Salary: $128,650.00 - $212,273.00 Annually
Location : Public Utilities, 3339 E. Tamiami Trail, Bldg H, Naples, FL
Job Type: Full Time, Regular
Job Number: 10112
Department: Public Utilities Department
Opening Date: 06/05/2026
Closing Date: 7/30/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt
Pay Grade: CCG272

Job Summary
Essential Functions

What You'll Do
As Deputy Department Head, you'll help guide the daily operations and long-term success of the Public Utilities Department. You'll partner with Division Directors and staff to align priorities, strengthen performance, and ensure consistent service delivery across the organization.

Key responsibilities include:

• Serving as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the Department Head.
• Providing leadership and direction to Division Directors and management staff while fostering collaboration across the Department.
• Performing a key role in establishing departmental goals, priorities, budgets, and long-range plans that support the County's vision and strategic objectives.
• Monitoring operational performance and implementing improvements that enhance efficiency, accountability, and customer service.
• Leading organizational change initiatives and supporting a culture of innovation, adaptability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensuring departmental operations comply with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations, policies, codes, and permit requirements.
• Leading the development and management of departmental budgets, capital improvement programs, and resource planning efforts.
• Building strong partnerships with County departments, regulatory agencies, consultants, contractors, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Representing the Department before executive leadership, elected officials, the Board of County Commissioners, regulatory agencies, and the public as needed.
• Addressing complex operational issues, customer concerns, and organizational challenges with professionalism and sound judgment.
• Leading employee development, coaching leaders, and fostering a workplace culture built on respect, accountability, and high performance.

Leadership Responsibilities
In this role, you will help ensure that the Public Utilities Department operates as one team with a shared commitment to service excellence. You will empower leaders, encourage collaboration, and help create an environment where employees can thrive and contribute to the Department's success.
Helping shape the Department's long-term financial strategy by ensuring fiscal sustainability, maintaining strong financial stewardship, and positioning the utility system to support future growth and service expansion. This includes overseeing long-range financial planning, capital financing strategies, debt management, and maintaining the financial strength and creditworthiness necessary to secure the most favorable borrowing terms for critical infrastructure investments.

When the Department Head is unavailable, you will serve as Acting Department Head and assume responsibility for operational, administrative, and emergency decision-making.
Who We're Looking For
We are looking for a confident, approachable, and results-oriented leader who understands the importance of public service and is passionate about delivering essential services that improve quality of life for our community.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Strong leadership and relationship-building skills.
• Experience managing complex operations, programs, or utility-related services.
• The ability to think strategically while remaining focused on day-to-day operational success.
• A collaborative leadership style that promotes teamwork, accountability, and employee engagement.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities.
• Experience working with budgets, capital programs, regulatory requirements, and organizational performance measures.
• A commitment to customer service, transparency, and continuous improvement.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Utility Management, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership or management experience in a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Candidates without a degree must possess four (4) additional years of related professional experience.
• Successful completion of a background investigation and fingerprinting is required.

For more details and information on this job classification click
Supplemental information

• Salary offers above the minimum pay grade may be considered based on qualifications.
• Essential Employees may be required to work during an undeclared or declared emergency. The County's Administrative Office will determine who will be required to work on an incident-by-incident basis.
• This job posting is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position.

01

APPLICANT NOTICE: Your answers below will be used to review this application. The experience listed here MUST match the work history provided in your application. Please note, it is not acceptable to use "See Resume" or "See Above" in your answers below and we do not accept resumes as a substitute for a completed application.

• I understand and agree with the statements above.
• I do not agree with the statements above.

02

Do you possess a bachelor's degree (Master's degree preferred) accompanied by at least five (5) years of related experience? (Note: Candidates without a degree should have four (4) additional years of related experience)

• Yes, I have a degree and five (5) years of related experience.
• Yes, I have a total of nine (9) years of related experience, but no degree.
• No, I do not have either

03

Capital Program Experience - describe your experience leading large-scale capital improvement programs within a public utility or comparable infrastructure organization. Please include your role in budgeting, project delivery, stakeholder coordination, and ensuring projects are completed on schedule and within scope.
04

Multi-Division Utility Operations - what experience do you have overseeing multiple utility operational areas (e.g., water, wastewater, solid waste) in a 24/7/365 service environment? Describe the size, complexity, and staffing of the operations you managed.
05

Regulatory Compliance - explain your experience ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local environmental and operational regulations. Include examples involving permitting, inspections, audits, or corrective action planning.
06

Emergency Response Leadership - describe a leadership role you have held during a major emergency event (e.g., hurricane, system failure). What responsibilities did you assume, and how did you ensure operational continuity and effective response coordination?
07

Strategic and Operational Leadership - explain how you have balanced high-level strategic planning with daily operational leadership in a large or complex organization. Provide examples of how you aligned operations with long-term organizational goals.
08

Organizational Change Management - describe a significant organizational or operational change you led that affected multiple divisions or functions. What was your approach to planning, communication, stakeholder engagement, and implementation?
09

Executive Level Communication - detail your experience preparing and presenting complex information, recommendations, or reports to executive leadership, boards, or elected officials. What strategies do you use to communicate technical or operational issues to non-technical stakeholders?
10

Do you possess a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

Required Question