Manager, Capital Budget

California Water Service

Job Description:

California Water Service Group (Cal Water) invites you to build a meaningful career with the third largest publicly traded water utility in the United States. Guided by our mission to be the leading provider of water and wastewater services, we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for the customers, communities, and employees we serve. Our culture is grounded in core values—integrity, quality, service, value, health and safety, respect and collaboration, and corporate citizenship—and is reflected in our recognition as a Top Workplace®, a Great Place to Work®, and a J.D. Power leader in customer satisfaction for multiple years. Join Cal Water and be part of a purpose driven organization where your work makes a lasting impact.
The Capital Budget Manager is responsible for the annual capital budget process of all Cal Water districts and subsidiaries. Typical responsibilities include preparation, forecasting and administering of all annual capital budgets for each business unit, reviewing and approving all specific capital funding projects and non-specific work orders, and providing strategic oversight of the Company’s cost estimating program. The position reports to the Director of Capital Planning and Budgeting and is located in San Jose, Torrance, Chico or Bakersfield, CA offices.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Serves as the company’s technical lead responsible for maintaining, updating, forcasting, and improving company budget standards and processes·      
• Assists in the development of long-range vision, mission, and strategic planning processes for the Capital Planning team·      
• Oversees the capital budgeting process, including oversight of project information into the budgeting software. Responsibilities also include assembling, presenting and managing the Company’s capital budgets, including annual subsidiary group budgets and three-year budgets for California General Rate Case (GRC) filings·      
• Supports 3 Year budgets of over $1.2B, yearly budgets around $450M, and GRC project approvals of over 1,200 projects every 3 years·      
• Manages staff, including prioritizing and assigning work, conducting performance reviews, and overseeing training and development, and making hiring, termination, and disciplinary recommendations·      
• Coordinates training workshop and events by staff to districts and departments on PowerPlan and budgeting process·      
• Partners with districts and departments to review, prepare, update, and maintain the annual Company-approved capital and rate case budgets for each business unit·      
• Primary Budget Administrator of PowerPlan, including reviewing and approving all specific capital funding projects and non-specific work orders with capital budget cost components, communicating and training budget program changes, and supporting program upgrades·      
• Oversees, reviews, and approves non-specific work orders and blanket work orders. Provides forecasts and recommendations to management on how to best manage those programs, and identifies ways to reduce non-specific spending
• Oversees the Company's capital cost estimating program, including estimating standards, methodologies, consultant coordination, cost databases, cost catalog governance, and quality assurance of capital project estimates used for budgeting and GRC filings.
• Supports the continued growth of the cost estimating program with each GRC, including providing High Level Costs for the 9 year list of district capital projects, and GRC Cost Catalog cost updating·      
• Responds to data requests from the California Public Advocates Office (Cal Advocates) & CPUC during GRC proceedings and prepares rebuttals as necessary for capital budgets and projects·      
• Supports the Rates department as needed and provides all budget information as needed for General Rate Case submittal·      
• Serves as the primary capital budget representative in supporting the Rates team in the GRC Settlement process including creation, updating, and communication of the Master Spreadsheet of projects·      
• Co-leads the yearly Project Manager validation process, including working with staff and consultants to gather project data to estimate yearly investment and close targets·      
• Gathers and compiles yearly budgets for Hawaii Water, Washington Water, New Mexico Water, Travis AFB, as well as other operating Districts, and acquisitions·      
• Compiles reporting of carryover project totals for Officer and GRC filings·      
• Performs capital analysis of Earnings Test impacts for each District and makes recommendations for District projects to help meet GRC Earnings Test·      
• Interacts with the engineering staff, including direct reports, operations staff and staff from other departments, regarding capital project parameters and estimated costs·      
• Oversees reporting of completed project performance on budget to actual and schedule, and provides recommendations to improve estimating and scheduling techniques·      
• Provides reporting on progress and forecasts for capital spend and close, and monitors actuals to targets to ensure annual goals are met·      
• Prepares and provides presentations to and interacts with Company Officers and Board members regarding the proposed annual capital program and associated budgets ·      
• Provides written announcements, training documentation and training of budget processes, changes and best practices on how to create and execute projects·      
• Participates on project teams and advisory committees on behalf of the Engineering Department·      
• Participates in and supports the Company’s Continuous Improvement program and projects·
• Performs work on site in assigned office location.  
• Performs other similar duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATOINS:

• Bachelor’s degree in, Accounting, Finance, Financial Management, Economics, Business Administration, Engineering or related field
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in capital budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, reporting, capital portfolio management, or related fields.

• Management experience desirable

• Experience administering or supporting PowerPlan or similar enterprise capital budgeting systems strongly preferred.

• Knowledge of capital project budgeting and high-level capital cost estimating principles desirable.

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is desirable

• Valid California Driver License

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of supervisory principles, practices, and techniques

• Knowledge of capital project budgeting and budgeting techniques

• Knowledge of forecasting, tracking, and reporting of projects and programs of various sizes and budgets

• Knowledge of CPUC rules, regulations, and rate case filings

• Ability to set priorities, exercise sound and independent judgement, select and evaluate supervisory staff, analyze and prepare reports and presentations, identify problems and propose alternative solutions and develop and execute goals

• Broad knowledge of cost estimating principles, standard practices and software programs

• Broad knowledge of capital project planning

• Broad knowledge of: Engineering and Project Management practices related to planning, design, construction and operations for water and wastewater utility facilities.

• Ability to present budget numbers and analysis to Management

• Excellent communicator, with strong verbal, written and presentation skills

• Ability to interact, communicate and maintain effective working relationships with outside contractors, vendors, consultants,  regulators, and staff in districts, departments, and engineering

• Ability to write clear and concise general and technical policies, procedures and instructions

• Strong capabilities to use Microsoft Office applications to create spreadsheets, presentations, and written documents

• Demonstrated trouble shooting and problem-solving skills

• Demonstrated leadership skills

• Demonstrated time management and organizational skills
• Ability to interact, communicate and maintain effective working relationships with outside contractors, vendors, consultants,  regulators, and staff in districts, departments, and engineering
• Ability to write clear and concise general and technical policies, procedures and instructions
• Strong capabilities to use Microsoft Office applications to create spreadsheets, presentations, and written documents
• Demonstrated trouble shooting and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Demonstrated time management and organizational skills

Salary Range:

Bakersfield & Chico, CA $104,800 - $194,600 (DOE)

Torrance, CA $111,400 - 206,800 (DOE)

San Jose, CA $123,700 - $230,800 (DOE)

Deadline to submit resume is Friday, November 13, 2026.

The Equal Opportunity Policy of the Company is based upon the philosophy that all people should be treated fairly and with dignity.  California Water Service, Hawai'i Water Service, New Mexico Water Service, Texas Water Service, and Washington Water Service do not discriminate against any applicant or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected class.  The Company makes all employment decisions in a non-discriminatory manner. EOE, VET, DISABILITIES.