The County of Santa Barbara is one of the most desirable places in the world to live and work. The County is a mix of urban, suburban and rural landscapes located on a 122 mile stretch of California’s central coastline with a strong economic base in agriculture/tourism/wine, healthcare, technology and a variety of other industries. The County of Santa Barbara is known for its phenomenal quality of life that includes beautiful residential communities, renown architecture, world class beaches, mild climate, scenic mountains, open space and numerous parks that provide plentiful cultural and recreational activities. The County of Santa Barbara is home to 20 school districts, the excellent University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Community College, Alan Hancock College and numerous other renown institutions of higher learning.

The County of Santa Barbara is seeking the Public Works Director, a significant leadership position for the Board of Supervisors and the County Executive Officer. The Director and the Public Works Department are responsible for achieving countywide major public works projects, emergency/disaster response, and inter-agency collaboration for serving the public and resolving complex issues. The ideal candidate is an affable, approachable, visionary, and strategic individual who is committed to public service and excited to further the successful work and “can do” culture of the Public Works Department. As such, the Director must be knowledgeable, experienced and respected in the complexities and operations of public works, utilities, and capital projects. The Director must also know how to navigate through challenges, obstacles, controversy, constituent interests and legal matters to affect positive results. The position requires a combination education and experience that would likely provide the knowledge, experience, and abilities to perform the variety of tasks carried out by a Public Works Director in a county or medium to large city. Typical background and experience include a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in engineering or a related field; 7 years of increasingly complex public works experience; and at least 3 years of experience as a supervisor or in a senior management capacity. A Master’s degree, current civil engineering registration, and public sector experience are highly desirable. The County is prepared to offer a competitive salary in the range of $173,994 to $221,000. This salary range reflects the negotiable range for hire depending on qualifications, however the top of the range for future career and salary advancement is $255,693.

Filing deadline: January 19, 2024
Resumes are acknowledged within 2 business days.