Hybrid Director of Public Works & Utilities at City of Petersburg, VA

About the Department

The purpose of this job within the organization is to manage the operation of the Public Works and Utilities Department. This job provides strategic direction and management oversight to the Department of Public Works and Utilities and ensures implementation of the City Manager and City Council goals, policies, and performance expectations. The incumbent exercises strategic and visionary thinking that has long-term organization-wide application and impact; develops and implements programs critical to the City; and exercises control and review of multiple assigned functions, divisions and significant resources. 

This job formulates long-range goals for the organization, develop policy and position papers and negotiate with the City Manager, Deputy City Manager and/or elected officials.

Duties and Responsibilities

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

Position Duties

Serves as a member of the City Manager's executive management team.

Provides leadership and strategic direction for the department's priorities, goals and objectives.

Plans, organizes and coordinates complex project activities and assessments for Street Operations, Public Utilities, City Engineering, Stormwater, Facilities and Grounds.

Develops and administers the departmental budget in accordance with program goals and objectives.

Represents the department in dealings with Councilmembers, administration, outside organizations, the news media and the public.

Plans, directs, coordinates, and controls the operations and maintenance of City utility system and services.

Develops and directs comprehensive departmental construction, maintenance, and operational programs; coordinates inter-departmental activities; confers with City Manager and Deputy City Manager.

Provides for the analysis of complex statistical data regarding utility demand and operations; Monitors and analyzes information and reports, such as monthly financial statements, to determine any necessary modifications to rate schedules; assumes responsibility for the growth and profitability of the utility. 

Manages personnel issues and procedures to assign work, handles project management, trains and makes appropriate disciplinary action.

Receives and responds to requests, inquires, or complaints from the public and internal customers pertaining to staff, service or programs; confers with those affected and addresses situation as appropriate.

Provides leadership and strategic direction for determining the department's priorities, goals and objectives.

Additional Duties:

Plans, organizes and coordinates complex project activities.

Handles correspondence, prepares a wide variety of administrative reports on departmental activities.

Makes field inspections of public works and utilities projects to ascertain status.

Performs related work as assigned.

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.

Plans and directs others in the sequence of major activities and report on operations and activities which are very broad in scope.

People Responsibility:

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

Counsels or instructs/trains others through explanation, demonstration and supervised practice or make recommendations based on technical expertise.

Asset Responsibility:

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

Requires responsibility for achieving major economies or preventing major losses through the management of a large department or through interpreting policy as legal counsel.

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; concepts of analytic geometry, differentiation and integration of algebraic functions; statistics applying such functions as frequency, distribution, reliability, validity and correlation techniques; finance and economics using financial and econometric models.

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 a major part of the job, affecting a major segment of the organization and the general public; works in a dynamic environment; Responsible for developing policies and practices.

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 extremely serious -- affects entire organization and impacts other activities/organizations and the general public.

Physical Demands:

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

Performs sedentary work that involves walking or standing some of the time and involves exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis or sustained keyboard operations.

Equipment Usage:

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

Develops and implements long-range capital plans and programs to support the goals and objective of the organization.

Unavoidable Hazards:

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

 None.

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. 

Requires responsibility and authority for the development of policies regarding the provision of continuous enforcement of the laws and standards of public health and safety.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

Requires a Bachelor's Degree in civil engineering or a related field.  A Master's Degree in public administration is desirable.

Ten years of progressively responsible related experience that includes significant management and supervisory experience.

Requires the ability to exhibit outstanding customer service skills.  An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the position.

Preferred Qualifications: Previous experience as a Director or Deputy Director of Public Works/Public Utilities and registration as Public Engineer.

Special Certifications and Licenses:

Valid Virginia Driver's License.  

Residency in the city of Petersburg required within six months.

Special notices:  Final applicants will be required to submit an updated DMV driving record, submit to a criminal history investigation and submit to urinalysis screening for illegal drug use. 

Other Qualifications

Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance: 
The City of Petersburg is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  ADA requires the City of Petersburg to provide adequate accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.