UTILITIES DIRECTOR

City of Pierre Fire Department; Pierre (SD); On-site; USD 114,000 - 139,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, life insurance

SD Retirement match

12 paid holidays

Educational assistance up to $2,000

Job summary

The City of Pierre seeks a Utilities Director to lead electric, water, and wastewater operations as well as street construction. You will guide long-range utility planning, oversee budgets, and coordinate with boards and regulators to ensure safe service and growth.

Ideal candidates bring an engineering or public administration background with several years in municipal utilities, strong communication, and leadership skills for a complex city infrastructure portfolio.

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering, public or business administration with at least three years' experience.
• Strong administrative skills and strong oral and written communication.
• Municipal government experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Directs operation and maintenance of city utilities and street construction.
• Sets department goals and work standards.
• Ensures safe, efficient, and reliable utility and street systems.
• Prepares budgets and revenue projections; proposes rate increases.
• Represent department to stakeholders and boards.
• Supervises and disciplines personnel.
• Attends meetings and prepares reports.

Skills

Management & supervision

Negotiation

Problem solving

Prioritization

Interpersonal skills

Oral & written communication

Team leadership

Education

Engineering degree

Public administration degree

Business administration degree

Tools

Budgeting software

Regulatory compliance tools

Job description

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The City of Pierre seeks a passionate individual to join our team in making Pierre one of the best places to live, work, and visit. This position directs the operations, construction, maintenance, and repair of the city’s electric, water, and wastewater utilities and directs the city’s street construction, maintenance, and repair operations. The utilities director is a key member of the City’s leadership team and is responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable, compliant, and cost-effective delivery of utility services while planning for long-term infrastructure sustainability, regulatory requirements, and community growth.

Utilities Director

UTIL/1

Utilities

JOB SUMMARY

This position directs the operations, construction, maintenance, and repair of the city’s electric, water, and wastewater utilities and directs the city’s street construction, maintenance, and repair operations.

MAJOR DUTIES

• Directs the construction, maintenance, repair, and operation of city utility systems, including electric, water, and wastewater utilities.
• Directs the construction, maintenance, and repair of city streets and related infrastructure.
• Sets department goals, objectives, and work standards.
• Ensures the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of all utility systems.
• Ensures compliance with relevant state and federal regulations related to water quality, environmental impact, reliability, load shedding, and public safety.
• Works with the leadership team in the development of long-range plans for the city’s utility infrastructure relative to future growth and sustainability.
• Represents the department to internal and external stakeholders, including the City Commission, planning boards, state agencies, and ratepayers.
• Attends meetings; prepares reports; responds to customer inquiries and complaints.
• Remains informed of industry trends and developments in the field.
• Manages and coordinates the development of annual budgets, including capital and operating budgets; computes annual revenue projections from sales for the utility departments for use in the budgeting process; proposes utility rate increases to meet revenue requirements.
• Monitors the expenditure of funds to ensure departments operation within assigned budgets; authorizes department expenditures as needed.
• Interviews, trains, assigns, directs, schedules, supervises, evaluates, and disciplines personnel.
• Represents the city on a variety of external boards and agencies.
• Attendance is an essential function of this position.
• Performs related duties.

KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public utilities management.
• Knowledge of state and federal regulations related to electrical, water, and wastewater utilities.
• Knowledge of federal highway and State Department of Transportation regulations.
• Knowledge of safety policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of budget management and governmental accounting principles.
• Knowledge of risk management principles and practices.
• Knowledge of relevant federal and state laws, county ordinances, and department policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of computers and job-related software programs.
• Skill in management and supervision.
• Skill in the negotiation and management of contracts.
• Skill in problem solving.
• Skill in prioritizing and planning.
• Skill in interpersonal relations.
• Skill in oral and written communication.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS

The City Administrator assigns work in terms of department goals and objectives. The supervisor reviews work through conferences, reports, and observation of department activities.

GUIDELINES

Guidelines include FERC and EPA regulations; Southwest Power Pool Regional Transmission agency guidelines; state and local regulations; industry standards, including IEEE, APPA, and APWA guidelines; permitting requirements, land use regulations, and interconnection standards; and city policies and procedures. These guidelines require judgment, selection, and interpretation in application. This position develops department guidelines.

COMPLEXITY/SCOPE OF WORK

• The work consists of varied administrative, supervisory, technical, and management duties. Dealing with a complex mix of technical challenges, strategic planning, financial management, and crisis response contributes to the complexity of the position.
• The purpose of this position is to supervise the city’s utility and streets operations. Successful performance helps ensure the effective and efficient operation of the department and affects the quality of life for city residents.

CONTACTS

• Contacts are typically with co-workers, other city employees, elected and appointed officials, state and federal regulators, construction company representatives and contractors, energy suppliers, members of the news media, and the general public.
• Contacts are typically to exchange information, motivate persons, negotiate matters, resolve problems, and provide services.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/ WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The work is typically performed while intermittently sitting, standing, or stooping. The employee occasionally lifts light objects.
• The work is typically performed in an office.

SUPERVISORY AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY

This position has direct supervision over Construction and Operations Manager (1) and Electric Superintendent (1).

Qualifications

Degree in engineering, public administration, business administration, or a related field with at least three years experience or an equivalent combination of education & experience. Must possess strong administrative skills, oral & written communication skills. Municipal government experience would be preferred.

Category All City of Pierre positions Status Open Salary $126,608.61 minimum plus comprehensive benefit package including 100% employer paid employee health, dental and life insurance along with a 6% employer match to the South Dakota Retirement System and 12 paid holidays. Up to $2000 annual educational assistance available. Posted April 5, 2026 Closing Open Until Filled