance Plans: Employees are covered by a long-term disability plan. Short-term and expanded long-term disability insurance plans are also available to employees. The State Industrial Insurance Act also covers employees.

Deferred Compensation: Income can be set aside on a pretax basis and invested for supplementation of normal retirement income.

Retirement: All employees of the City, except members of the Police and Fire services, Tacoma Rail and certain project employees, are included in the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System. Information on the Tacoma Employees' Retirement System can be found at www.cityoftacoma.org or by calling (253) 502-8200.

Other Employment Information

Direct Deposit: Employees are paid on a bi-weekly schedule by direct deposit.

Salary Increases: Based on satisfactory job performance, the City provides for a regular progression of salary increases for most classifications according to the salary schedule.

Union Affiliation: Many job classifications are covered by union security provisions which require union membership, dues, or payment of equivalent service fees.

Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.
01

The Supplemental Questionnaire is part of the examination process; accordingly, it should be completed carefully. It must be submitted with your application. Responses to supplemental questions must be original content created by the applicant using their own words. The use of online tools or resources to create responses, such as Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT, etc), Google, Bing, etc., or plagiarism in any form, is considered cheating and falsification of the application. Do not indicate "see resume" or copy unrelated content from your resume when answering these questions. Answer all information requested in each question. Failure to do so may result in rejection of your application. I certify that the information provided is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any falsification may cancel any terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have a Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, public administration or directly related field?*Relevant education and experience may substitute for one another on a year-for-year basis.

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have seven (7) years of experience in one or more fields of environmental sciences?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have one (1) year prior at the supervisory level?

• Yes
• No

05

How would you define your ideal organizational culture, and what actionable steps would you take to cultivate and sustain it? Describe a specific example where you successfully led a cultural shift within a team or organization, and what made it successful.
06

Describe your experience managing stormwater, wastewater, or other underground utility projects in areas share