Join our team as a Public Works Assistant Director and be at the forefront of enhancing our community’s infrastructure and services. This role involves planning, coordinating, and overseeing all operational activities, as well as providing crucial strategic direction to drive effective solutions. If you thrive in collaborative environments and are eager to contribute to urban development, this position is for you. Join us and play a key role in enhancing our community infrastructure and services!

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Acceptable Experience and Education

Bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited college or university in Public or Business Administration, Civil Engineering or a closely related field; and eight (8) years Public Works senior management experience in public sector at an executive level, including supervisory and financial oversight duties as demonstrated supervision at an executive level;
Or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Certificates, Licenses, and Other Requirements
Must have or obtain by date of hire a valid driver's license applicable to job responsibilities, with a driving record acceptable to the County of El Paso.
In order to access into the County’s network and systems, a personal smart device is required by the hire start date.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Under the direction of the Executive Public Works Director:
Helps to execute the vision and leadership direction for the administration of all Public Work activities established by the Executive Director of Public Works;

As directed, serves as a representative of the department in Commissioners Court, delivering presentations and recommendations. Also acts as a liaison between the department or county and customers and media.

Collaborates with elected county officials, departmental entities, and other stakeholders, providing insights and presentations on matters pertaining to the development, planning, design, construction, maintenance, or operation of county roads and facilities;

Supervises department employees, including assigning and reviewing work, training completing performance evaluations, and making recommendations on hiring, terminating, and disciplining personnel; Researches or investigates personnel matters and employee disputes that may arise;

Selects, motivates, and evaluates department staff; provides or coordinates training and works with employees to correct deficiencies;

Plans, directs, and coordinates, through subordinate-level staff, the department work plan; meets with management staff to identify and resolve problems; assigns projects and programmatic areas of responsibility; and reviews and evaluates work methods and procedures;

Develops, maintains, and distributes with the help of the work group, procedures and policies for program change control, and project status reporting;

Meets with management staff regularly to review recommended changes, and project status which will provide users with the best possible services;

Manages Public Works department operational and established strategic planning, including business requirements, project planning, and organizes and negotiates the allocation of resources;

Assist in the development, tracking and control of the departmental operating and capital budgets. Oversees cost monitoring, staffing levels, resources, and expenditures;

Where necessary, re-engineers’ Public Works support to ensure it aligns with business processes, tactical planning, and strategic vision;

Defines and communicates project milestones, services level agreements, and resource allocation to executive team, department leads, support staff, and end users;

Develops and reviews budgets for and from Public Work department divisions and ensures they comply with stated goals, guidelines, and objectives;

Benchmarks, analyzes report on, and makes recommendations for the improvement of the Public Works infrastructure;

Develops bid requirements, reviews submitted bids for compliance with stated requirements, and makes the appropriate award;

Develops business case justifications and cost/benefit analyses for Public Works spending and initiatives;

Develops and implements all Public Works policies and procedures, including those for architecture, security, disaster recovery, standards, purchasing, and service provision;

Oversees negotiation and administration of vendor, outsourcer, and consultant contracts and service agreements;

Manages staffing, including recruitment, supervision, scheduling, development, evaluation, and disciplinary actions; and

Establishes and maintains regular written and in-person communications with the organization’s executives, department heads, and end users regarding pertinent Public Work activities. Due to critical nature of Public Work responsibilities must be available to respond to department in a timely manner.

General Expectations:
Attends and participates in meetings, training and information sessions;

Commits to obtaining 20 hours of self- professional development activity/s;

In collaboration with the Director of Public Works, commits to providing and ensuring all members of department staff receive a minimum of 20 hours of professional development activities/training per fiscal year;

Substitutes, if assigned, during temporary absences by performing delegated duties sufficient to maintain continuity of normal operations;

Commits self to providing excellent customer service and demonstrate commitment through cooperative team and individual efforts; and
Creates a high-quality work culture through participation in and emphasis on training and mentoring to develop leadership, management, and technical skills in self and all employees, including safety related training and skills.

As Directed:
Establish priorities and set schedules and budgets for timely completion of planning, design, construction, reconstruction of roadway projects and renovation, and road maintenance projects;

Directs, plans, and evaluates capital projects;

Recommends, develops and implements schedule of fees for all major activities of the department;

Monitors and oversees department operations to assure that services delivered are of high standard and in compliance with statutory applicable laws, rules, regulations, and applicable standards established by federal, state, and local laws, and by Commissioners Court, Chief Administrator, and the department;

Oversees complex studies, analysis, designs, technical research, calculations, computations, and prepares estimates, plans, and reports;

Develops and implements short- and long-term plans to ensure public works infrastructure meets community needs and provides quality of life, including but not limited to transportation, water and wastewater systems, lighting, parks, storm water, community development standards, physical assets, and other infrastructure;

