Public Works Director job in Sammamish

The Position

One of the best places to raise a family, the City of Sammamish is looking for their next Public Works Director. The Director is responsible for planning and implementing a comprehensive Public Works program for the community and working collaboratively with regional, state, and federal agencies. The Director establishes and oversees the City’s capital improvement plan, assists in securing the necessary funding and resources for projects, and reviews 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 the construction, maintenance, and repair of City streets and storm drains and for developing and implementing major departmental policies. The Public Works Director has six direct reports: Deputy Director, City Engineer, Traffic Engineering Manager, Senior Stormwater Program Manager, Transportation Planner, Street/Stormwater Superintendent, and Management Analyst. The Director reports to the City Manager.

The Public Works Dept

The Public Works Department is committed to providing quality services to the community by building, maintaining, and overseeing the City’s infrastructure system. The Department manages, maintains, and operates public facilities and public rights-of-way. The Department has 44 employees organized into four divisions: Traffic Engineering and Operations, Storm and Surface Water Engineering and Operations, Engineering and Development Services, and the Streets/Storm Maintenance and Operations.

Staff provide engineering, street and sidewalk maintenance, surface water management, equipment rental and replacement, facilities, construction project management, and land use review for the community. For Fiscal Year 2020, the Dept. has an operating budget of $19.3 million and a capital budget of $19.2 million.

Experience and Education

This position requires a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, public administration, or a related field and seven years of experience working in public works or local government, three years of which should be at the supervisory level.

Preferred qualifications include a master’s degree, Professional Engineering Licensure, and expertise in at least one service area of the Public Works Department. Additional preferred qualifications include a background in municipal finance and budgeting, expenditure tracking, bonding, impact fees, connection charges, utility rate setting, 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 preferred. Knowledge or understanding of Washington State laws and regulations relating to municipal public works is also preferred.

The Ideal Candidate

The City of Sammamish is seeking an experienced Public Works professional who is a team leader, collaborative in nature, and passionate about providing high-quality public services to the community. The ideal candidate has field experience and demonstrates a high level of ethics and emotional intelligence.

The successful candidate is skilled in budget and financial management as well as bonding for capital projects. This person is experienced in strategic planning and writing requests for proposals, awarding bids, and managing contracts. The Director is knowledgeable in regional transportation issues, demonstrates sound judgment and effective decision-making, and provides thoughtful recommendations to staff and elected officials.

This person is a proactive problem-solver who is personable, responsive, and innovative. The Director has strong project and time management skills and a demonstrated aptitude for managing multiple projects and deadlines. The successful candidate is comfortable operating in both the administrative and technical aspects of the position.

The ideal candidate is an experienced manager who fosters a culture of trust and learning and leads a team of accomplished professionals. The Director is fully invested in staff’s continued success and development. This individual encourages trust and creative thinking and provides staff with support, direction, and feedback. The Director is an advocate for staff and builds strong working relationships both inside and outside the Department.

The Public Works Director is a strong communicator who engages successfully with different audiences and is resilient and calm in the face of controversy. This individual has a background in community outreach and civic engagement and understands the importance of not only providing the public with accurate and timely information, but in being accessible, responsive, and transparent. The next Public Works Director is an effective mediator and consensus builder and has a strong political acumen.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted electronically by The Novak Consulting Group. https://thenovakconsultinggroup.recruiterbox.com/jobs/fk03d7r?source=City%20of%20Sammamish

Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. The position is open until filled with the first review of applications on November 22, 2019.