Public Works Director

The Position

The City of Gaithersburg is seeking a customer-focused, collaborative leader who can take the Public Works Department to the next level in employee and community engagement and find a healthy balance between a strong operational focus and a long-term strategic approach to the City’s assets. The next Public Works Director has the opportunity to work in a city that is well-managed, provides excellent services, and enjoys community support, thanks to its team of city staff who work diligently to provide great service to the community. Serving in a financially and politically stable city that is fast-growing and diverse, this position helps continue the City’s reputation for responsive and high-quality services to all its residents and businesses.

The Public Works Director provides leadership and direction to an integrated team of professionals in the Public Works Department with responsibility for a full range of Public Works services through four main divisions: Engineering Services, Facilities Maintenance and Capital Projects, Operations, and Stormwater Management. This includes oversight of maintenance, operation, planning, engineering, and construction activities of Public Works projects. Activities may include street maintenance, bulk collections, recycling, traffic, equipment maintenance, street lighting, facilities maintenance, landscaping and beautification, storm drainage, stormwater management, and snow removal. The Public Works Director has five direct reports, which include four division chiefs and the City’s sustainability coordinator.

The Director is responsible for planning and implementing programs for the community and working collaboratively with regional, state, and federal agencies. The Director works very closely with the City Manager and Deputy City Manager on developing the City’s capital improvement budget, executing the CIP, assisting in securing the necessary funding and resources for projects, and reviewing all work activities to ensure efficient and safe operations and conformance with established state, county, and city standards, regulations, and policies. The Public Works Department is responsible for construction, maintenance, and repair of City facilities infrastructure; reviewing private development projects for compliance with the City’s standards; and developing and implementing major departmental policies. The Director manages the development and implementation of the Public Works Department strategy, collaborating with the Division Leaders to create subsequent work plans, goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for each area.

The Director reports directly to the City Manager and works very closely with the Deputy City Manager who oversees the Public Works function. This dynamic and innovative leader guides the Department through long-range planning, plan implementation, and everyday maintenance and operations with a strong focus on customer service.

Experience and Education

Minimum qualifications are a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a related field and five (5) years of progressively knowledgeable and responsible experience in public works and civil engineering and/or private sector civil engineering, with at least three (3) years in a management capacity.

Preferred qualifications include experience with municipal finance and budgeting, expenditure tracking, capital improvement programming, and project management. Experience within a city, county, or regional office or firm that does considerable work for local government agencies is strongly preferred. Prior experience in change management with the ability to leverage best practices in a growing community is ideal. A master’s degree and/or Professional Engineering (PE) license are preferred but not required.

 Applicants must possess or be able to obtain a valid Maryland driver’s license. Residency is not required.

Compensation

The expected hiring range is $140,000 - $175,000, depending on qualifications, with an excellent benefits package.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted electronically by The Novak Consulting Group at https://bit.ly/3c4N9tc. Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. Open until filled with the first review of applications on March 10, 2021.