Lead Service Line Program Manager (Water Resources)

American Water•Chattanooga, TN

16d

About The Position

People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals. We are Beautifully Different . We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey. About American Water American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn , Facebook , X and Instagram . Primary Role The Lead, Service Line Program Manager leads the statewide planning and execution of the Lead Service Line (LSL) identification and replacement program in support of the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). Serving as the engineering and delivery lead, this role partners with Water Quality, Operations, Engineering, and other stakeholders to ensure timely, compliant, and cost-effective delivery of multiple small-to-medium capital projects. The role manages program schedules and budgets, oversees design and construction activities, ensures accurate asset and inventory data, supports regulatory filings, and provides reliable program data for internal and external communications.

Requirements

General knowledge of Engineering, Project Management and construction management practices related to planning, design, construction and operations for water resource management facilities, engineering and utility economics and contract administration and construction technology.
Working knowledge of regulatory developments, new technology and current trends in water quality, water treatment, developer services and other related water resource management disciplines.
Knowledge of applicable state and federal regulations.
Knowledge of employee relations, applicable safety and environmental regulations, federal and state water quality and design regulations and technical standards.
Strong project and program management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, including the ability to evaluate data, identify issues, and recommend solutions.
Effective written and verbal communication skills, including technical documentation and presentations.
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and with external partners.
Ability to influence and coordinate work across teams without direct authority.
Demonstrated ability to independently manage routine project challenges and escalate complex issues appropriately.
Ability to execute work with urgency while maintaining attention to quality, compliance, and stakeholder coordination.
Working financial management skills, including budget tracking, cost forecasting, and basic financial analysis.
Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or related field; advanced degree preferred
With a bachelor’s degree, 10+ years’ experience in project delivery of major water resources projects.
Without a bachelor’s degree, 16+ years’ experience in project delivery of major water resources projects.
Consideration may be given for advanced degrees and/or relevant certification(s) in lieu of minimum years of experience.
Valid Driver’s License

Nice To Haves

Engineer-in-training (EIT) or Project Management Professional (PMP) certifications strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the planning and execution of multiple large and complex capital projects related to Lead Service Line (LSL) identification and replacement requirements.
Oversee scope, design, procurement, construction, schedules, budgets, and performance to meet annual delivery targets.
Ensure projects comply with Capital Program Management (CPM) standards, engineering requirements, and state and federal regulatory criteria.
Drive cost, schedule, and delivery efficiency through performance tracking and continuous improvement.
Own the creation, accuracy, ongoing maintenance, and submission of the service line inventory.
Lead efforts to identify unknown service line materials through records review, analytical reviews, field verification, and project closeout.
Ensure timely updates to internal systems (e.g., MapCall, GIS, asset systems) and communicate changes to stakeholders.
Lead data cleanup, standardization, and governance to support reliable reporting and regulatory compliance.
Develop and maintain a multi‑year Lead Service Line Replacement strategy and annual work plans.
Establish prioritization criteria based on risk, asset condition, regulatory requirements, and operational considerations.
Partner with Water Quality and Operations to achieve required annual replacement percentages and program milestones.
Monitor and interpret lead‑related regulations and translate requirements into actionable program plans.
Prepare and support regulatory filings, documentation, and audits.
Serve as a liaison with regulators and ensure program alignment with compliance obligations.
Collaborate with Water Quality, Operations, Engineering, and external partners to coordinate program delivery.
Support customer and stakeholder inquiries related to LSL identification and replacement.
Provide accurate, consistent data for public, regulatory, and community communications.
Provide technical oversight to consulting engineers and program support resources.
Coordinate with internal and external parties to obtain required permits, approvals, and property rights.
Ensure compliance with LCRR, LCRI and state requirements for lead service line replacements, inventory, and customer communications.