Director of Public Utilities (Director III) - Open Until Filled

Job Appointment:  Full-Time
Work Schedule: Mon-Fri. 8-5, in-person
Work Location: 1120 SW 5th Ave, Portland, OR 97204, USA
Benefit: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position
Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position is or may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees.

Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the Motus Online Portal. You will need to attach a resume, cover letter, and equity statement. 

Position Summary:

The City of Portland is seeking a transformational leader to serve as its first Director of Public Utility Services, a newly created executive role jointly overseeing the Water and Environmental Services bureaus. This role is the cornerstone of Portland’s One Water vision—unifying drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater services under a single leader for the first time in the city’s history. 

This position is part of a broader structural transformation under Portland’s new council–mayor–administrator form of government.  

The Mayor acts as the city’s chief executive, directing policy and budget, while the City Administrator manages day-to-day operations. Bureaus are now organized into four strategic service areas led by Deputy City Administrators. The Director reports directly to the Deputy City Administrator (DCA) for Public Works, who is responsible for setting integrated strategies, aligning citywide priorities, and overseeing performance across all Public Works bureaus. 

With a combined workforce of over 1,200 employees and an annual budget exceeding $1 billion, the Director is the senior executive responsible for service delivery, operations, regulatory compliance, financial stewardship, One Water strategy implementation, and cultural transformation across two historically independent utility bureaus. This is a high-visibility leadership role that will reshape Portland’s infrastructure future—centered on equity, climate resilience, and affordability—and will work closely with the DCA to realize the City’s strategic goals. 

This executive-level position will lead the strategic integration of the Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services (BES). The Director is accountable for delivering high-quality utility services to over 650,000 Portlanders while aligning efforts with the City’s climate action, racial equity, and economic justice goals. 

Key responsibilities include capital investment planning, utility finance oversight, regulatory compliance, labor-management collaboration, transparent community engagement, and coordination with the Portland Utility Board. The Director will execute strategic direction established by the Deputy City Administrator under Portland’s new service area model, ensuring alignment across bureaus, service areas, and partner agencies. 

WHAT YOU’LL LEAD: 

• Strategic integration of leadership functions across the Water Bureau and BES

• A high-performing executive team delivering core utility services to over 650,000 residents.

• Cross-cutting policy aligned with Portland’s climate action, racial equity, and justice goals.

• Major capital programs, including water filtration, sewer modernization, and green infrastructure

• A cultural shift rooted in transparency, frontline empowerment, and operational excellence

• Constructive labor-management partnerships that foster a positive, safe workplace

• Transparent public engagement that centers the voices of historically underserved communities

• Utility infrastructure alignment with broader city initiatives

• Risk mitigation, emergency preparedness, and climate-adaptive utility planning

• Execution of strategic priorities from the DCA for Public Works

• Collaboration with the Portland Utility Board for equitable, community-informed decision-making
  
  

ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DIRECTOR OF PORTLAND PUBLIC UTILITIES: 

You are an experienced public utility or infrastructure executive with a proven record of leading large, complex organizations through transformational change. You thrive in politically nuanced, high-accountability environments, and you move comfortably between conversations with regulators, engineers, frontline workers, elected officials, and community organizers. 

You believe that transparent governance and public trust are foundational to effective utility management. You bring strong communication skills, political savvy, and a deep understanding of the value of culturally responsive community engagement, inclusive labor relations, and frontline empowerment. 

You understand the importance of advisory oversight and are committed to building strong, respectful relationships with bodies like the Portland Utility Board. You don’t shy away from legacy challenges—you meet them with vision, clarity, and courage.

We invite you to join an informational Zoom session for prospective candidates on August 25, 2025, from 12:00 – 1:00 PM PST. 

This session will provide an overview of the Director of Portland Public Utilities position and Portland’s One Water vision, with time for participant questions. 

Portland Utility Director Information Session Recording

Password: V?GA5�

Director of Public Utilities Information Session presentation.

To learn more about the City of Portland, visit: https://www.portland.gov  

Have a question?
Contact Information:
Dreshawn Vance,
Motus VP of Executive Search
dreshawn@motusrecruiting.comThe following minimum qualifications are required for this position:

• Minimum 7–10 years of executive leadership experience in water, wastewater, stormwater, environmental services, or related public-sector infrastructure

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, engineering, environmental policy, or related field; master’s degree (e.g., MPA, MBA, MS) strongly preferred

• Proven success in leading organizational transformation and unifying siloed teams

• Expertise in utility finance, rate setting, and capital delivery within regulatory frameworks (e.g., SDWA, CWA, MS4, UIC)

• Strong experience collaborating with labor unions and labor-management committees

• Deep commitment to racial equity, environmental justice, and workforce inclusion

• Familiarity with city administrator-led government structures and centralized performance accountability models

• Exceptional communication and political acumen with the ability to engage media, labor, City Council, regulators, and community partners 

STEP 1:  Apply online HERE
 
Required Application Materials:

• Cover letter: Details are key! The city uses a merit-based system, so your cover letter should be thorough and specifically address each qualification listed in the "To Qualify" section of the job announcement. Your cover letter can exceed one page to ensure you are able to provide the detailed information for every qualification. Follow the instructions, as a subject matter expert will be evaluating your details to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements.
• Resume
• Equity and anti-racism statement

Optional Application Materials:

• If you would like to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your Veteran documents (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc.) by the closing date of the recruitment.

Application Tips:

• Your cover letter can exceed one page, to ensure you are able to provide the detailed information for every qualification. A subject matter expert will be evaluating your details to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements.
• Your résumé should support the details described in your cover letter.
• An equity and anti-racism statement outlines your commitment and experience successfully developing and delivering equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist approaches to executive management. Experiences may include, but are not limited to the following:
  • Lived experience as a member of an underrepresented group
  • Experience living, working, and meaningfully engaging with individuals with a variety of identities
  • Track record of instilling equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practices within operations
  • Other experiences that demonstrate your commitment to equity, anti-racism, and inclusion, and how that will be manifested in this position.

We invite you to join an informational Zoom session for prospective candidates on August 25, 2025, from 12:00 – 1:00 PM PST. 

This session will provide an overview of the Director of Portland Public Utilities position and Portland’s One Water vision, with time for participant questions. 

Join us on Zoom.

Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• City of Portland Core Values
• Recruitment Process - Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations 

  

Salary : $194,563 - $289,577