Description

The Position
The Director of Public Works serves as the City's principal public works administrator and a key member of the executive leadership team, planning, organizing, and directing the full scope of services that form the backbone of daily life in Sacramento. The ideal candidate is an operationally grounded leader, one who brings the management depth, political acumen, and strategic vision to lead the City's third-largest department through an era of growing infrastructure demands and expanding public expectations.

Sacramento is a city investing in how it moves, sustains, and serves its residents. Over the past year, the Department has implemented tens of millions of dollars in transportation improvements, expanded electric vehicle charging and transit access, completed critical road and facility upgrades, and strengthened parking management through expanded permit programs and automated enforcement. The next Director will inherit a department with a strong internal culture, long tenured and technically talented managers, and a workforce that takes genuine pride in its role as the City's most visible front-line service provider. This is a compelling opportunity for a leader who wants to protect and elevate that reputation while tackling real challenges, from an infrastructure backlog and succession planning to ensuring the department's talent pipeline keeps pace with Sacramento's growth.

The Public Works Department manages a proposed FY2026–27 budget of approximately $260 million and a workforce of 782 FTEs, with two-thirds of that staff engaged in direct field operations. The Department's work is organized across nine divisions: Engineering Services; Facilities and Real Property Management; Fleet Management; Maintenance Services; Mobility and Sustainability; Office of the Director; Parking Services; Recycling and Solid Waste; and Transportation. Together, these divisions deliver a broad portfolio, from road and bridge maintenance, traffic signals, and active transportation design, to fleet asset management, solid waste and recycling collection, ADA barrier removal, climate and sustainability initiatives, and operation of the Sacramento Marina.

As a member of the City's Executive Team, the Director contributes to citywide strategic planning and engages across a wide network of internal and external partners. Key collaborative relationships include the Department of Utilities, the Department of Community Response, Youth, Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, and a broad range of regional agencies and community bodies, including the Disabilities Advisory Commission and the Active Transportation Commission. 

The Director also plays a meaningful role in partnering with private developers, managing complex grant-funded programs, and navigating the full range of funding sources that support the department's work, including enterprise funds, general funds, gas tax, grant funding, and landscaping district revenues.

Compensation and Benefits
The expected hiring range for the Director of Public Works is $190,000 - $241,896.80 annually, depending on qualifications. To view the full salary range, please visit the Salary Schedule.

The City of Sacramento offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which can be viewed here: Benefits Information, Unit 20 Benefit Summary, and Labor Agreement Total Compensation Matrix.

* Retirement benefits include participation in CalPERS and Social Security. Contributions are made by both the City and the employee.

How to Apply
Applications will be accepted electronically by Raftelis at raftelis.com. Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. The position will be open until filled with a first review of applications tentatively scheduled to begin on July 10, 2026. 

Please note that the first round of virtual interviews is tentatively scheduled for August 12, 2026. Finalists will be invited to participate in in-person interviews tentatively scheduled for August 19, 2026. Selected candidates must be available for both dates. 

Please note that all recruitment dates are tentative and subject to change based on panel member availability and scheduling needs; candidates are encouraged to remain flexible throughout the interview process.

Requirements

Qualifications
Minimum requirements include any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be: a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field, and eight years of progressively responsible experience managing a broad range of municipal services including engineering, traffic engineering, and/or street maintenance in a large public agency of which may have included a minimum of two years of experience in a management role comparable to Division Manager. 

An equivalent combination of qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.