Director of Public Works

About this Position

Since 1769, St. Charles, Missouri, a charming, historic city on the Missouri River, has been welcoming visitors to its shores. St. Charles is a growing community, with a current population of over 72,000, that still enjoys that small town sense of community. The City is known for its strong business-friendly environment and support for development and growth opportunities.

The Public Works Department (PWD) is responsible for managing, operating, and maintaining the infrastructure found in the City's right-of-way, including streets, alleys, traffic signage and signals, sanitary sewer system, water system, and storm drain system. The PWD is also responsible for general management operation and care of City facilities, as well as maintenance and repair of the City's vehicle fleet and equipment. Under the general direction of the Director of Administration, the Director of Public Works will plan, direct, manage, and control City Public Works functions. This position leads approximately 100 employees in providing critical infrastructure services with an annual budget of $35 million. The Director will join the City's elected officials and leadership team, who are stable, progressive, and supportive of new ideas. This position oversees a wide variety of infrastructure work, including road repair and reconstruction, snow removal, traffic control for special events, traffic signal repair, water treatment and distribution, storm water collection and drainage, sanitary sewer collection and contracted sanitary sewer treatment, building and facilities improvements, and fleet maintenance and repair.

The City of St. Charles seeks a dynamic, outgoing leader, who is focused on staff development and fostering a positive work environment, to serve as its next Director of Public Works. The ideal candidate will be customer service-focused, responsive, and driven to ensure effective operations and maintenance of the existing facilities and infrastructure. Excellent communication and presentation skills are a must to successfully manage the multitude of stakeholder and employee interactions in this position. They should also be able to have open and ongoing conversations with the local employee union representatives.

This position requires a bachelor's degree plus at least five years of progressively responsible Public Works supervisory experience. Any combination of education and experience that provides an equivalent level of knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered. A demonstrated track record of success in staff recruitment, mentoring, and accomplishment is required, as is a successful introduction of innovative methods, equipment, and materials. A master's degree and union contract negotiation experience are a plus. Local government experience is preferred. A valid motor vehicle operator's license is required.

The salary range for this position is $138,012 to $193,216 depending on qualifications and experience. (Note: This salary range is under review and could increase in Jan. 2024.)

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