The Town of Vinton seeks an innovative and collaborative leader to serve as the Director of General Services. Reporting directly to the Town Manager, this senior leadership role is responsible for providing strategic direction, operational oversight, and budget management to deliver high-quality municipal services, including: refuse & recycling, streets & transportation, landscaping & grounds, Town fleet, special events, storm cleanup & snow removal, and stormwater maintenance.

The Position

The Director of General Services is one of the most operationally critical leaders in local government. At a high level, the position oversees the planning, construction, maintenance, and daily functioning of the Town's infrastructure and essential public services.

The successful candidate for this position will be an inspiring leader who embraces teamwork, collaboration, and the principles of high-performance organizations, and who balances strategic management with day-to-day operations.

Education and Experience

A successful Director of General Services typically combines formal education in fields like civil engineering, construction, urban planning, public administration, or a related discipline with extensive hands-on experience managing municipal infrastructure and operations. Beyond academics, this role demands several years of progressively responsible experience covering areas such operations management, budgeting, regulatory compliance, and staff supervision. The ideal candidate should have sufficient experience to thoroughly understand the diverse objectives and functions of local government service delivery associated with the department and the ability to direct, coordinate, and oversee all related work, usually interpreted to require five to seven years of related experience.

Key Attributes of Ideal Candidate

• Demonstrates integrity, trustworthiness, and respect and can build and maintain trust with others.
• Is an approachable communicator at all levels, actively listens, and provides opportunities for feedback.
• Demonstrates concern for employees, business owners, and residents.
• Promotes a collaborative, positive, team-oriented workplace- internally with employees, Town departments, and Town Council and externally with community partners.
• Seeks, and is receptive to, feedback or input from others, utilizing information to motivate and implement change when needed.
• Is committed to transparency through disclosure, clarity, and accuracy in communications with stakeholders.
• Leads, supervises, and mentors division managers and departmental staff.
• Develops and administers annual operating budgets and multi-year capital improvement plans.
• Oversees planning, construction, maintenance, and repair of streets and municipal assets.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including environmental, stormwater quantity and quality, and workplace safety standards.
• Manages contracts, RFPs/RFQs, vendor relationships, and project timelines.
• Evaluates department performance and implements data driven improvements.
• Coordinates emergency response operations, including severe weather events and infrastructure failures.
• Communicates effectively with residents, businesses, Town leadership, and elected officials.
• Leads long-range planning for infrastructure sustainability and resilience.
• Promotes safety, accountability, and professional development.

Knowledge

• Public Infrastructure, Engineering, and Planning - Principles and practices of civil engineering, urban and community planning, transportation, stormwater management, and construction.
• Public Works or Parks Maintenance Operations - Best practices for street and transportation maintenance, fleet management, facilities management, parks and grounds maintenance, stormwater management, and snow and ice removal.
• Regulatory Compliance - Federal, state, and local regulations governing environmental protection, solid waste management, and occupational safety (OSHA).
• Relevant federal and state laws and Town ordinances, policies, and procedures.
• Leadership and Organizational Management - Supervisory principles, workforce development, performance evaluation, and effective team leadership in both field and administrative environments.
• Coordination of physical setup, waste management, and traffic control for festivals, special events, and parades.
• Familiarity with the Virginia Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and related state guidelines.

Skills

• Supervision of a multifaceted workforce.
• Budget and project planning, prioritization, and management.
• Strong oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• Contract administration, grant writing and grant administration
• Conducting research and innovative problem solving.
• Preparing and presenting, both oral and written, reports, public information, public presentations to a variety of audiences.
• Operation and use of common office equipment, including personal computers, other electronics, and job-related software programs.

Abilities

• Analyze complex problems and develop specific alternative solutions.
• Ability to motivate, prioritize tasks and workflow, and maintain a collaborative work environment.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with various stakeholders.
• Establish and communicate specific goals and objectives to be accomplished by the staff and evaluate departmental performance.
• Work independently and take initiative.
• Thrive in fast-paced, high-stress environments.
• Assess relative cost and benefits of potential action.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, public administration, urban/community planning, construction management, or a related field.
• Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in public works, parks management, municipal operations, community development, or construction/infrastructure management, including supervisory responsibilities.
• Experience in budget preparation, capital project management, and regulatory compliance.
• Valid driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership in a local government environment.
• Knowledge of modern public works, transportation, fleet maintenance, commercial construction, and stormwater management best practices.
• Heavy Equipment Operator certification and/or Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Class A or B.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Compensation and Benefits

• Expected hiring range between $105,000 and $115,000, depending on the combination of education and experience. Compensation system incorporates market considerations.
• Participation in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Insurance Benefits for Health, Vision, and Dental through Anthem - The Local Choice
• Town-paid Life Insurance
• Holidays / Leave
• Approximately 14 days of Holiday Leave
• Accrue at a rate of 30 days of PTO annually
• Supportive of work-life balance
• Relocation expenses
• Full-time, FLSA exempt position

How to Apply

Submit cover letter and resume to:

Donna Collins, Director of Human Resources and Risk Management

(540) 283-7006

[email protected]

First review of applications begins Monday, August 24, 2026.

Apply Online