ACOM Director Waterways Commission (Little Rock, AR)
Company: Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals, INC.
Location: Little Rock
Posted on: May 7, 2025
Job Description:
Position SummaryThe ACOM Director of the Waterways Commission is
responsible for the overall operation of the agency and is governed
by state laws and agency policy. The Arkansas Waterways Commission
is the sole authority tasked with developing, promoting and
protecting waterborne transportation in Arkansas. The Waterways
Commission also promotes economic development for ports and
intermodal authorities on the five commercially navigable rivers of
the state: The Arkansas, Mississippi, Ouachita, Red, and White
Rivers.Preferred QualificationsThe formal education equivalent of a
bachelor's degree in business, engineering or a related field;
plus, five years of experience in navigation, waterways operation,
water infrastructure engineering, transportation, or related field,
including one year in a managerial or supervisory. Knowledge of
state and federal laws governing commercial waterways
transportation operations. Knowledge of the infrastructure of
navigation channels.Job Responsibilities and Expected
ResultsAdministrative - General
- Directs, oversees, and monitors the agency's overall operations
including program priorities and changes in laws or
regulation.
- Serves as the agency's fiscal officer by preparing annual
operations plans, annual and biennial budgets, and fiscal year end
reporting.
- Monitors and ensures agency fiscal accountability and assists
with legislative audits of the agency.
- Serves as the agency's liaison for determining and recommending
staff, contract bids, and material and equipment needs.
- Supervises subordinates including interviewing, hiring,
training, evaluating performance, and terminating personnel.
- Develops and recommends new and revised legislation, policies,
and procedures.
- Coordinates business development through relationships with
ports, intermodal authorities, terminals, and navigation industry
throughout Arkansas.
- Initiates ongoing dialog and negotiations with federal
government interests in accomplishing Commission goals.
- Advises and consults with United States Coast Guard commanders
on enforcement jurisdiction of all Arkansas federally managed
rivers.
- Prepares and presents testimony and official comment before
federal and state commissions and committees including the
Mississippi River Commission and Arkansas General Assembly
committees on transportation, economic development and budget.
- Administers port improvement projects and monitors construction
of roads, bridges, pipelines, and other infrastructure projects for
compliance with priority river navigation.
- Advises railroads, pipeline, and bridge contractors on river
navigation priorities.
- Examines, evaluates and provides official comment on state and
federal construction projects requiring permitting under federal
Clean Water Act.
- Responds to media inquiries and initiates media
coverage.Commission
- Assures that Commission responsibilities defined by statute,
rules and policies are carried out.
- Coordinates activities related to meeting of the Commission,
including arrangements for regular and special meetings and public
hearings, development of agendas, preparation and dissemination of
materials, and notifications of actions of the Commission to
appropriate persons or agencies.
- Interviews, employs, directs and supervises professional and
support staff personnel, and administers State personnel
policies.
- Administers activities related to financial affairs of the
Commission, including preparation and administration of the budget,
the implementation of State policies in disbursements, payroll and
purchasing.
- Interprets water transportation-related laws, Commission rules
and regulations, and represents the Commission at various State and
National Meetings.
- Delegates to the professional staff as warranted in the
directing and conducting of the activities of accounting, education
and discipline.
- Oversees implementation of legislative mandates.
- Determines staffing needs, organizes the office to carry out
functions defined by statute, rules and Commission policies.
- Hires and evaluates staff and invokes disciplinary measures
when warranted.
- Assures orientation of new staff and Commission members.
- Manages the finances, including preparation of the budget and
long-range forecasting of needs, and ensures reporting of the
financial status at Commission meetings.
- Participates with the Commission in formulating the strategic
plan, assures the implementation of the strategic plan and reports
accomplishments at Commission meetings.
- Assures that policies, procedures, processes, equipment and
documents are in place to ensure effective agency functioning.
- Assures maintenance of an accurate record-keeping system.
- Monitors and reviews national and state legislation for impacts
on navigation and the Arkansas Waterways Commission.
- Makes recommendations to the Commission for revisions to
statute, rules or policies as appropriate and draft rules, policies
and recommendations for Commission consideration.
- Prepares or assures the preparation of statistical and
narrative reports for a variety of audiences, legislative, state
and national organizations, etc.
- Directs research activities related to water transportation
regulation as indicated.
- Collects, analyzes, computes and provides for distribution of
data relative to education, navigation, water transportation, water
resources, etc.
- Develops cooperative relationships with other agencies and
organizations in matters relating to water transportation and
navigation regulation.
- Signs a variety of contracts, such as for office space, cost
share agreements, memoranda of agreement and/or understanding,
etc., and assures that contract requirements are implemented.
- Assures preparation of Commission agenda and make presentation
on responsibility-related items during Commission meetings.
- Assures scheduling and staffing of Commission appointed task
forces or committees.
- Consults with legal counsel as warranted.
- Makes presentations on various topics related to the
Commission's mission and purpose.
- Utilizes internal chain of command appropriately for
communication purposes.Arkansas Port Intermodal and Waterway
Development Grant Program
- Develops and updates annual grant application and instruction
information.
- Promotes grant program and provide technical support to
applicants.
- Reviews applications and verify eligibility.
