Description

The Director of Public Works is a strategic executive, responsible for both engineering and municipal operations. The director is a proactive, creative and responsible leader for the comprehensive planning, administration and oversight of the town’s infrastructure, engineering services and municipal operations. Employees in this classification perform complex, managerial work; serves as principal advisor on public works issues; receives, responds and resolves inquiries, complaints and requests from town stakeholders. 

Essential Functions:

    Strategic Advisory: Serves as a key member of the town’s leadership team, contributing to long-range strategic plans of the town’s governing body (Town Council).

   Fiscal Stewardship: Develops and maintains the Public Works Department annual operating and capital budgets; exercises rigorous oversight of expenditures to ensure maximum return on investment for taxpayers.

   Team Development: Embody and Uphold town values of Leadership, Respect, Accountability, Commitment to Serve, Teamwork. Cultivates a high-performance culture by mentoring staff, fostering professional development and administering personnel rules. Hires, leads, directs and evaluates assigned staff, proactively processing concerns and problems; directs work, counsels, investigates, disciplines, completes and conducts employee performance evaluations.  Trains employees; promotes employee morale.  Keeps staff informed of departmental policies and external developments affecting the department and the organization; conducts investigations, makes recommendations and administers disciplinary action.  Facilitates purpose based on all hands staff as on a regular basis, working toward purposeful solutions and high collaboration.

   Community Engagement: Represents the Public Works department in Town Council work sessions and public hearings; resolves complex town concerns with a customer-centric and diplomatic approach.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities:

1.    Responsible and accountable for leading and providing oversight of all areas of the Department of Public Works, which includes: Fleet, Operations Integration, Stormwater, Public Works Administration, Engineering, Program & Project Management, Building Inspections, Building Maintenance, Sewer, Water Supply, Refuse/Recycling, Traffic Engineering, Right of Way.

2.    Responsible for methods, practices and work product of the department; improves departmental processes as needed; assigns and allocates resources for all departmental functions. 

3.    Responsible and accountable for Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and status of projects    .

4.    Responsible and accountable for project management function for public works related projects, ensuring timely completion and compliance with contract compliance; monitors work of contractors

5.    Reviews and approves all site plans and site plan revisions.

6.    Reviews and approves public works requests for procurements, change orders and financial expenditures associated with public works procurement, maintain compliance with town procurement policy.

7.    Attends and participates in scheduled governing body work sessions and public hearings and other committee meetings as required; regularly facilitates meetings, and speaks publicly. May be required to work adverse weather related events.

8.    Prepares and presents town code revisions, as required, awards of construction, design and service contracts to the town’s governing body for approval.

9.    Represents the town in agreement negotiations and execution for solid waste disposal, water service, stormwater management, sewage disposal, boundary line adjustments, telecommunications franchises, property/easement acquisitions, and other actions involving public works functions; may serve as town representative external public works related boards. 

10.    Responsible for water and sewer utility.

11.    Receives, responds and resolves inquiries, complaints and requests from town residents, businesses, as well as the town governing body, town manager, internal staff, outside vendors and developers, and the general public, regarding public works.

12.    Recommends and approves department training and travel requests.

13.    Prepares a variety of correspondence and reports; prepares department annual budget; Capital Improvement Plan, manages approved operating budget for department; responsibly approves department expenditures.

14.    Prepares and submits staff reports and proposed resolutions for governing body consideration.

15.    Participates in contract negotiations; may assist in court with contract claims.

16.    Plans and monitors emergency operations of the department.

17.    Monitors selected construction and maintenance, both public and private, to ensure compliance with approved plans and permits.

18.    Assists building official in emergency condemnation actions and other building official actions.

19.    Coordinates all major road design and construction within the town with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and other stake holding organizations.

20.    Performs other duties as required.

Requirements

Minimum Education, Training, Experience and Special Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or closely related field required; master’s degree preferred.
     
• A minimum of 15 years’ experience that includes engineering, operations and public works management, with a minimum of five (5) years in increasingly responsible managerial positions. 
• Experience in managing utilities required, eg. Water, sewer, stormwater strongly preferred
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required. If PE is not in Virginia, ability to transfer PE license to Virginia within twelve (12) months of employment, or ability to earn PE license in Virginia within twelve (12) months of employment.
• Valid driver’s license with acceptable record

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance
The Town of Herndon, VA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  In compliance with the ADA, the town will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with this employer.

Duties involve the ability to exert light, physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (up to 30 pounds).  May involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or work station; requires the ability to perform semi-skilled, coordinated movements such as those required to operate computer and office equipment; some duties require visual perception and discrimination; some duties require oral communications ability.

Tasks are regularly performed without exposure to adverse, environmental conditions such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, temperature and noise extremes, machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, toxic agents, violence, disease and pathogenic substances.