Public Works Superintendent

Town of Great Barrington; Great Barrington (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Town of Great Barrington seeks a Superintendent of Public Works to provide leadership and strategic direction for the DPW, overseeing roads, facilities, parks, utilities, and capital projects.

Responsibilities include budgeting, procurement, contracts, safety, regulatory compliance, and community service, reporting to the Town Manager.

Candidates should have a relevant degree and at least eight years' public works experience with supervisory background; MCPPO certification preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, construction management, public administration, business administration, environmental science, or a related field, plus eight years of progressively responsible experience in public works, infrastructure, engineering, construction, facilities, wastewater, or a closely related field, including five years of supervisory or management experience.
• MCPPO certification required; otherwise obtain within 12 months of appointment and maintain it during employment.
• Thorough working knowledge of Massachusetts municipal procurement and public contracting requirements, including competitive procurement preparation, administration, and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead departmental operations, supervise personnel, and align with Town goals.
• Oversee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, supervision, evaluations, training, professional development, discipline, and succession planning.
• Direct services and maintenance for roads, sidewalks, bridges, drainage, municipal buildings, parks, cemeteries, and other assets.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Budgeting

Public communication

Contract management

Team supervision

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MCPPO certification

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

GIS

Asset-management software

Project management software

MS Office

Job description

The Superintendent of Public Works provides leadership, management, administration, and strategic direction for the Department of Public Works (DPW), ensuring safe, reliable, responsive, and financially sustainable services consistent with the Town’s mission, priorities, policies, and community needs. The Superintendent oversees operations, personnel, infrastructure, capital projects, budgets, procurement, contracts, emergency response, and regulatory compliance. As a member of the Town’s senior management team, the Superintendent translates organizational priorities into clear goals, service standards, work plans, and measurable results while promoting professionalism, accountability, collaboration, safety, customer service, and continuous improvement.

SUPERVISION

Reports to the Town Manager and exercises substantial independent judgment within established policies and delegated authority. Keeps the Town Manager informed of significant operational, personnel, financial, capital, regulatory, contractual, and community matters. Directly and indirectly supervises DPW personnel and the Administration, Highway, Buildings & Grounds, Cemeteries, and Wastewater divisions. Provides leadership and administrative coordination for Parks & Recreation and Vehicle Maintenance programs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following illustrates principal duties; related responsibilities may be assigned.

DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP AND PERSONNEL

• Lead, organize, coordinate, and evaluate departmental operations, supervisors, personnel, resources, and service delivery in alignment with Town goals.
• Establish departmental policies, procedures, annual work plans, performance measures, service expectations, and clear lines of responsibility and accountability.
• In collaboration with the Town Manager, oversee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, supervision, evaluations, training, professional development, discipline, and succession planning consistent with Town policies, collective bargaining agreements, and law.

OPERATIONS, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ASSET MANAGEMENT

• Direct services and maintenance involving roads, sidewalks, bridges, culverts, drainage, stormwater, municipal buildings and grounds, cemeteries, wastewater systems, parks, recreation facilities, fleet and equipment, snow and ice, and other assigned assets.
• Prepare annual, seasonal, and long-range operating plans and coordinate staffing, equipment, materials, contractors, and funding.
• Establish preventive, scheduled, and corrective maintenance programs and maintain reliable asset inventories and records of condition, maintenance, useful life, risks, and replacement needs.
• Prioritize repairs, service improvements, and investment based on public safety, asset condition, regulatory requirements, lifecycle costs, service impacts, risk, available resources, and Town priorities.
• Develop and annually update a multi-year capital improvement program covering infrastructure, facilities, wastewater, parks, cemeteries, vehicles, equipment, and other departmental assets.
• Coordinate capital planning with the Town Manager and Finance Team through annual budget development and long-range financial planning.
• Direct authorized projects from initial assessment through design, permitting, procurement, construction, inspection, closeout, and transition to maintenance. Oversee engineers, architects, consultants, and contractors.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, PROCUREMENT, AND CONTRACTS

