Public Works Director

Halifax County, Virginia

Job Description

Position Title: Public Works Director

Department: Public Works

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: County Administrator

Classification: Executive/Professional

Supervisory Responsibility: Provides leadership and supervision to Public Works employees and oversees contractors, consultants, vendors, and service providers supporting departmental operations.

Salary Range: $65,263 - $122,172

General Purpose

The Public Works Director provides strategic, professional, and administrative leadership for Halifax County's public works operations, including water production and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, solid-waste collection and convenience centers, landfill monitoring, facilities maintenance, fleet and equipment maintenance, and related infrastructure services.

This progressive, forward-thinking position leads the modernization and long-term improvement of essential County services. The Director develops practical policies, capital and maintenance priorities, service standards, and performance measures that promote reliable infrastructure, regulatory compliance, fiscal stewardship, environmental responsibility, workplace safety, operational resilience, and responsive public service.

The Director serves as a trusted advisor to the County Administrator and works collaboratively with County departments, constitutional offices, regulatory agencies, contractors, community partners, and residents. Work is performed with considerable professional judgment and independence within established County policies and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties are representative of the position and are not intended to be all-inclusive:

• Plans, organizes, directs, and evaluates County public works programs, services, projects, personnel, budgets, equipment, facilities, and contracted activities.
• Develops and implements a multi-year public works strategy that aligns infrastructure maintenance, capital improvements, equipment replacement, regulatory responsibilities, and service priorities with County goals and available resources.
• Establishes measurable service standards, operating procedures, performance indicators, and accountability practices for departmental operations.
• Leads, develops, and evaluates Public Works employees; establishes clear expectations; prepares work schedules; assigns responsibilities; supports training and professional development; and promotes a culture of safety, teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Coordinates recruitment, hiring, performance management, corrective action, and other personnel matters in accordance with County policy and delegated authority.
• Oversees the operation, maintenance, repair, and improvement of County water-production, water-distribution, wastewater-collection, treatment, and pumping systems.
• Plans and coordinates preventive maintenance, emergency repairs, system upgrades, utility connections, inspections, meter-reading activities, and service cutoffs.
• Develops asset-management and lifecycle-replacement practices for utilities, facilities, vehicles, equipment, buildings, and other public infrastructure.
• Uses inspections, maintenance records, service data, mapping, and other appropriate technology to identify risks, prioritize investments, reduce service interruptions, and improve operational efficiency.
• Oversees the collection and transportation of County-generated solid waste, establishes collection routes, and manages the safe and efficient operation and maintenance of convenience centers and collection sites.
• Evaluates potential convenience-center locations; coordinates permitting, site planning, design, construction, and improvements; and ensures sites support safe, accessible, and efficient public use.
• Oversees landfill-site maintenance, environmental monitoring, methane-gas recording, regulatory files, inspections, and coordination with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and other agencies.
• Develops and administers the departmental operating and capital budgets; monitors expenditures; prepares cost estimates and business cases; and promotes responsible use of public funds.
• Directs procurement of equipment, vehicles, parts, supplies, professional services, and construction services in coordination with County Administration, Finance, and Purchasing.
• Reviews plans, specifications, proposals, contracts, and construction documents for public facilities and infrastructure projects and monitors contractor performance, schedules, costs, quality, and compliance.
• Coordinates public works activities with County departments, emergency services, utility partners, contractors, developers, regulatory agencies, and other governmental organizations.
• Develops emergency-response and continuity procedures for utility failures, severe weather, equipment breakdowns, environmental incidents, and other disruptions affecting essential services.
• Receives and responds to public inquiries, service requests, and emergency water, wastewater, solid-waste, facilities, or infrastructure concerns in a timely and professional manner.
• Maintains accurate operational, maintenance, environmental, safety, personnel, procurement, asset, and regulatory records and prepares clear technical, financial, and performance reports.
• Identifies and pursues appropriate grant and external funding opportunities for infrastructure, utilities, environmental protection, equipment, resilience, safety, and modernization initiatives.
• Promotes sustainable and cost-effective practices involving energy use, water conservation, waste reduction, recycling, preventive maintenance, fleet management, and infrastructure resilience.
• Provides reports, recommendations, and presentations to the County Administrator, Board of Supervisors, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders as requested.
• Performs other related duties consistent with the position and organizational needs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The successful candidate should possess:

