Public Works Director

Strategic Government Resources, Inc.; Bloomington, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Strategic Government Resources, Inc. seeks an experienced Public Works Director in Bloomington, IL to lead a diverse department delivering essential municipal services and infrastructure.

You will balance operations, labor relations, budgets, and community needs while ensuring reliable service to residents. The role requires a hands-on, senior public-sector leader with governance experience, strong communication, and the ability to respond decisively during emergencies.

Qualifications

• Must have extensive leadership experience in public works or municipal operations.
• Experience handling labor relations and unionized environments.
• Strong budgeting, financial oversight, and contract management skills.
• Proven ability to plan, prioritize, and deliver capital improvements and asset management.

Responsibilities

• Lead Public Works operations and set priorities, service standards, and performance expectations.
• Direct managers, supervisors, and staff while fostering accountability, teamwork, safety, and development.
• Oversee labor relations, bargaining, grievances, performance, and disciplinary matters with HR.
• Manage budgets, staffing, equipment, contracts, major maintenance, and capital projects.
• Use data and metrics to improve efficiency, service delivery, and resource allocation.
• Lead the department during severe weather, outages, and emergencies.
• Advise the City Manager on performance, workforce, financial matters, risks, and priorities.
• Build relationships with employees, departments, labor reps, contractors, agencies, and the community.

Skills

Public works leadership

Labor relations

Budget management

Infrastructure planning

Asset management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration

Job description

Lead. Serve. Build the Future of Our Community.

The City is seeking an experienced and strategic Public Works Director to lead a diverse, high-performing department responsible for essential municipal services, infrastructure, maintenance, and community response.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for a hands‑on public‑sector professional who can balance operations, people, labor relations, budgets, infrastructure, and community needs while delivering reliable services to residents.

What You'll Do

• Lead Public Works operations and establish priorities, service standards, and performance expectations.
• Direct managers, supervisors, and staff while fostering accountability, teamwork, safety, and professional development.
• Manage labor relations, collective bargaining agreements, grievances, performance matters, and disciplinary issues in partnership with Human Resources.
• Oversee departmental budgets, staffing, equipment, contracts, major maintenance, capital improvements, and asset management.
• Use operational data and performance measures to improve efficiency, service delivery, and resource allocation.
• Lead the department during severe weather, infrastructure failures, emergencies, and other operational incidents.
• Advise the City Manager on departmental performance, workforce issues, financial matters, risks, and strategic priorities.
• Build effective relationships with employees, City departments, labor representatives, contractors, governmental agencies, and the community.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, management, public works administration, or a related field.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in municipal public works, utilities, transportation, fleet, infrastructure, solid waste, municipal operations, or a related field.
• 5+ years of supervisory or management experience, preferably overseeing multiple operational functions and a significant workforce.
• Demonstrated experience with labor relations and unionized work environments, including collective bargaining agreements, grievances, employee performance, and disciplinary matters.
• Municipal or public‑sector management experience strongly preferred.
• Valid driver's license required.
• Professional certification, specialized management/labor-relations training, or a P.E. license is a plus.