Utility Rates and Capital Finance Manager

King County Wastewater Treatment Division’s mission is to protect public health and the environment by collecting and cleaning wastewater while recovering valuable resources for a thriving Puget Sound region. We manage one of the largest wastewater treatment systems in the nation for nearly 2.3 million people. Our diverse organization of more than 1000 employees is committed to being at the forefront of environmental sustainability while delivering strong value to public dollars and outstanding and equitable service to our customers. If you’re passionate about making a difference and thrive in a highly collaborative and dynamic workplace, join us in creating clean water for the people who live, work, and play in King County – now and for generations to come. You can find more information about WTD in our 2025 Community Report.  

About the Role: 

You will serve in a key Finance & Administration leadership role that reports to the Chief Financial Officer and collaborates with Finance unit managers and supervisors to ensure the suite of Finance services are provided with unified and coordinated excellence. 

As with other managers and leaders across the Division, a strong relationship-building skillset is essential to success in this role. You will be called upon to make recommendations and decisions in a high-stakes environment, requiring sound judgment and exceptional communication skills. You will bring a resilient and mission-driven approach to lead and thrive through challenging seasons.  

What You Will Be Doing:

• Leads a unit of high performing, strategy and analytics professionals who will look to you to bring both strong technical competencies and the leadership skillset that prioritizes building positive work culture, effective communication and listening, applying both empathy and accountability, supporting professional development through training and coaching, and exhibiting courage to address challenges in a timely and thoughtful way.   
• Collaborates with a team of finance managers covering functions that include budget development and oversight, procurement and contracting, accounting and audit, technology and administrative services, and utility billing. This role will collaborate with managers outside of F&A across the division on various topics, though works closely with the Capital Portfolio Planning and Analysis Manager who leads capital project prioritization in the Division’s Project Planning and Delivery Section. 
• Leads a Utility Financial Planning & Rates team that: 
  • Prepares all Division financial modeling and analyses 
  • Prepares all utility rate analyses including revenue requirements, cost of service analysis, and rate design
  • Works with the Division Director’s Office staff to prepare rates and finance proposed legislation
  • Prepares presentation materials and presents topics to various committees that represent the 34 agencies that contract for conveyance and treatment with King County
  • Prepares ad hoc economic and financial analyses to support initiatives throughout the Division
  • Leads various policy initiatives related to financial equity and household affordability in utility rate setting, including assessing household impact, regional impact, and various mitigation approaches, i.e. customer assistance programs
  • Acts as project manager to collaborate with consultant resources to supplement expertise and team capacity
  • Partners with the Portfolio Planning & Analysis Unit Manager to ensure capital project prioritization is closely coordinated with financial planning and capital finance strategies.
• Leads a Debt Management team that:
• Manages a debt portfolio of $3.5 billion, including optimization activities, variable rate debt, and a commercial paper interim financing program.
• Leads financing activities for a capital program projected to fund and finance over $11 billion in the coming decade
• Leads a team to identify capital project candidates and apply for subsidized loan opportunities with the State Revolving Fund, Public Works Board, and EPA Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act  
• Researches opportunities to expand the utility’s access to new or innovative funding sources or approaches
• Collaborates with the County’s central debt management team, financial advisor, and bond counsel on debt strategy and transactions
• Works with the Division’s accounting team and the County’s financial advisor to prepare the Official Statement for bond transactions
• Prepares rating agency presentations
• Serves on the County debt team 

Qualifications You Bring:

• Must have experience leading teams in one of the two primary functions of this unit – utility financial planning and rate setting, or infrastructure debt financing and portfolio optimization.
• Must have at least bachelor’s degree in quantitative supporting area - either economics, business, finance, or other field that would support quantitative analysis subject matter expertise.

• Experience in both primary functions