WORKING AT WESTERN WATER
At Western Water, our work begins with our community’s most precious resource: water. Our mission is to ensure a reliable, safe water supply for current and future generations. Providing high-quality water is more than just a job; it’s about delivering an exceptional experience for both employees and customers.
Every day, nearly 1 million people will depend on you, so whether your role is front-and-center or behind-the-scenes, your work will benefit the greater good. We’re raising the bar of public service by empowering our employees to use their talents to innovate, learn, lead, and work as a team so that western Riverside County has the vital resource it needs to enjoy a high quality of life.
Western Water is transforming local water management and spearheading water policy.
ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC AGENCIES IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY, PROVIDING WATER, WASTEWATER (SEWER), AND RECYCLED WATER SERVICES TO NEARLY 1 MILLION PEOPLE IN WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY.
YOUR JOB STARTS HERE
Learn about our values and how we do things a little differently at Western Water.
WHY WESTERN WATER
MISSION AND IMPACT: At Western Water, you will directly contribute to our mission of ensuring longterm water security for the region. We expect you to bring your expertise and ideas to make a difference. You will find purpose and satisfaction in helping manage and protect this vital public resource.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Awarded the 2023 Top Workplaces Award, Western Water values apositive, engaging and collaborative work culture that focuses on teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement.
SERVICE-DRIVEN: As a key leader, you will share in Western Water’s philosophy that a service-driven, empowered team is key to delivering results. You will have the opportunity to inspire your team and invest in their ongoing growth by challenging thinking and consistently recognizing great work.
JOB STABILITY: Responsible for vital public resources, Western Water offers sustainable employment opportunities regardless of economic fluctuations.
GREAT PERKS: Competitive salary, 9/80 work schedule with hybrid remote work options, health benefits, retirement plans, and more.
THE RIGHT FIT
We seek a dynamic Director of Communications and Customer Experience (CCX) to continue elevating Western Water’s strategic vision and amplify our regional impact. In this pivotal role, you’ll partner closely with our Assistant General Manager to lead the Customer Service, Customer Experience, and Strategic Communications teams, providing strategic plans and daily operational support. Your mission? To integrate customer experience into district wide business planning, enhance service delivery, and shape messaging and community engagement strategies—all to protect customer trust.
At Western Water, we believe strong people skills are just as essential as technical expertise. That’s why we’re seeking an inspiring, approachable, and driven leader who knows how to connect with people, energize teams, and build authentic relationships both inside and outside the organization. If you’re ready to make a difference and lead with purpose, we’d love to meet you.
Western Water
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
As CCX Director, you will be focused on unifying communications, customer service, and customer experience into a powerful, cohesive team understood districtwide—one that strengthens stakeholder engagement, builds public trust, and delivers clear value to Western Water and the communities we serve. Here’s what we expect from a seasoned communications and customer experience leader:
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY
• Shape customer experience and communication at Western Water, working alongside and advising a dynamic executive team.
• Lead the charge in creating data-driven strategies that align with our ambitious priorities.
• Bring your proven leadership and team development skills along with your sharp analytical skills and innovative mindset to build and implement high-impact, resultsoriented department plans.
DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT
• Inspire and energize the CCX team to turn strategy into frictionless execution by aligning cross-functional teams around a shared purpose.
• Foster collaboration among functionally diverse teams, ensuring clarity of roles, shared goals, consistent performance standards, and efficient business processes.
• Balance the big picture with operational excellence—your strategic partnership will set the pace, but your attention to detail and daily operational business acumen will keep everything running smoothly.
• Oversee budgets, resources, and contracts with a keen eye for efficiency and value.
EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS
• Build strong, authentic relationships with senior leaders, the Board of Directors, and departments to amplify the impact of customer experience initiatives.
• Be a connector—bringing together internal teams and external partners to create a culture of shared learning and innovation.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND SERVICE INNOVATION
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of customer service and experience principles and the ability to apply them within Western Water.
• Support continued transformation of customer service into a proactive, insights-driven powerhouse that anticipates needs and exceeds expectations.
• Harness the power of technology and data to innovate service delivery, ensuring measurable results and continuous improvement.
• Lead change with confidence and care, aligning customer experience strategies with Western Water’s goals and shaping the future of water service for our communities.
QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS
TRUSTWORTHY
• Uncompromising honesty, integrity, and ethical behavior.
• Demonstrating the highest level of professionalism and trust, takes initiative and follows through, helping others and succeeding together.
LEADERSHIP SKILLS
• Strong strategic thinker who is passionate about contributing to Western Water’s vision and mission.
• Ability to lead change initiatives, including rate increases and strategic priorities.
• Decisive and able to take calculated risks.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a balance between work responsibilities and personal life, ensuring productivity without compromising well-being.
COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Ability to explain complex financial information clearly to various internal and external partners, including the Board of Directors.
• Strong relationship-builder, both internally with staff and externally with retail agencies, Metropolitan, and industry organizations.
• Ability to understand Board of Directors’ priorities, and community expectations.
WHAT WILL MAKE YOU STAND OUT
• 9+ years of progressive experience working in cross-sectional teams in the areas of customer service, customer experience and public communications.
• 5+ years of team management experience with a proven skillset in delivering clear structure, coaching, support, and accountability for an evolving team and growing customer experience function.
• Passion and proven track-record for embedding customer experience into the fabric of the business, positioning the team as a strategic, organization-wide partner capable of driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience overseeing human-centered design and integrating customer experience insights into business decisions in a government or special district water utility setting will be a plus.
For a complete listing of qualifications, experience, and education requirements, visit WesternWaterCA.gov/Careers.
THE PERKS
• Competitive salary and a 9/80 work schedule with hybrid remote options, which means you’ll have flexibility.
• Generous health benefits for you and your family, including our executive medical benefits reimbursement program.
• Ample time off including 10 paid holidays, 3 floating holidays, 96 hours of sick leave, 40 hours of administrative leave, and 80 hours of vacation leave accrued annually.
• Participate in the CalPERS retirement system (Classic members: 2% @ 55, New members: 2% @ 62) and Social Security.
• 2% of salary contributed on your behalf to a 401(a) retirement savings plan.
• Optional participation in Western Water’s 457(b) retirement saving program.
• Flexible spending accounts and employee assistance programs.
• Professional development and career advancement through our tuition reimbursement program.
a complete listing of all benefits, visit WesternWaterCA.gov/Careers