DIRECTOR OF GAS SERVICES

Job Description:

DIRECTOR OF GAS SERVICES

Description

DESCRIPTION

THE COMMUNITY
Ideally located on the Pacific Ocean south of Los Angeles, adjacent to Orange County, the City of Long Beach, California (population 470,000) is frequently described as a series of strong, diverse interwoven smaller communities within a large city. Enjoying an ideal Southern California climate, Long Beach is home to an abundance of cultural and recreational options. The Long Beach Convention Center, Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, and the annual Penske Grand Prix of Long Beach, plus a wide variety of other attractions (two historic ranchos, three marinas, and five golf courses), serve to draw 6.5 million visitors a year. The City is also home to California State University, Long Beach, and Long Beach City College. Cal State Long Beach is the second largest university in the state and was recently ranked the No. 3 best-value public college in the nation. Covering approximately 50 square miles, Long Beach is supported by a wide mix of industries with education, health and social services, manufacturing, retail trade, and professional services comprising the highest representation. Known for its livable and desirable neighborhoods, Long Beach was named by America’s Promise Alliance as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People two years in a row. While it offers all the amenities of a large metropolis, many say Long Beach offers the added benefit of having maintained a strong sense of community and cohesiveness despite its growth. A superb climate, quality schools, a vibrant downtown, and a wide variety of neighborhoods help make Long Beach one of the most livable communities in the country.

CITY GOVERNMENT
Long Beach, a charter city formed in 1897, is governed by nine City Council members elected by district and a city-wide elected Mayor. Other elected officials include the City Attorney, City Auditor, and City Prosecutor. The elected officials are elected to staggered four-year terms. The City Council appoints the City Manager, City Clerk, and Director of Police Oversight. The City Manager is responsible for the efficient administration of all City departments, excluding those under direction of a separately elected official, Board, or Commission. Long Beach is one of only three cities in California with its own Health Department and one of the very few municipalities with its own Utilities (Water, Gas, and Sewer) and Energy Resources Departments. The City is supported by a FY 2025 total budget of $3.6 billion with a General Fund budget of $752 million. More than 6,000 full- and part-time employees support municipal operations with the majority being represented by eleven recognized employee associations. To learn more about the City of Long Beach, go to: www.longbeach.gov .

THE DEPARTMENT
Long Beach Utilities provides safe, clean, reliable and affordable water, gas, and sewer services to the Long Beach community. The service area supports 500,000 customers, represented by 90,000 water accounts, 145,000 gas accounts and 90,000 sewer accounts in 52 square miles. This service area includes Long Beach’s downtown core, waterfront accounts, suburban areas and dense multifamily portions of the region. The department also provides natural gas service to residents and businesses in the City of Signal Hill.

Water. Every day, Long Beach Utilities treats 32 million gallons of drinking water at the Long Beach Groundwater Treatment Plant (GWTP) and distributes this water after blending with imported water, to 90,000 households and businesses throughout the City of Long Beach. The GWTP also hosts a California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation as a Certified Water Quality Laboratory, which performs 60,000 to 70,000 water quality tests per year to ensure the high quality of the drinking water.

Gas. As a municipal utility, Long Beach Utilities’ natural gas rates and policies are established by the Board of Utilities Commission, consisting of five residents of Long Beach. The City Charter requires Long Beach rates to be comparable to the rates charged by surrounding gas utilities for similar types of service. In the region, the Southern California Gas Company is the only other natural gas utility providing similar service and serves as the market benchmark. The City of Long Beach natural gas service territory includes the cities of Long Beach and Signal Hill, and sections of surrounding communities including Lakewood, Bellflower, Compton, Seal Beach, Paramount, and Los Alamitos.

Sewer. Long Beach Utilities owns, operates and maintains over 700 miles of sanitary sewer lines, safely collecting and delivering over 32 million gallons of wastewater per day to the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County for treatment.

To learn more, visit LBUtilities.org .

