Posted: Feb 19, 2026
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WATER RESOURCES MANAGER (RECHARGE and RECOVERY)

Full-time
Salary: $75,000.00 - $95,000.00 Annually
Application Deadline: Nov 28, 2025
Government

Job Summary:

The Recharge and Recovery Manager leads a team of professional staff with the responsibility to review, process, approve or deny applications, and issue permits for the Underground Storage, Savings and Replenishment (Recharge) Program and Recovery Well Permitting for the State of Arizona in accordance with State and Federal statutes and ADWR rules, policies, and procedures. 

The manager reports directly to the Assistant Director of the Planning and Permitting Division. The section's work is complex, fast-paced, deadline-driven, and frequently sensitive in nature. The team works collaboratively to problem solve and meet objectives, supporting, challenging, and learning from one another.

This position may offer the ability to work remotely within Arizona based on the department's business needs and a continual meeting of expected performance measures. A minimum of two days on-site at the ADWR office per week is required.

job Duties:

The manager is responsible for a variety of tasks, including:  hiring, training, and supervision of staff assigned to the Recharge and Recovery section; assigning and reviewing technical work; developing, organizing, and disseminating policies, procedures, and training materials; representation of the Department in meetings with clients; the issuance of permits for underground storage facilities, groundwater savings facilities, water storage, and recovery wells; the issuance and transfers of long term storage credits and the maintenance of long term storage credit accounts; and frequent coordination with internal staff and external customers, often involving complex or sensitive issues. The manager must interpret and apply statutory regulations, rules, and program policies. Guides staff in the analysis, coordination, and presentation of programmatic and policy recommendations to the Assistant Director for Planning & Permitting, the Deputy Director, and the Director of ADWR. Ensures public records requests and data requests for internal and external customers are completed accurately and promptly.  The manager may represent the Department at meetings with other state, federal, and local agencies and stakeholders on issues involving recharge and recovery and may serve as the technical expert witness in hearings concerning recharge and recovery.

Additional tasks and activities will be assigned as needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

  • State and federal laws, rules and regulations pertaining to water resources and management
  • Arizona Revised Statutes governing the Underground Storage, Savings and Replenishment Program
  • Arizona Revised Statutes and Arizona Administrative Code governing recovery well permitting
  • Long term storage credit accounting
  • ADWR substantive policies and procedures for Recharge and Recovery
  • Statewide water resource management issues
  • Information sources and research methods and techniques utilized in water resources management

Skill in:

  • Supervising, managing, and training professional level staff
  • Effectively managing workload, deadlines, and priorities
  • Clear, well-organized, concise oral, written, and visual communication
  • Tact and diplomacy
  • Drafting, reviewing, and revising technical reports and correspondence
  • Researching, interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating regulatory, legal, and technical documents
  • Compiling, organizing, analyzing, and interpreting water resource management data; manipulating large datasets
  • Applying a multi-disciplinary approach to public issues resolve complex, sensitive, and/or visible water resource management issues

Ability to:

  • Lead others and foster a culture of accountability, inclusivity, integrity, and professionalism
  • Multi-task and manage simultaneous licensing time frames and deadlines, prioritize workload
  • Facilitate open exchange of ideas and foster open communication; encourage creative thinking and innovation
  • Think strategically, exercise sound judgment, make well-informed, timely decisions; perceive impact and implications
  • Examine policy issues with a long-term perspective; anticipate potential threats or opportunities
  • Problem solve and collaborate with others to address challenges and improve processes
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders, agency staff, governmental officials, the regulated community, and the public
  • Understand and effectively communicate complex statutes and Department rules, policies, and procedures, orally and in writing
  • Interpret and develop policies, procedures, and rules to facilitate program implementation

Selective Preferences:

Experience required:

  • Ten (10) years of professional level water resource management experience; OR
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related field and eight (8) years of professional level water resources management experience; OR
  • Master’s degree or higher in a related field and six (6) years of professional level water resources management experience; OR
  • Doctorate in a related field and four (4) years of professional level water resource management experience.
  • Two (2) years supervisory/management experience.
  • Preference for water resources experience, natural resources management experience, data analysis experience, and/or project management experience.
  • Experience in a related field may be considered in lieu of specific water resource management experience.

This position requires possession of and ability to retain a current, valid state-issued driver’s license appropriate to the assignment.

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Please note, enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment. The current contribution rate is 12.00%.

For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page 

The Arizona State Government is an AA/EOE/ADA Reasonable Accommodation Employer.