Assistant Public Works Director - Technical Operations

The Assistant Public Works Director – Technical Operations leads staff, technical operations, infrastructure maintenance, and the coordinated work of multiple subcontractors and internal team members. This position is accountable for rigorous quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), requires a high level of technical acumen, and ensures public works services are delivered safely, efficiently, and to established standards. The role also serves as a public-facing technical representative and must communicate confidently with residents, stakeholders, and elected officials, including presenting at council meetings.

Key Responsibilities

• Staffing & People Management
• Recruit, train, and mentor public works employees.
• Oversee assignments, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.
• Manage and coordinate multiple subcontractors and internal team members, ensuring clear scopes, accountability, schedules, and performance expectations.

• Technical Operations & Maintenance
• Direct day-to-day maintenance of streets, drainage systems, sidewalks, bridges, and city-owned assets.
• Establish and enforce preventative maintenance schedules.
• Ensure compliance with safety standards and environmental regulations.
• Establish, document, and enforce rigorous QA/QC standards; review work products, field activities, and deliverables for technical accuracy, completeness, compliance, and consistency.

• Capital Improvement & Engineering Support
• Contribute to planning and execution of roadway, drainage, and infrastructure projects.
• Apply engineering and technical knowledge to optimize designs and solutions.
• Coordinate closely with Business Ops counterpart to align staffing with project needs.
• Provide technically sound recommendations and clearly present project status, risks, and proposed solutions to the public, city leadership, and elected officials at council meetings.

• Technology & Data Utilization
  • Implement real-time monitoring, asset management systems, and GIS tools.
  • Use performance data to optimize workflows and service delivery.

• Emergency Preparedness
  • Lead deployment of city crews during weather events and infrastructure emergencies.
  • Ensure staff readiness and pre-positioning of resources.

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or related fieldpreferred.
• Minimum 5 years in public works operations and staff leadership.
• Strong technical knowledge of infrastructure systems and maintenance practices.
• APWA-S certification required within one year of hire.

Key Skills/Competencies for this position

• Problem-Solving: Proactively addresses challenges and develops effective solutions.
• Operational Leadership: Ensures efficient day-to-day operations aligned with departmental goals.
• Technical Acumen: Demonstrates advanced knowledge of public works operations, infrastructure systems, construction and maintenance practices, asset management, and the technical review of plans, specifications, field work, and deliverables.
• Employee Empowerment: Supports staff development and fosters a collaborative team environment.
• Public Communication & Presentation: Communicates complex technical information clearly and confidently to residents, subcontractors, staff, city leadership, and elected officials; responds professionally to public questions and presents effectively at council meetings.

Personal Qualities

• Work Ethic
• Decisive/Problem Solving
• Strategic/Innovative Thinking
• Interpersonal Skills
• Risk Evaluation/Management/Mitigation
• Relationship Building
• Conflict Resolution
• Delegation

Environmental Conditions:

• Office/field environment; occasional exposure to inclement weather conditions.

Physical Conditions:

• Essential and marginal functions require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting, standing, or walking for prolonged periods and operating motorized vehicles.