THE POSITION

Under the direction of the Senior Director of Utilities Field Customer Service, the Director of Gas Services is responsible for directing the operations of the Gas Services Bureau, which includes all aspects of field customer service including gas and water turn-ons and turn-offs, gas emergency response services, dispatch of work orders, installation and repair of residential and industrial gas meters, regulators and telemetry processes.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Provides managerial and technical oversight to the employees of the Gas Services Bureau and ensures the bureau’s goals and objectives relative to emergency response and safety, customer service, and the meter replacement program are met.
• Ensures compliance with safety and federal regulations (OSHA/DOT-PHMSA) including but not limited to operator qualification, building and maintaining Meter Set Assemblies (MSAs), pressure regulation, appliance servicing, emergency response to leak and carbon monoxide calls, and customer response inquires relating to utility bill.
• Oversees all gas customer service activities, ensuring efficient and timely completion of field activities while providing courteous and helpful service to all customers.
• Directs the repair and installation of residential and industrial gas meters, district regulators, and telemetry equipment and programs.
• Ensures that all operations of the gas distribution system are performed safely and following the appropriate State and Federal regulations.
• Ensures that Bureau operations are properly interfaced with and supportive of the requirements of the Commercial Services Bureau of Financial Management and Development Services Department.
• Coordinates the Bureau’s personnel activities such as hiring, training, assignments, scheduling, and disciplinary actions.
• Develops, plans, and directs the Bureau’s performance management and strategic planning objectives.
• Coordinates the operation of the Bureau’s radio and data communications and dispatch systems.
• Prepares periodic reports and maintains records of the various customer service activities carried out by Bureau personnel.
• Prepares and manages the annual budget for the Gas Services Bureau.
• Provides prompt responses to inquiries from consultants, in-house customer service teams, internal divisions, and bureaus.
• Communicates and/or corresponds with internal Utilities employees, outside agencies, and external consultants via email, phone, or live meetings.
• Develops and administers the Bureau’s annual budget including forecasting for staffing, equipment, materials, and supply needs.
• Keeps the Senior Director of Utilities Field Customer Service and other staff informed regularly on the status of open issues.
• Coordinates and follows up with Gas, Water, and Sewer Operations teams as required to maintain the flow of accurate information.
• Researches and makes recommendations on new technologies and emerging processes.
• Makes improvements and modifications to existing practices, materials and equipment to improve operational efficiency.
• Communicates with personnel, departments, consultants, contractors, vendors, and outside organizations to coordinate activities and programs, resolve issues/disputes, and to exchange information.
• Oversees and responds to customer service requests and complaint inquiries.
• Communicates regularly with the Call Center and Billing workgroups to coordinate field customer services activities .
• Manages Bureau contracts, including the development of specifications, request for proposals (RFPs), invitations to bid (ITBs), and related documents needed for the procurement of goods and services.
• Other duties as required.

IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Natural gas end-use applications and equipment.
• Organize, implement, and direct gas services operations including dispatch, telemetry, SCADA, meter operations and customer service.
• Qualitative and quantitative methodologies used to evaluate the technical, economic, and market feasibility of existing and new equipment and/or concepts.
• Draw upon knowledge of the Long Beach Utilities Department’s core and non-core gas services, rate options and programs to support Billing and Call Center.
• Knowledge of gas regulatory compliance, occupational hazards, and standard safety practices. Routine and emergency field operation procedures and equipment.
• Best management principles for gas services operations and procedures, and standard practices.
• Principles and practices of supervision, leadership, motivation, team building and conflict resolution.
• Principles of personnel management including employee development, training, progressive discipline, and succession planning.
• Principles and practices of effective customer service.
• Principles and practices of project management.
• Budget preparation and control.
• Interpret, apply, and explain Department rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Read and understand Geographic Information System (GIS) maps.
• Principles and techniques of working with groups and fostering effective team interaction to ensure positive collaboration.
• Demonstrate leadership skills that include maturity, vision, and an ability to articulate the department’s vision and mission to others.
• Ability to establish, build, and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external colleagues at all levels.
• Exemplify high standards of integrity, ethics, and professionalism, in accordance with Department and City policies.
• Ability to effectively communicate ideas in a clear, concise, and professional manner both verbally and in writing.

REQUIREMENTS TO FILE

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Five years of progressively responsible administrative, supervisory or operational experience directly involving gas services, preferably related to utility customer service.
• A valid driver’s license, or the ability to arrange necessary and timely transportation for field travel, may be required for some assignments.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

This recruitment will close at 11:59PM PST, on Sunday, April 12, 2026 . To be considered, please submit an online application, including a cover letter and resume in PDF format. Applications that fail to include all necessary documents will be considered incomplete and will not be taken into consideration.

