Assistant Public Works Director - Technical Operations

Institute for Building Technology and Safety•Baton Rouge, LA

About The Position

The Assistant Public Works Director – Technical Operations leads public works staff and technical operations, oversees infrastructure maintenance, and coordinates subcontractors and internal team members. The role is accountable for rigorous quality assurance and quality control and ensures public works services are delivered safely, efficiently, and to established standards. It also serves as a public-facing technical representative, communicating with residents, stakeholders, and elected officials and presenting at council meetings. The position oversees staffing, daily maintenance of streets and other city infrastructure, preventative maintenance schedules, safety and environmental compliance, and technical quality standards. It contributes to capital improvement and engineering work, coordinates staffing needs with the Business Ops counterpart, and communicates project status, risks, and recommendations. The role also uses monitoring, asset-management, GIS, and performance data to improve operations, and leads city crews during weather events and infrastructure emergencies.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience 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.
Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly and confidently to residents, subcontractors, staff, city leadership, and elected officials.
Ability to respond professionally to public questions and present effectively at council meetings.
Key competencies include problem-solving, operational leadership, technical acumen, employee empowerment, work ethic, decisive problem-solving, strategic and innovative thinking, interpersonal skills, risk evaluation and mitigation, relationship building, conflict resolution, and delegation.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Recruit, train, and mentor public works employees.
Oversee staff assignments, scheduling, and performance evaluations, and foster a collaborative and high-performing team culture.
Manage and coordinate subcontractors and internal team members, including scopes, accountability, schedules, and performance expectations.
Direct day-to-day maintenance of streets, drainage systems, sidewalks, bridges, and city-owned assets.
Establish and enforce preventative maintenance schedules and compliance with safety standards and environmental regulations.
Establish, document, and enforce QA/QC standards; review work products, field activities, and deliverables for technical accuracy, completeness, compliance, and consistency.
Contribute to planning and execution of roadway, drainage, and infrastructure projects, applying technical knowledge to optimize designs and solutions.
Coordinate with the Business Ops counterpart to align staffing with project needs.
Present project status, risks, and proposed solutions to the public, city leadership, and elected officials, including at council meetings.
Implement real-time monitoring, asset management systems, and GIS tools, and use performance data to optimize workflows and service delivery.
Lead deployment of city crews during weather events and infrastructure emergencies, and ensure staff readiness and resource pre-positioning.