Job Description

Posting number: 2026-00084

Department: Public Works

Division: PW - Administration

Job classification: Deputy Director of Public Works - Admin and Ops

Posting type: Open

Categories: Public Works, Management

Summary

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The County of Calaveras invites qualified candidates to apply for the position of Deputy Director of Public Works – Administration and Operations. This leadership role serves as a key member of the department’s management team, providing high-level administrative, operational, and strategic support to the Public Works Director. The Deputy Director plays a central role in advancing departmental priorities, ensuring regulatory compliance, and promoting efficient, service-oriented operations across multiple functional areas.

This position oversees critical administrative functions as well as operational responsibilities that include integrated waste management and airport operations. The successful candidate will guide major programs; support long-range planning and budgeting; develop, implement, and evaluate policies and procedures; and foster effective collaboration with internal divisions, partner agencies, and community stakeholders.

The ideal candidate brings strong leadership, sound judgment, and extensive experience in public administration or related operational fields. This is an exceptional opportunity for a forward-thinking professional to contribute to the effective delivery of essential public services while supporting the department’s commitment to accountability, efficiency, and continuous improvement.

Under general direction, assists the Public Works Director with the management of day-to-day departmental operations; assumes substantive and significant responsibility for specific departmental or division(s) administration; and does other related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is a management level position which serves as a principal assistant to the Department Head. Incumbents in this classification may act on behalf of the Department Head in their absence and will normally be assigned responsibility for the Administration Services Division but may oversee other divisions or programs within the department, as assigned.

Examples of duties

• Assists Department Head with departmental management activities including program analysis, planning, implementation, and coordination responsibilities.
• Supervises the work of subordinate staff in the Administrative Services Division and other staff, as assigned.
• May confer and coordinate program activities with other Public Works Divisions, County departments, and outside agencies to ensure that impacts to internal and external stakeholders are positive and productive.
• Serves as a departmental liaison with state representatives and other agency employees.
• Prepares and presents reports to a variety of interested groups, including the County Board of Supervisors.
• May participate in preliminary and final budget hearings, making recommendations as appropriate.
• Analyzes and reviews staff reports, making recommendations as appropriate.
• Assists in establishing and maintaining departmental timelines and priorities.
• Assures related activities comply with established standards, requirements, policies and procedures.
• Maintains current knowledge of laws, codes, rules, regulations, and pending legislation related to department operations.
• Performs and manages a variety of activities involved in the overall administrative, budgetary, and personnel management of assigned division(s).
• Plans, coordinates, and organizes office and business activities and flow of communications and information for effective and efficient business operations.
• Assists in the development and implementation of department projects, contracts, goals, objectives, services, and activities.
• Assures proper and timely resolution of office, personnel, and business issues, conflict, and discrepancies.
• Supervises, trains, and evaluates the performance of assigned personnel; interviews and selects assigned employees.
• Coordinates and directs the development and preparation of the annual budget for the assigned department.

Qualifications

Desirable qualifications include a combination of experience, training, and education, which substantially demonstrates the following knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Knowledge of:

Advanced principles, practices, and techniques involved in administration, with specific knowledge and experience in the same area; advanced principles and practices of management, leadership, motivation, team building, and conflict resolution; standard and accepted organizational and management practices; standard and accepted principles of supervision, training, and performance evaluations; standard and accepted principles and practices of work safety; programs, policies, and operational needs; applicable local, state, and federal rules, regulations, and laws related to the planning and development of public works administration; budgetary and personnel management activities of a Public Works department; principles of governmental accounting, financing and budgeting; automation applications and operations; contract preparation and administration; research, analysis and evaluation techniques; budget preparation and control; operations of a variety of office equipment including a computer and assigned software; and exemplary oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.

Ability to:

Plan, organize, and direct the activities of departmental staff; recommend policies, identify needs, develop, design and implement program objectives, procedures, budgets, staffing requirements and evaluation techniques; perform effectively under pressure from emergent conditions, deadlines or management constraints; establish and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships with others; supervise, train and evaluate the performance of assigned staff; evaluate management problems and present appropriate corrective alternatives, solutions and recommendations; interpret, apply and explain rules, regulations, policies and procedures; establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; plan and organize own work and work of others; perform a variety of activities involved in the overall administrative, budgetary and personnel management activities of the division and department; and coordinate and organize office and business activities and flow of communications and information to ensure effective and efficient outcomes.

Skill to:

Know and understand all aspects of assigned job; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; analyze work papers, reports, and special projects; understand laws, regulations, and codes; develop, interpret, and evaluate staff reports; research, analyze, and present a variety of program and project information to governing boards, and community groups; develop and recommend policies and procedures related to assigned division; provide positive and effective program and policy guidance to Department Head; analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of departmental and County-wide goals and objectives; interpret and apply County and departmental policies, procedures, rules, and regulations in an effective and timely manner; analyze fiscal, operational, project, program, and technical reports; plan, organize, and schedule priorities for self and others in an effective and timely manner; organize, implement and direct activities of assigned staff; manage, supervise, train, and evaluate performance of assigned staff; remember various personnel rules; analyze all department budgets, working papers, fiscal reports and audits; successfully develop, manage, and monitor division, program, and project budgets; prepare and administer contracts; and identify and interpret technical and numerical information.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the knowledge, skills and abilities as listed above is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and skills for the Deputy Director – Administration position would be:

Five (5) years of increasingly responsible supervisory-level administrative experience, managing a variety of complex duties. An additional three (3) years of progressively responsible management-level experience with administration, finance, major public works projects, engineering, and/or road construction, preferably with a governmental entity is required; and

Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in public or business administration, accounting, or a closely related field.

A relevant Master’s degree may be substituted for up to two (2) years of the required experience.

Supplemental information

Possession of an appropriate California driver’s license issued by the State Department of Motor Vehicles is required.