• Develop and administer operating and capital budgets with the Town Manager and Finance Team. Monitor appropriations, spending, revenues, grants, contracts, and balances; provide timely forecasts and notice of financial risks.
• Lead departmental procurement planning and preparation in compliance with Massachusetts procurement and public contracting laws, Town policies, approved funding, and internal controls.
• Develop or oversee specifications, scopes, estimates, bids, proposals, and supporting documentation, involving the Town Manager and Finance Team early in procurement and project planning.
• Serve as principal departmental administrator for public works contracts and capital projects, recognizing the Town Manager as the Town’s contracting authority and owner representative.
• Review contractor performance, deliverables, payment applications, invoices, change orders, and closeout records. Verify that work and expenditures are authorized, documented, funded, and contractually appropriate.
• Do not authorize added work, scope changes, expenditures, or contractual commitments beyond delegated authority without prior Town Manager approval and required financial and procurement procedures.
• Identify and administer suitable state, federal, regional, and other funding opportunities, including Chapter 90, in coordination with the Town Manager and Finance Team.

COMMUNITY, BOARDS, AND PARTNERSHIPS

• Serve as DPW’s principal staff liaison to the Parks & Recreation Commission, providing operational, administrative, and technical support for parks, athletic fields, playgrounds, trails, recreational facilities, public grounds, maintenance, and improvements.
• Establish responsive, respectful customer service and practical systems to receive, track, communicate, and resolve service requests and concerns.
• Coordinate timely public information on construction, closures, service interruptions, snow and ice, emergencies, and other matters affecting residents and businesses. Prepare reports, presentations, recommendations, and project updates.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE, SAFETY, AND COMPLIANCE

• Direct DPW preparedness and operational response for snow and ice, flooding, severe weather, infrastructure failures, and other emergencies. Plan for staffing, equipment, materials, contractors, communications, and continuity of services.
• Coordinate with the Town Manager, Police and Fire Departments, emergency management personnel, utilities, agencies, and partners; participate in Incident Command as assigned; and respond outside normal hours when needed.
• Ensure operations, facilities, infrastructure, and projects comply with applicable laws, permits, environmental obligations, workplace safety standards, and reporting requirements.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, construction management, public administration, business administration, environmental science, or a related field, plus at least eight years of progressively responsible experience in public works, infrastructure, engineering, construction, facilities, wastewater, or a closely related field, including five years of supervisory or management experience. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

Demonstrated experience with operating and capital budgets; complex capital projects; procurement and contracts; employee and manager supervision; infrastructure, facilities, or asset management; and cross-departmental collaboration. Thorough working knowledge of Massachusetts municipal procurement and public contracting requirements, including competitive procurement preparation, administration, and documentation.

REQUIRED LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

Valid motor vehicle operator’s license. Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official (MCPPO) certification appropriate to the position is required; otherwise qualified appointees must obtain it within 12 months of appointment and maintain it during employment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Master’s degree in a related discipline; Professional Engineer (P.E.) registration; Massachusetts municipal public works leadership; multidisciplinary operations and major infrastructure or construction project management; experience with Chapter 90, MassDOT, MassDEP, grants, collective bargaining, GIS, asset-management, work-order, project-management, or municipal financial systems.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Considerable knowledge of public works operations, infrastructure, capital planning, asset management, budgeting, procurement, contracts, personnel and labor relations, construction and maintenance, permitting, environmental regulation, and safety. Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams; establish priorities; manage budgets and complex projects; interpret operational and financial information; solve problems; exercise sound judgment; and build effective relationships with employees, officials, residents, regulators, consultants, and contractors. Strong communication, customer service, analytical, organizational, decision-making, and presentation skills, with proficiency in contemporary office, financial, GIS, work-order, asset-management, and project-management systems.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Work occurs in offices and field settings, including construction sites, roads, wastewater facilities, municipal buildings, parks, and cemeteries, with exposure to weather, equipment, noise, traffic, and other operational conditions. Evening meetings and nights, weekends, holidays, or emergency hours may be required. Must be able to access and inspect varied facilities and terrain and perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Position handles confidential personnel, labor, procurement, legal, contractual, and financial information. Decisions may carry substantial operational, financial, legal, environmental, and public-safety consequences.

This description is not an employment agreement and may be revised as Town needs and position responsibilities change.

The Town of Great Barrington is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds and experiences and appreciate your interest in public service.