Director of Public Works

Town-of-Vienna; Vienna (VA); On-site; USD 143,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Town of Vienna seeks an experienced Public Works Director to lead a team of 81 and manage a $45 million annual program spanning water, sewer, stormwater, transportation, facilities, fleet, and waste services. The role requires strategic vision, strong judgment, and commitment to safe, reliable municipal services.

Reporting to the Town Manager, you will oversee capital programs, budgets, grants, and cross‑agency coordination with Council and community stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Requires a Master's Degree in Public Administration, Urban Planning, Civil Engineering or closely related area.
• Requires six years full-time management level experience as a Civil Engineer or closely related experience, preferably in local government.

Responsibilities

• Hires, trains, motivates, coaches and evaluates employees; approves salary increases and promotions; implements discipline; termination as needed.
• Leads staff through department managers in delivering services within operating, capital, grants, and enterprise budgets.
• Prepares budgets, proposals, and reports to Town Council; responds to inquiries from Town Manager, Council Members and the public.
• Oversees capital programs and long-term facility, transportation, water, sewer, and stormwater initiatives.
• Ensures safety, regulatory compliance, and coordination with state/federal agencies and advisory commissions.

Education

Master's Degree in Public Administration / Urban Planning / Civil Engineering

Job description

Town of Vienna

Public Works Director Pay Grade 134: $142,591-$229,571

The Town of Vienna is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Public Works Director to lead a dynamic department responsible for delivering essential municipal services and maintaining critical infrastructure for a community of approximately 17,000 residents. Leading a team of 81 employees and overseeing $45 million in annual maintenance, services, and capital projects, the Director provides strategic and administrative leadership across a broad range of operations, including water and sanitary sewer systems, stormwater management, transportation infrastructure, facilities, fleet maintenance, and waste management.

The Public Works Director plays a key role in shaping the Town’s long-term infrastructure investments and service delivery. This position oversees departmental operations, develops capital improvement programs, manages budgets and grants, and works closely with the Town Manager, Town Council, regulatory agencies, and community stakeholders to advance Town goals. The ideal candidate will bring strong leadership, sound professional judgment, and a commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient municipal services.

Work Schedule

Monday through Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Occasional evening meetings as necessary.

All new employees must satisfactorily complete a background check. A conditional offer of employment may then be made contingent upon the successful completion of a drug test.

This is an Exempt Position.

The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this class. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the class as necessary.

Essential Functions

Hires, trains, motivates, coaches and evaluates employees; instructs, assigns and reviews work of employees; approves salary increases, promotions; implements discipline; recommends termination.

Leads direct reports and staff through deputy director and department managers in delivering services within operating, capital, grants, and enterprise budgets.

Insures, through deputy director, superintendents, supervisors, and direct reports, that all work is performed using appropriate safety equipment and protection in accordance with established safety standards under proper safety conditions.

Prepares and presents, budgets, proposals, and reports to Town Council; responds to Town Manager, Council Member, boards and commissions, and public inquiries.

Provide leadership and oversight for the Town’s facilities, including maintenance, renovations, capital upgrades, and long-term facility improvement planning.

Provides staff to and helps manage the Transportation Safety Commission, Bicycle Advisory Committee, Pedestrian Advisory Committee and Conservation and Sustainability Commission. Provides DPW staff expertise to the Planning Commission.

Manages individual projects through all phases of development: scope of work, procurement of engineering firm, survey, design, citizen review, state & federal agency review, land acquisition, construction bid, award of contract, construction, and acceptance.

Oversees watershed programs, including NPDES permits, E&S program, and flood plain review; confers with the Town Attorney and law enforcement personnel regarding related violations and problems.

Works with Local, State and Federal agencies to help ensure compliance with Flood Plain, Stormwater, Drinking Water, Sanitary Sewer, Solid Waste and others such as the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, Metropolitan Council of Governments, Northern Virginia Park Authority, Fairfax County and many others.

Provides professional engineering advice to Town Council, Town Manager, partner agencies; reviews plans and designs; interacts with professional engineers, architects, surveyors, attorneys and other professional groups.

Develops capital programs to accomplish Town goals; develops individual projects; tracks and adjusts program as projects are built; updates citizens and Town Council.

