Public Works Director

City of Albany, OR-posted 25 days ago
Full-time • Executive
Onsite • Albany, OR
251-500 employees
Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support
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The City of Albany seeks an innovative, forward-thinking, and strategic leader to serve as its next Public Works Director. This is a rare opportunity to shape the next era of a growing, vibrant community by modernizing critical infrastructure and service delivery, and supporting a culture that empowers our talented Public Works team to deliver exceptional service through creative solutions. The Director supports an enterprise-wide approach to City operations, finding a healthy balance between essential daily operational oversight and a long-term strategy for the City's infrastructure needs. Serving a growing and stable City committed to providing responsive services, the next Public Works Director is a change agent who contributes directly to the vision established by the City Council and City leadership. The Director strengthens the City's reputation for reliable, high-quality public works services for all its residents and businesses through inspiring collaboration and trust, leading department vision, and modeling a commitment to continuous process improvement. The position is open until filled, with a first review of applications beginning December 22, 2025. This position can close at any time, with or without notice.

  • Provides leadership and strategic direction for the City's Public Works Department in the planning, organization, and management of departmental operations. Areas of oversight include engineering, environmental services, water, wastewater, stormwater, transportation, airport operations, and other public works projects and programs.
  • Collaborates with the Executive Leadership Team to support an enterprise-wide approach to city operations. Directs and monitors the activities of all work units within the Public Works Department to ensure alignment with organizational goals and objectives.
  • Supervises division managers and departmental support staff, either directly or through subordinate supervisors. Develops work plans and project schedules, assigns responsibilities, and oversees progress to ensure quality, compliance with standards, and adherence to deadlines.
  • Facilitates staff training and goal setting, conducts performance evaluations, administers disciplinary actions, and makes recommendations regarding hiring and terminations. May represent the department in grievances, labor negotiations, and mediation proceedings.
  • Evaluates public works needs and develops short- and long-range plans to address service demands across all areas of responsibility within the Public Works Department. Leads the implementation of the Department Operations Plan, ensuring alignment with citywide strategic plan outcomes.
  • Reviews and updates the Department Operations Plan to support the continued achievement of strategic and operational goals. Actively contributes to the review and revision of the City's strategic plan in collaboration with the City Council and executive leadership team.
  • Prepares and manages the budgets for all departmental activities. Reviews and monitors expenditures to ensure compliance with established budgetary constraints. Authorizes purchases and approves purchase orders, contract documents, and change orders.
  • Oversees staff responsible for infrastructure financial planning, utility rate and fee development, and preparation of the City's Capital Improvement Program (CIP), working closely with the Finance Team and City Manager's Office. Anticipates challenges related to funding and service delivery and develops proactive strategies in coordination with other departments to address them.
  • Demonstrates sound judgment and a strong understanding in evaluating complex technical and financial information, particularly as it relates to policy development, engineering project management, planning, design, design review, surveying, permit issuance, construction, and mapping/records management.
  • Drafts ordinances and policies and facilitates City Council and community review and adoption.
  • Negotiates and collaborates with government agencies, developers, contractors, and consultants to develop agreements and resolve conflicts. Communicates technical and non-technical audiences on topics such as work unit goals, budgets, performance metrics, engineering projects, and utility service policies.
  • Prepares and delivers presentations to the City Council, advisory commissions and committees, community groups, external agencies, and the media on matters of departmental importance. Maintains transparent and open communication with the City Council and the public.
  • Studies, modifies, and implements department policies and procedures to improve efficiency and effectiveness of department activities.
  • Coordinates and directs the development, community involvement, review, and approval of City transportation and utility master plans. Reviews private project development plans for compliance with codes, regulations, and standards. Coordinates and directs the preparation of engineering plans and specifications, the bidding process, contract award, and construction monitoring.
  • Oversees and guides staff in defining Local Improvement District (LID) boundaries, calculating assessments, determining benefit apportionment, and preparing City Council resolutions to formalize assessments and benefits.
  • May serve as City Manager Pro Tem in the absence of the City Manager and perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the City Manager.
  • Ensures compliance with safety regulations by monitoring employee activities and equipment operations; implements safety compliance protocols; routinely inspects work sites to ensure adherence to OSHA and internal safety regulations, addressing non-compliance promptly.
  • Prepares and maintains emergency operation plans in cooperation with other departments and agencies.
  • Works to create a high-performance work culture by demonstrating a positive attitude and modeling the City's mission, vision, and values. Conducts self with high integrity, proactive in conserving City resources, and seeks and incorporates customer feedback for ongoing performance improvement. Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality customer service.
  • Acts ethically and honestly; applies ethical standards of behavior to daily work activities and interactions. Works to build confidence in the City through own actions.
  • Effectively promotes and contributes to a safe work environment. Complies with all safety rules and performs work in a safe manner.
  • Serves as a member of various City committees as assigned. Represents the department at meetings internally and externally as assigned.
  • Arrives at work, meetings, and other work-related functions on time and maintains regular job attendance.
  • Adheres to appropriate attire, grooming, and hygiene standards established for the position.
  • Operates a motor vehicle safely and legally.
  • Performs other related duties as required/assigned.
  • A bachelor's degree in civil engineering, environmental services, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field is required; and
  • Six years of progressively responsible experience in public administration, with a focus on public works, transportation, and utilities management; with at least three of those years must include supervisory and management responsibilities over significant program areas; or
  • an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
  • Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Oregon driver's license and a driving record that meets the City's driving standards.
  • Demonstrable commitment to, and understanding of, sustainability and the ability to promote commitment, understanding, and use of sustainability principles by employees for day-to-day operations required. Ability to hold employees accountable for sustainability objectives.
  • Knowledge of: principles and practices of municipal government as they relate to program development, contract administration, and budget preparation; principles and practices of supervision, work planning, training, and performance evaluation; contemporary best practices in municipal management; and methods and techniques for the development of presentations, business correspondence, information distribution; and research and reporting procedures; and applicable City policies, laws, regulations, and ordinances affecting departmental operations and service delivery.
  • Skill in: management of public infrastructure, particularly water systems, transportation systems, and related assets; building and leading effective teams while fostering a positive, collaborative, and inclusive organizational culture; motivating staff, making sound and informed decisions, demonstrating initiative, and exhibiting strong leadership and strategic thinking aligned with the needs of a growing community; employing strategies that have long-term city-wide applications; maintaining high standards and accountability; analyzing, evaluating, and implementing controls, work processes and policies; considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions.
  • Ability to: analyze broadly defined, highly complex problems with multiple dimensions and conflicting objectives in a highly visible public setting; develop and implement goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and internal controls for assigned program areas; work cooperatively to implement the policies of the City Manager and City Council; oversee work place development and implementation; work in a management structure that emphasizes a team approach to problem-solving; analyze problems and alternatives and develop sound conclusions and recommendations; conduct technical and engineering research, analyze findings, and prepare comprehensive reports to support decision-making and project implementation; set priorities and allocate resources to create and guide implementation of capital improvement plans or programs; exercise tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive, complex, and confidential issues and situations; and understand and carry out written and oral instructions; establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, other departments, elected officials, and the public.
  • A master's degree in a related field is preferred.
  • The City of Albany offers a generous benefits package to employees and eligible dependents.
  • For a complete and detailed overview of the executive benefits package, Click here
  • Salary and benefits are defined by City policy and/or subject to City Council approval.
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