Director of Public Works

South Burlington, City of•South Burlington, VT

About The Position

The Director of Public Works provides strategic leadership for the City of South Burlington’s municipal infrastructure, overseeing long-term planning, construction, maintenance, and regulatory compliance across all public works systems. This role manages a diverse municipal portfolio that includes the transportation networks, water, wastewater, and stormwater systems, parks and natural areas, public facilities, and cemetery operations. This position serves as the public face of the City’s infrastructure projects, ensuring clear communication with residents, committees, council, and internal city leadership. This position provides direction, professional development, and management oversight to a team of 40+ staff. The Director guides departmental priorities, supports development review, manages budgets and capital planning, and ensures that infrastructure decisions and financing mechanisms reflect community needs, climate goals, and priorities set by the Council as well as comply with local, state, and federal permitting and grant requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Public Policy, or related field.
Ten years progressively responsible experience in public works construction and maintenance.
Five years progressively responsible experience in management and administration.
Possess a valid Driver’s License.
Any equivalent combination of education and experience.
Comprehensive technical and practical knowledge of the materials, methods, and techniques relative to public works projects and issues.
Demonstrated ability to plan, assign and supervise the work of groups of employees engaged in a variety of public works operations.
Thorough knowledge of public works financing and administration, including budget development and management and grant administration.
Demonstrated ability to interact positively and maintain effective public relations with the general community.
Demonstrated ability to exercise considerable independent judgment in the planning, direction, and control of the operations and maintenance of public works infrastructure and the development of capital projects.
Demonstrated ability to use data to inform decision making, including use of workorder systems or other resource management products and GIS.
Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality of department related information including bid proposals, personnel records, etc.
Excellent communication skills including proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet, including the ability to communicate complex concepts and projects in a manner that is clear and understandable to members of the general community.
Demonstrated ability to handle competing priorities and to be organized, detail oriented and accurate.
Committed to the principles of service, good governance, equitable service delivery, and being a lifelong learner.
Demonstrated ability of management of organized labor staff, including involvement in labor contract negotiations.

Responsibilities

Plans, directs, and manages the activities of the Public Works Department Administration, Capital Planning, Highway, Fleet Maintenance, Facilities, Stormwater, Drinking Water, Wastewater, and Parks Divisions.
Leads Department of Public Works Division Heads and integrates them into decision-making on ongoing and future projects.
Manages all aspects of department personnel administration, labor relations, training, staffing, and evaluation of employees including supporting staff in all aspects of performing their jobs.
Ensures that infrastructure decisions are made to address the impacts of climate change and reduce the City’s fossil fuel emissions and carbon footprint in collaboration with the Climate Action manager and other City leaders.
Ensures compliance with State and Local plans related to climate change
Leads and oversees all capital projects for the City including scoping, engineering, building financing acquisition and planning, bidding, executing agreements and change orders, and overseeing construction.
Provides technical assistance to all other city departments.
Leads infrastructure review of all development taking place in the City. Including, but not limited to, partnering with engineers and contractors concerning development matters, subdivisions, utility allocations, and review of plans; inspecting and/or managing the inspections of the work completed by developers to assure conformity to City regulations and controls.
Provides technical feedback to the Development Review Board and Planning Commission as needed.
Prepares and manages department budget and finances within established parameters and provides high-level asset and resource management oversight.
Coordinates, directs, and inspects all public works operations and projects including: street, sidewalk, bike path, and recreation path maintenance and reconstruction; park and tree maintenance; sewer, stormwater, water and wastewater line construction and maintenance; wastewater treatment plants upgrades and maintenance; cemetery maintenance; maintenance of all city traffic signals and street lights; energy improvements; landfill operation and maintenance lease; facility maintenance and improvements; construction and maintenance of other projects of a public works nature.
Plans and assigns work to subordinates, supervises, and develops job responsibilities; monitors and evaluates contractual services for compliance with specifications and applicable conditions; makes recommendations as appropriate to the City Manager.
Works collaboratively with the Leadership Team members to inform all municipal repair and maintenance activities.
Leads efforts to develop and implement the city-wide capital improvement plan.
Provides direct and indirect staff support to Council-established committees as requested.
Works collaboratively with the Communication and Outreach Manager to ensure that public messaging of public works successes and alerts are provided in a timely and accurate manner to the community.
Oversees and coordinates competitive bidding on various department purchases of services, materials, and equipment.
Oversees all department record keeping (including as-built drawings and records, GIS data, inspection records, allocations, and permits in an electronic and searchable manner); supervises office staff.
Oversees application for state and federal grants; administers public works related grants received.
Supports the coordination of activities between all staff and other departments within the City and performs other necessary tasks or functions as is necessary to accomplish City and Department goals and objectives.