General Manager (CEO)
Public Water Utility | Pacific Northwest

Hunter Ambrose International has been retained to lead the executive search for a General Manager for Clackamas River Water.

This is a career-defining leadership role for a seasoned utility or infrastructure executive ready to steward a mission-critical organization through its next era of capital investment, operational excellence, and long-term resilience.

Salary: $175,000.00 - $225,000.00

The Role
Reporting directly to an elected Board, the General Manager serves as the organization’s chief executive and appointing authority, with full responsibility for:

Strategic leadership and policy execution
Water system operations, engineering, and capital planning
Financial stewardship, budgeting, and rate strategy
Regulatory compliance and emergency preparedness
Board relations, community engagement, and regional partnerships
Workforce leadership, labor relations, and organizational culture
This role offers the opportunity to lead a stable, well-run utility as it enters a pivotal period of modernization, seismic resilience planning, and long-range system investment.

Operational Overview - Key operational facts include:

Population Served: Approximately 50,000 plus water supplied to approximately 30,000 people through wholesale customers
Biennial Budget: $46 million
Staff Size: Total 44.4; full-time equivalents (43 FTEs)
Source Water: Clackamas River
Treatment Capacity: 30 million gallons per day
Distribution System: 266 miles of pipeline serving an area of 42.6 square miles

The Ideal Candidate
You are a proven executive with experience in utilities, public infrastructure, or similarly complex service environments, known for:

Calm, credible leadership with political and stakeholder savvy
Strong financial and capital project oversight
Comfort working with Boards, regulators, and public partners
A steady hand in both day-to-day operations and long-term strategy
A values-driven approach aligned with public service and stewardship

Requirements

Job Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Engineering, Environmental Science, Business, or a related field (Master’s degree strongly preferred)
10+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in water utilities, public infrastructure, public works, or a similarly complex operating environment
Minimum 5 years in a senior executive or department-head role with enterprise-level responsibility
Demonstrated experience overseeing utility operations, engineering, capital projects, or large-scale infrastructure systems
Proven financial leadership, including budget oversight, capital financing, rate setting, and long-term fiscal planning
Experience working directly with elected boards, commissions, or governing bodies
Strong understanding of regulatory compliance, risk management, and emergency preparedness
Track record of leading and developing professional teams, including labor relations and workforce engagement
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to represent the organization publicly
Ability to balance operational execution with long-term strategic planning
Valid driver’s license and ability to attend evening meetings and regional commitments as required

Hunter Ambrose Int.

New Jobs

General Manager