Description

Hunter Ambrose Int. | Executive Search Elevated 

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.

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