Discovers, researches, and determines needed funding; writes proposals; applies for and manages a variety of transportation and utility grants; researches to determine adequate service levels and budget for various activities.

Additional Duties

Works with the Town Attorney to prepare deeds, easements, and other rights of entry for public projects on private property; negotiates with owners to obtain property donations. Ensures annual inspections and other activities associated with Town bridges and culverts are completed.

Performs related work as necessary.

Responsibilities, Requirements and Impacts

Data Responsibility

Data Responsibility refers to information, knowledge, and conceptions obtained by observation, investigation, interpretation, visualization, and mental creation.Data are intangible and include numbers, words, symbols, ideas, concepts, and oral verbalizations.

Synthesizes or integrates analysis of data or information to discover facts or develop knowledge or interpretations; changes policies, procedures or methodologies based on new facts, knowledge, or interpretations.

People Responsibility

People include co-workers, workers in other areas or agencies and the general public.

Negotiates, exchanges ideas, information and opinions with others to formulate policy and programs or arrive jointly at decisions, conclusions or solutions.

Asset Responsibility

Assets responsibility refers to the responsibility for achieving economies or preventing loss within the organization.

Requires responsibility and opportunity for achieving wide-spread economies and/or prevent losses through the management of a department that has an organization-wide impact or significant impact on the general population.

Mathematical Requirements

Mathematics requires the use of symbols, numbers and formulas to solve mathematical problems.

Uses algebra working with such factors as exponents, logarithms, linear and quadratic equations; statistics applying such functions as frequency, distribution, reliability, validity and correlation techniques.

Communications Requirements

Communications involves the ability to read, write, and speak.

Reads professional literature and technical manuals; speaks to groups of employees, other public and private groups; writes manuals and complex reports.

Judgment Requirements

Judgment requirements refer to the frequency and complexity of judgments and decisions given the stability of the work environments, the nature and type of guidance, and the breadth of impact of the judgments and decisions.

Decision-making is almost entire focus of the job, affecting most segments of the organization and the general public; works in a highly dynamic environment, and is responsible for establishing goals, objectives and policies.

Complexity of Work

Complexity addresses the analysis, initiative, ingenuity, concentration and creativity, required by the job and the presence of any unusual pressures present in the job.

Performs work involving the application of logical principles and thinking to solve practical problems within or applying to a unit or division of the organization; requires continuous, close attention for accurate results and frequent exposure to unusual pressures.

Impact of Errors

Impact of errors refers to consequences such as damage to equipment and property, loss of data, exposure of the organization to legal liability, and injury or death for individuals.

The impact of errors is serious – affects most units in organization, and may affect citizens.

Physical Demands

Physical demands refer to the requirements for physical exertion and coordination of limb and body movement.

Performs light work that involves walking or standing most of the time and involves exerting up to 20 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis, or skill, adeptness and speed in the use of fingers, hands or limbs on repetitive operation of mechanical or electronic office or shop machines or tools within moderate tolerances or limits of accuracy.

Equipment Usage

Equipment usage refers to responsibility for materials, machines, tools, equipment, work aids, and products.

Coordinates the handling/use of machines, tools, equipment or work aids involving extensive latitude for judgment regarding attainment of a standard or in selecting appropriate items.

Unavoidable Hazards

Unavoidable hazards refer to the job conditions that may lead to injury or health hazards even though precautions have been taken.

Involves routine and frequent exposure to bright/dim light; dusts and pollen.

Safety of Others

Safety of others refers to the level of responsibility for the safety of others, either inherent in the job or to ensure the safety of the general public. (Does not include safety of subordinates).

Requires considerable responsibility for the safety and health of others and/or continuous enforcement of the laws and standards of public health and safety.

Requires a Master's Degree in Public Administration, Urban Planning, Civil Engineering or closely related area.

Requires six years full time management level experience as a Civil Engineer or closely related experience, preferably in local government.

Special Certifications and Licenses

Valid State driver's license.

Requires registration as a professional Engineer in the State of Virginia or the ability to transfer to Virginia within one year of hire.

Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance

The Town of Vienna is an Equal Opportunity Employer.ADA requires the Town of Vienna to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.