Deputy Director of Public Works

City of Palm Desert

Salary: $149k - $204k
Experience: 2+ yrs
Location: Palm Desert, California, United States
Job type: Full-time

Required skills

compliance
contractual agreements
customer service
project management
service delivery

About the role

About the Department

**This position is open until filled with a first review date of 5/11/2026**

The City of Palm Desert provides exemplary and sustainable services, amenities and programs for the benefit of the local and surrounding communities. When you interact with a City employee, you will find our collaborative, driven and efficient staff working together to provide strategic solutions for the community and each other. We are a city focused on external and internal customer service and try to find a way to say “yes,” while not compromising the City’s or our own integrity.

Our efforts are guided by our core values:

Integrity
Stewardship
Service
Community
Innovation
Teamwork

Our employees are passionate about innovation, collaboration and growth, which is supported by the City’s Council and Executive Team. We are an environment that thrives on making changes, pivoting quickly, and is full of movers and shakers. We are constantly striving to improve processes and better our approach so that we can better support the needs of the City. If you have growth mindset and find change exciting, the City of Palm Desert may be your ideal working environment!

THE OPPORTUNITY
The City of Palm Desert is seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking Deputy Director of Public Works to help shape the infrastructure, services, and daily operations that keep our community running smoothly. In this high-impact role, you’ll work closely with the Director of Public Works to guide strategy, drive innovation, and ensure excellence across a wide range of essential services. Through collaboration with City departments, officials, external agencies, and the public, you’ll build strong partnerships and help drive meaningful, positive change. If you’re ready to take on new challenges and play a key role in supporting our city’s growth, we invite you to join us in making a difference.

Under administrative direction, assists the Director of Public Works in planning, organizing, managing, and directing major functions and activities of the Public Works Department; plans, organizes, and directs operations and administration of assigned divisions which may include, but are not limited to, the Public Works Administration, Landscape Maintenance, Community Services, Facilities Maintenance, Street Maintenance, Traffic, and Fleet Operations, traffic planning/operations/management, and/or maintenance and construction (streets, landscape, facilities, and equipment); coordinates assigned activities with other City departments, officials, outside agencies, and the public; fosters cooperative working relationships among City departments and with intergovernmental and regulatory agencies and various public and private groups; provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the Director of Public Works; and performs related duties as assigned.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Receives supervision from the Director of Public Works. Exercises direct and indirect supervision over management, supervisory, professional, technical, and clerical support staff.

Position Duties

This is an assistant department director classification. The incumbent assists the Director of Public Works in managing the major activities and programs of the Department, including the), project management, traffic planning/operations/management, and/or maintenance and construction (streets, landscape, facilities, and equipment), and is responsible for providing professional-level support to the Director in a variety of areas. The incumbent organizes and oversees day-to-day departmental activities and operations for assigned functional areas and assists with short-and long-term planning, development, and administration of departmental policies, procedures, and services. Responsibilities emphasize diverse, specialized, and complex work involving significant accountability and decision-making. Successful performance of the work requires an extensive professional background in public works, as well as skill in coordinating work with other City divisions, departments, and public agencies.

Minimum Qualifications

Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

Assumes senior management responsibility for assigned major programs, services, and activities of the Public Works Department, including Public Works Administration, Landscape Maintenance, Community Services, Facilities Maintenance, Street Maintenance, Traffic, and Fleet Operations, traffic planning/operations/management, and/or maintenance and construction (streets, landscape, facilities, and equipment); provides technical expertise and direction to division operations, programs, and projects; authorizes actions within parameters of authority.
Assists the Director in the development and the implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work standards for the department; recommends, within departmental policy, appropriate service and staffing levels.
Develops and standardizes procedures and methods to improve operations, and continuously monitors the efficiency and effectiveness of assigned programs, service delivery methods, and procedures; assesses and monitors workload, administrative and support systems, and internal reporting relationships; identifies opportunities for improvement and recommends changes to management.
Trains, motivates, evaluates, and participates in the selection of assigned personnel; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees on performance issues; coordinates and implements disciplinary procedures as necessary.
Assists the Director of Public Works in managing the development and administration of the department budget.
Serves as a liaison for the department to other City departments, divisions, elected officials, outside agencies, and the public; attends meetings in various locations; provides staff support to commissions, committees, and task forces; participates in community events and workshops that provide public information regarding departmental programs, projects, and services; explains and interprets departmental programs, policies, and activities.
Oversees the development of consultant requests for proposals and qualifications for professional services; evaluates proposals and recommends project awards; develops, negotiates, and reviews contract terms and amendments; ensures contractor compliance with City and department standards and specifications and time and budget estimates; reviews design and scope documents to ensure technical integrity and consistency with proposals; reviews and updates deliverables; analyzes and resolves complex problems that may arise.
Provides complex staff assistance to the Director of Public Works; conducts a variety of organizational and operational studies, special projects, and investigations; prepares and presents staff reports and other necessary correspondence related to assigned activities and services to various commissions, committees, and boards.
Attends and participates in professional group meetings; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in public works management; researches emerging products and enhancements and their applicability to City needs; monitors changes in regulations and technology that may affect department programs; implements policy and procedural changes after approval.
Responds to difficult and sensitive public inquiries and complaints and assists with resolutions and alternative recommendations.
Responds to emergencies outside regular hours, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends, and notify appropriate on-call staff.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Other Qualifications