• Comprehensive knowledge of public works administration, infrastructure planning, utility operations, facilities and equipment maintenance, solid-waste management, and environmental compliance.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of civil engineering, construction, project management, asset management, preventive maintenance, and capital planning.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, Virginia, and local requirements governing public utilities, wastewater treatment, solid waste, workplace safety, procurement, construction, and environmental protection.
• Ability to review and analyze plans, specifications, contracts, technical reports, operational data, and cost estimates for public facilities and infrastructure projects.
• Ability to establish practical policies, procedures, performance measures, maintenance standards, emergency protocols, and long-range improvement plans.
• Ability to prepare and administer operating and capital budgets and evaluate total cost, risk, service impact, and long-term value.
• Ability to lead and develop employees, manage contractors and vendors, resolve operational challenges, and maintain accountability for results.
• Ability to use technology, data, mapping, work-order systems, and other management tools to improve planning, transparency, productivity, and service delivery.
• Ability to communicate technical and operational matters clearly to elected officials, County leadership, employees, contractors, regulators, and the public.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships, exercise sound judgment, manage competing priorities, and respond effectively during emergencies.
• Commitment to innovation, safety, environmental stewardship, fiscal responsibility, employee development, and responsive public service.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in civil engineering, environmental engineering, public administration, construction management, or a closely related field.
• Progressively responsible professional experience in public works administration, utilities, infrastructure, facilities, construction, environmental services, or a related field, including experience leading employees, projects, or major operational programs.
• Demonstrated experience with budgeting, procurement, regulatory compliance, maintenance planning, contractor oversight, and public infrastructure or utility operations.

An equivalent combination of education, training, professional experience, and demonstrated competencies may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in county, municipal, utility, or other public-sector public works operations.
• Experience managing water, wastewater, solid-waste, landfill, facilities, fleet, or equipmentmaintenance functions.
• Experience developing capital-improvement plans, asset-management programs, preventivemaintenance systems, or infrastructure-modernization initiatives.
• Experience working with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and other regulatory agencies.
• Experience with grants, emergency management, geographic information systems, computerized maintenance-management systems, or related public works technology.
• Professional certification or licensure relevant to civil engineering, waterworks, wastewater operations, solid-waste management, project management, or public works administration.

Special Requirements

• Possession of a valid driver's license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia, or the ability to obtain one within a timeframe established by the County.
• Possession of appropriate waterworks and wastewater operator licensure as required for assigned responsibilities, or the ability to obtain required licensure within a timeframe established by the County.
• Availability outside normal working hours when necessary to coordinate emergency response, utility restoration, severe-weather operations, environmental incidents, or other critical public works needs.

Physical Requirements

This position performs a combination of professional office work and field-based operational oversight. The position requires the ability to:

• Exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds regularly to move objects.
• Operate a computer, standard office equipment, motor vehicles, and job-related equipment as authorized.
• Communicate effectively, review detailed written and electronic information, inspect facilities and work sites, and observe surrounding conditions and activities.
• Work in indoor and outdoor environments and encounter varying weather, terrain, noise, traffic, mechanical equipment, wastewater, solid waste, and other conditions associated with public works operations.
• Perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Work Environment and Availability

Work is performed in office, facility, utility, construction, landfill, convenience-center, roadway, and outdoor environments. The position requires regular interaction with employees, contractors, regulators, elected officials, County leadership, and members of the public.

The Public Works Director must be available for executive and operational coordination during water or wastewater emergencies, severe weather, equipment failures, environmental incidents, facility disruptions, and other conditions affecting essential County services.

Evaluation

Performance will be evaluated based on the reliability, safety, compliance, efficiency, and responsiveness of public works services; effective leadership and employee development; sound budget and project management; progress on preventive maintenance, asset management, infrastructure improvements, and modernization; successful emergency and regulatory coordination; and demonstrated value to Halifax County and the public.

Disclaimer

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not intended to contain a comprehensive listing of every responsibility, duty, qualification, or working condition associated with the position. It does not constitute an employment contract. Halifax County reserves the right to modify duties and responsibilities as organizational needs require, subject to applicable law and authorized approvals.

Halifax County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Pay: $65,263.00 - $122,172.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Relocation assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $65,263 - $122,172