Assistant Public Works Director - Drainage

DDG; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

DDG is seeking an Assistant Public Works Director - Drainage in Baton Rouge, LA. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in project management and civil engineering, handling drainage maintenance and capital projects.

This role involves developing work plans, overseeing construction, and collaborating with various city teams to ensure safe and effective drainage improvements. Strong communication skills and a background in municipal project management are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience managing multi-site drainage maintenance and small-capital programs.
• Strong communication skills to coordinate with public and city staff.
• Ability to develop and manage project scopes, budgets, and field oversight.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily drainage operations and coordinate with the City Drainage Engineer.
• Build annual and multi-year drainage work plans.
• Oversee project scopes, bid documents, and construction management.
• Conduct post-storm assessments and emergency response.

Skills

Project management

Civil engineering

GIS integration

Public procurement

Safety compliance

Education

P.E. licensure (preferred)

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Job description

Job Type: Full-time

Location: Baton Rouge Office - Baton Rouge, LA 70808 US (Primary)

Category: Program Management

Job Description

ASSISTANT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR - DRAINAGE

Role Summary

We’re seeking an Assistant Public Works Director – Drainage — ideally a civil engineer (P.E. preferred)—with nearly a decade of experience managing multi-site drainage maintenance and small-capital programs for municipal projects in Louisiana. Their portfolio spans routine maintenance, rehabilitation, capital improvements, and emergency repair. They have managed projects from start to finish, bringing practical command of ROW safety and utility coordination, public procurement and contract administration, field QA/QC, and integration of as-builts with GIS.

In this Assistant Public Works Director – Drainage role, that background will be applied to build an annual and multi-year drainage work plan; translate inspection and citizen-reported data into grouped, cost‑efficient scopes; run compliant procurements; and provide steady field oversight to ensure work meets plans, specs, and safety requirements. Close collaboration with the City’s GIS team will enable data‑driven prioritization and documentation, and coordination with the City’s emergency management/storm‑response team will support rapid post‑storm assessments and recovery. Strong communication with the City Drainage Engineer, Utilities/ROW Coordinator, contractors, and the public is essential to deliver safe, on‑time, and on‑budget drainage improvements across both roadway and off‑road systems.

Role Responsibilities

• Serve as the City’s day‑to‑day lead for drainage: coordinate closely with the City Drainage Engineer to align project scopes with engineering intent and City priorities.
• Build and maintain an annual and multi‑year drainage work plan using inspection results and citizen reports; apply a transparent prioritization matrix; group work geographically to reduce mobilizations.
• Scope projects (roadway and off‑road/servitude drainage), develop bid documents/specs, estimates, and schedules; run pre‑bid meetings and support procurement in accordance with LA Public Bid Law.
• Manage construction: conduct routine field reviews, enforce plans/specs and safety requirements, review submittals/RFIs, track quantities, approve pay apps, and administer change orders.
• Oversee close‑out: punch lists, final inspections, warranties, and acceptance; ensure as‑builts are collected and storm‑drainage data is entered into the City/IBTS GIS.
• Maintain a running log of citizen drainage concerns; coordinate with GIS staff to keep datasets current and to generate decision dashboards for leadership.
• Coordinate with the Utilities/ROW Coordinator to avoid project conflicts in the right‑of‑way and to sequence work with utility cuts, paving, and striping.
• Lead post‑storm assessments and emergency response for drainage assets; develop rapid‑repair scopes and on‑call task orders as needed.
• Ensure compliance with work‑zone safety (MUTCD), environmental controls (SWPPP/erosion & sediment), and applicable permits; verify ATSSA‑trained personnel are assigned when required.
• Track performance KPIs (e.g., linear feet improved, structures repaired, cost per LF), prepare monthly status reports, and brief leadership on risks, budget, and schedule.
• Coordinate routine bridge‑adjacent drainage items and minor repairs (e.g., guardrail/barriers) and engage the on‑call structural engineer for specialized bridge reviews when warranted.
• Maintain strong relationships with EBR Parish/DOTD and other agencies to align scopes, leverage programs/funding, and avoid duplicate efforts.