Oversees construction, planning, and budget of Capital Construction projects for the County, from the conception to the final turn over to the end user, (costs range from several thousand to multi-million-dollar projects);

Oversees Special Revenue projects which are funded from State, Federal, or other sources. Assures compliance that the projects follow all requirements that are required for the spending of these funds;

Manages and prioritizes programs, projects, and activities;

Oversees the provision of and distribution of all equipment, supplies, and labor;

Ensures that all records, including but not limited to, purchase orders, work orders, time sheets, etc., are maintained according to record retention requirements;

Recommends equipment expenditures;

Manages and directs the operation, maintenance, and expansion of the East Montana water system that serves a large and growing customer base;

Manages and directs water systems, and wastewater plans and ensures long term feasibility, stability, and structure of system; and coordinates with other entities regarding system;

Ensures compliance with the county’s subdivision regulations, storm water regulations and MS4 permitting;

Ensures rules and regulations of the County of El Paso subdivision requirements are in compliance and implemented;

Assures that State of Texas Model Rule Subdivision requirements are followed and implemented;

Ensures compliance with the issuance of Certificates of Subdivision Compliance;

Oversees design and specification preparation for construction projects awarded to outside contractors, and coordinates construction projects for the County that involve the different divisions of the Public Works department;

Reviews and makes recommendations regarding the County’s capital fund allocation; manages and negotiates contracts;

Ensures that the County On-Site Sewage and Environmental regulations are enforced; assures that septic tank installers and inspectors are current with all State of Texas certifications;
Oversees, coordinates, and ensures that airport and airport property adhere to FAA/TxDOT Aviation regulations; coordinates with airport operation in the submission of annual reports as required by TxDOT aviation; ensures that airport property is properly secured, runway lighting is operational; oversees that runways, taxiways, and open areas are properly maintained; coordinates with other governmental agencies on the use of airport property;

Oversees and monitors complaints to the County and ensures that they are addressed;

Prepares and assists in the bidding out of services for the residents of the County;

Coordinates with Community Development staff in the application and implementation of grants for County infrastructure projects;

Coordinates with local utilities for cost sharing for the extension, installation of service lines, within the utilized boundaries;

Works with the residents of the projects to obtain the Certificates of Plat Compliance;

Monitors the planning, organizing, directing, reviewing, and evaluating of the overall operations and development of Facilities Management department program areas including: administration, planning, design, construction, renovation, replacement, preventive maintenance, and repair of new and existing facilities and building systems and equipment; bond/capital projects; architecture, structural, mechanical, electrical, civil engineering, project management, building physical plant, HVAC, utility management systems, building maintenance, custodial, vertical transportation/elevation systems, life safety and security systems, including access control and master keying; parking facilities management; management of time and cost; leasing and acquisition of property; space management; inspection’s; compliance/codes;

Oversees that the department adheres to all procurement regulations and procedures, works with architects, engineers and contractors, manages the contracts to successful completion, and monitors inter-governmental actions;

Develops and implements handicapped compliance program; advises and assists in the upgrading of building environment improvements; oversees for consideration by Chief Administrator and Commissioners Court long-term strategies for integration, coordination and direction of construction, renovation, maintenance, and leasing of county facilities and building systems, and the development of long-term maintenance/replacement plans, including budgets, designed to offset the depreciation of facility asset value over time through functional obsolescence or cumulative wear and tear;

Serves as a backup ADA Coordinator for the County, if needed;

Provides support for the planning and preparation of grant applications;

Serves as the County’s Emergency Operations Center Supervisor for the City-County Emergency Preparedness Plan and is required to be on call 24 hours/7 days a week to respond to all types of emergencies, must be present at the EOC operations headquarters during emergencies, and be available to direct and guide County personnel as well as inform all County Officials as needed during emergencies;

Prepares, presents and administers budget submissions for the Department; oversees budget allocations and expenditures for the Department, and reports discrepancies to the Chief Administrator;

Works with Purchasing Department and provides input and makes recommendations to Chief Administrator, Commissioners Court and departments on best alternatives for awarding contracts to competing contractors; negotiates and oversees contracts as assigned; and

Assures that department recommendations which have been approved by the Chief Administrator or Commissioners Court are carried out or complied with; forecast financial needs of all activities; keeps abreast of developments that affect the functions performed in each reporting section of the department.

Other Important Duties*

Performs such other related duties as may be assigned by the Executive Director of Public Works;

Maintains a safe and healthy work place environment;

Be available for work beyond standard workday or workweek hours as necessary;

Regular out of town travel for professional conferences and meetings; and

As members of the County of El Paso Emergency Response System, all El Paso County employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers during a proclaimed emergency and may be required to train on emergency response and/or perform certain emergency services.