- Prepares application documents for Commission review.
- Notifies applicants of funding decisions and provides
instructions to award recipients for disbursement of funds.
- Coordinates grant award ceremony with GO and recipients.
- Tracks and maintains award history data.
- Monitors grant projects and timelines to ensure compliance with
Commission rules and state law.Waterway Promotion, Marketing and
Education
- Develops and directs visibility of water transportation in
Arkansas by maintaining a viable marketing program.
- Identifies and collaborates with key stakeholders in promotion
and other waterway entities.
- Maintains distribution lists for dissemination of information
to state and federal legislators and industry stakeholders.
- Develops informational and educational brochures, banners, and
other materials.
- Conducts annual stakeholder survey.
- Utilizes various forms of news media and social media to
promote water transportation, market Arkansas's navigable
waterways, and educate the public about the benefits of waterborne
transportation.
- Develops new education and training efforts for schools,
leadership and community programs.
- Maintains active membership in multiple waterway-related
organizations, attending conferences, exhibition events, giving
presentations, and networking.Liaison with Federal Agencies and
Congress
- Maintains close working relationships with members of Congress
and their staff members responsible for Energy and Water
Appropriations to fund Corps of Engineers Civil Works Programs
located in Arkansas.
- Creates public awareness of critical waterway projects and
keeps elected officials informed of projects and their importance
to the navigation channels.
- Advocates for funding with Congress and US Army Corps of
Engineers.
- Educates and informs elected officials, and Corps of Engineers
leadership through meetings, associations, publications, and public
testimony at official hearings.
- Plans, coordinates, and executes educational events, waterway
briefings, and/or tours for elected officials and congressional
staff.
- Conducts briefings with Congressional members, committees, and
federal agencies regarding funding for needs for the
navigation-related construction and operation and maintenance
projects via DC fly-ins multiple times annually.
- Develops and recommends new and revised legislative provisions
for the biennial Water Resources Development Act.Other
- Serves as voting member for the State of Arkansas on the
American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials
Council on Water Transportation.
- Participates and contributes to State Freight Plans in
Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee in collaboration with the state
Departments of Transportation.
- Serves on the Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center & Maritime
Transportation Resource and Education Center Advisory Board.
- Serves on the Arkansas-Oklahoma Port Operators Association
Board of Directors.
- Serves and/or actively participates in other waterways-related
organization boards/committees, including National Waterways
Conference and its Navigation Caucus, Inland Rivers, Ports, and
Terminals and its Legislative Committee, the Red River Valley
Association, and the Mississippi Valley Flood Control
Association.
- Coordinates and participates in multiple water
transportation-related studies, including the Lower Mississippi
River Comprehensive Management Study, Red River Southwest Arkansas
Navigation Feasibility Study, and various river economic impact
studies.
- Other duties as assigned.Position InformationClass Code:
B009CGrade: GS11FLSA Status: EXEMPTSalary Range: $62,531.00 -
$99,737.00SummaryThe Director of Waterways Commission is
responsible for executing the decisions and programs of the
Commission through long-range strategic planning and day-to-day
management of operations. This position is governed by state and
federal laws and agency/institution policy.Functions
- Initiates ongoing dialog and negotiations with federal
government interests in accomplishing Commission goals.
- Advises and consults with United States Coast Guard commanders
on enforcement jurisdiction of all Arkansas federally managed
rivers.
- Prepares and presents testimony and official comment before
federal and state commissions and committees including the
Mississippi River Valley Association and Arkansas General Assembly
committees on transportation, economic development and budget.
- Administers port improvement projects and monitors construction
of roads, bridges, pipelines, and other infrastructure projects for
compliance with priority river navigation.
- Advises railroads, pipeline, and bridge contractors on river
navigation priorities.
- Examines, evaluates and provides official comment on state and
federal construction projects requiring permitting under federal
Clean Water Act.
- Responds to media inquiries and initiates media coverage.
- Performs other duties as assigned.Knowledge, Skills and
AbilitiesKnowledge of organizational management practices and
techniques. Knowledge of state and federal laws governing waterways
operations. Knowledge of U.S. Coast Guard rules and regulations
related to waterways enforcement. Knowledge of the infrastructure
of roads, bridges, and pipelines. Ability to develop and implement
long range strategic plans. Ability to testify to state and federal
agencies and committee. Ability to manage commission operations.
Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written
formats.Minimum QualificationsThe formal education equivalent of a
bachelor's degree in business, engineering or a related field; plus
five years of experience in waterways operation, engineering, or
related field, including one year in a managerial or supervisory.
Additional requirements determined by the agency for recruiting
purposes require review and approval by the Office of Personnel
Management. OTHER JOB RELATED EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE MAY BE
SUBSTITUTED FOR ALL OR PART OF THESE BASIC REQUIREMENTS, EXCEPT FOR
CERTIFICATION OR LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS, UPON APPROVAL OF THE
QUALIFICATIONS REVIEW COMMITTEE.To learn more and apply for this
position, click here.Learn more about Arkansas Waterways Commission
here.
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Keywords: Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals, INC., Little Rock , ACOM Director Waterways Commission (Little Rock, AR), Executive , Little Rock, Arkansas
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