Knowledge of:

Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, and City policies and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
Principles and practices of public administration, including goal setting, program development, implementation, and evaluation, and supervision of staff, either directly or through subordinate levels of supervision.
Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation, and evaluation, and budget and contract development and administration.
The principles, practices, functions, and activities of municipal government administration.
Public agency budget development, contract administration, City-wide administrative practices, and general principles of risk management related to the functions of the assigned area.
Organization and management practices as applied to the analysis and evaluation of projects, programs, policies, procedures, and operational needs.
Basic principles and practices of civil, traffic, and landscape engineering applicable to the planning, design, cost estimating, construction, installation, and inspection of a wide variety of municipal facilities.
Environmental impact assessments and related regulatory processes.
Methods, materials, and techniques used in the maintenance and construction of public works facilities.
Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures.
Methods of conducting organizational and operational analytical studies.
Practices of researching issues, evaluating alternatives and making sound recommendations.
Methods and techniques for the development of reports, presentations, contract negotiations, business correspondence, and information distribution.
Recordkeeping principles and procedures.
Principles and techniques of project management.
Grant writing and application procedures.
Legal, ethical, and professional rules of conduct for public sector employees.
General principles of risk management related to the functions of the assigned area.
Recent and on-going developments, current literature, and sources of information related to assigned programs, projects, and services.
Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
Techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies and various business, professional, regulatory, and legislative organizations.
Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

Ability to:

Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Effectively represent the Public Works Department in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business and professional organizations.
Develop and implement goals, objectives, policies, procedures, work standards, and internal controls for a city department and assigned program areas.
Provide administrative and professional leadership and direction to the Department and the City.
Coordinate the preparation and administration of budgets and recommend allocation of limited resources in a cost-effective manner.
Analyze and interpret engineering plans and specifications in accordance with design requirements and applicable standards and regulations.
Select and supervise staff, provide training and development opportunities, ensure work is performed effectively, and evaluate performance in an objective and positive manner.
Accurately assess organizational issues and opportunities and research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods, procedures, and techniques.
Plan, organize, and direct assigned public works services and programs.
Conduct complex research projects, evaluate alternatives, and make sound recommendations.
Prepare clear and concise reports, oral presentations, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials.
Conduct effective negotiations and effectively represent the department and the City in meetings with governmental agencies, community groups, various business, professional, and regulatory organizations, and in meetings with individuals.
Research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods, procedures, and techniques.
Effectively administer special projects with contractual agreements and ensure compliance with stipulations.
Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record-keeping, and tracking systems.
Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner.
Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
Use tact, discretion, and good judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines in the handling of sensitive records and confidential information.
Establish and administer safe work practices.
Ensure excellent customer service.
Skillfully and safely operate a motor vehicle when required while performing work duties.
Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
Communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, including the City Manager, management, staff, other government officials, community groups, and the public.

Education and Experience:
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in engineering, construction project management, public administration, recreation or a related field; AND two (2) years of professional public works management experience that included responsibility for project engineering, inspections, construction, parks and recreation, and/or maintenance, including one (1) year of supervisory experience. A master’s degree is preferred.

Licenses and Certifications:

Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California driver’s license by time of appointment.

About City of Palm Desert

Provides municipal services and public infrastructure for the community.

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