Applications will be reviewed for depth and breadth of experience, and for level and relatedness of education. The most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in further selection procedures. The selected candidate may be required to go through a background check and a physical examination prior to appointment. Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements, including submission of all required attachments, will not be considered. For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact (562) 570-2141.

The City of Long Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce. The City of Long Beach is committed to creating a workplace where every employee is valued for who they are. Having our workforce reflect the diversity of our community at various levels of the organization is a continuous goal embraced by our departments, management staff, and policymakers. To support efforts of fairness and diversity, City Leadership is committed to incorporating equity and inclusion into our work by supporting staff and community partners. We are committed to promoting transparency by publishing updated demographic information for employees, including workforce diversity data and pay by race and gender.

The City of Long Beach will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You are not required to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until you receive a conditional job offer. If the City of Long Beach has concerns about a conviction that is directly related to the job after making a conditional job offer and conducting a background check, you will have the opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide evidence to mitigate concerns, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act

The City of Long Beach is committed to maintaining fairness and transparency in our hiring practices. We believe in providing equal opportunities to all applicants and ensuring that every applicant is evaluated based on their qualifications and merit. If you believe that you have been unjustly disqualified based on minimum qualifications for an unclassified job opportunity, you have the right to appeal the decision.

The City of Long Beach intends to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If a special accommodation is desired, or if you would like to request this information in an alternative format, please call (562) 570-2141.

For technical support with your governmentjobs.com application, please contact (855) 524-5627.

The City of Long Beach offers its employees opportunities to grow personally and professionally.As a permanent employee, you are eligible to receive fringe benefits that include:

Retirement:California Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) defined benefit retirement plan, which is coordinated with Social Security. The benefit is 2.5% or 2.7% (depending on hire date) @55 for "Classic" members and 2% @62 for new members as defined by PEPRA, subject to the compensation limitations set by PERS. Both the City and the employee contributes toward CalPERS retirement contributions. The city also participates in Social Security.

Health and Dental Insurance:The City offers the choice of HMO and PPO plans. The city pays major portion of the premium for employee and dependents depending on the health/ dental plan selected.

Life Insurance:City-paid term life insurance policy equal to three (3) times annual salary to a maximum of $500,000.

Disability Insurance:City-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.

Management Physical:Annual City-paid physical examination.

Vacation:Twelve (12) vacation days after the first year of service; 15 days after four years, six months of service; 20 days after 19 years, six months of service.

Executive Leave:Forty (40) hours Executive Leave per year. The City Manager has discretion to grant an additional 40 hours each year.

Sick Leave: One day earned per month; unlimited accumulation; conversion upon retirement to cash credit toward health and/or dental insurance premiums, or to pension credits.

Holidays:Eleven (11) designated holidays per year, plus four personal holidays to be used at the employee's discretion.

Transportation Allowance:Monthly allowance is allocated by classifications below;

• Department Head $650.00
• Deputy Director/Manager/Director (Harbor/Utilities) $550.00
• Division Officer/Superintendent/ Chief of Staff / Administrator / Principal DCA $450.00
• Assistant to Executive / Executive Assistant / Executive Secretary/ Executive Support Staff $300.00

Deferred Compensation Plan:Optional for employee contribution to a supplementary retirement savings program available through Mission Square Retirement formerly ICMA-RC Retirement Corporation).

• Classic CalPERS Members: The City will contribute a maximum of up to two percent (2%) of base salary* for all qualified Classic CalPERS members.
• Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) CalPERS Members: Effective the second full pay period following City Council adoption, the City contribution will increase from two percent (2%) to three percent (3%) of base salary* for all qualified PEPRA CalPERS members.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA):Optional election for employees to reduce taxable income for payment of allowable childcare or medical expenses.

Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule:Available (subject to City Manager approval).

Paid Parental Leave: The City provides one hundred and sixty (160) hours of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of salary, for the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child, regardless of the gender, marital status or sexual orientation of the parent.

Closing Date/Time: 4/12/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$153,016.79 - $209,121.28 Annually