City of Albany, OR
Albany, OR
Recruiter:
Heather Gantz
The City of Albany seeks an innovative, forward-thinking, and strategic leader to serve as its next Public Works Director. This is a rare opportunity to shape the next era of a growing, vibrant community by modernizing critical infrastructure and service delivery, and supporting a culture that empowers our talented Public Works team to deliver exceptional service through creative solutions. The Director supports an enterprise-wide approach to City operations, finding a healthy balance between essential daily operational oversight and a long-term strategy for the City's infrastructure needs. Serving a growing and stable City committed to providing responsive services, the next Public Works Director is a change agent who contributes directly to the vision established by the City Council and City leadership. The Director strengthens the City's reputation for reliable, high-quality public works services for all its residents and businesses through inspiring collaboration and trust, leading department vision, and modeling a commitment to continuous process improvement.
The Public Works Director provides strategic leadership and oversight of all departmental functions, including Engineering, Environmental Services and Regulatory Compliance, Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, Transportation, and Airport Operations, as well as other public works projects and programs. The Director assesses infrastructure needs and develops both short- and long-term plans to meet service demands. This position leads the execution of the Department Operations Plan, ensuring alignment with the City’s strategic priorities. Through collaboration and staff empowerment, the Director advances operational efficiency, encourages creative problem-solving, accelerates project delivery, and upholds a high standard of customer service. Responsibilities include supervising division managers and support staff, overseeing performance management and labor relations, and ensuring that departmental initiatives meet organizational objectives and comply with safety and regulatory standards.
The Public Works Director, in collaboration with the Finance Department and City Manager’s Office, oversees all departmental budgeting and financial planning, including infrastructure funding strategies, utility rate and fee development, and preparation of the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The Director leads the development, public engagement, and approval of transportation and utility master plans, ensuring alignment with City objectives and regulatory standards. This role provides strategic oversight in establishing Local Improvement District (LID) boundaries, calculating assessments, determining benefit apportionment, and preparing related City Council actions. The Director also ensures that private development and capital projects meet City codes and standards by overseeing the review of engineering plans, bidding and contracting processes, and construction activities.
Reporting to the Deputy City Manager, the Public Works Director serves as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, fostering collaboration and contributing to a high-performance, trust-based organizational culture where innovative solutions can come from any level. The Director represents the department before the City Council, advisory bodies, community groups, external agencies, and the media, ensuring open and transparent communication on major initiatives. The role involves negotiating and partnering with government agencies, developers, contractors, and consultants to advance projects and resolve complex issues. The Director effectively communicates technical and policy matters such as departmental goals, budgets, performance measures, and infrastructure projects to both technical and non-technical audiences.
The new Public Works Director joins at a pivotal transition period for the City of Albany’s Public Works team. The City has made significant progress in modernizing systems and rebuilding organizational capacity and now seeks a Director who can lead our team into the future. This position offers an opportunity to shape both culture and systems, ensuring that these areas work in tandem and that team members can lead from any seat to foster the exceptional level of service our residents have come to expect.
The next Public Works Director will balance infrastructure and service development needs with people-centric leadership. Early priorities will focus not only on capital projects, but on strengthening internal systems and positioning the department for long-term success.
The Public Works Director is a strategic, solutions-oriented leader who embraces a one-city philosophy and aligns departmental goals with Albany’s mission, vision, and values. The Director is energized by the opportunity to drive strategic change and transformation within the department while continuing to provide high-quality services to the community. Through a forward-thinking approach that includes process improvement and innovation, the successful candidate brings a modern perspective and new ideas to public works projects and initiatives. They easily identify trends and problems hindering progress and develop and implement best practices to drive necessary change. With a modern, forward-looking approach, the Director encourages strategic experimentation and continuous improvement to meet changing community needs.
The successful candidate has a unique ability to provide a broader strategic vision for the department while also aligning key resources and processes to execute that vision. They are a strong communicator who can align public works initiatives with larger organizational goals and Council priorities. With a holistic perspective, the Director brings strong critical thinking and decision-making skills to identify efficiencies, promote consistency, and deliver creative solutions to complex challenges. With a calm and adaptable presence, the Public Works Director navigates change and stressful situations with confidence and clarity, inspiring trust across the organization.
A dynamic leader, the Public Works Director successfully navigates the political, administrative, and technical aspects of the position and understands the importance of maintaining existing infrastructure while designing and building necessary improvements and planning for future growth. The Director maintains situational awareness across a broad portfolio of responsibilities, shifting gears quickly to prioritize and balance workloads and resource needs to meet project demands. The successful candidate is a highly effective communicator, providing transparency in interactions and working to ensure routine communication throughout the organization.
The Public Works Director recognizes the importance of relationships and partnerships at all levels. Considered a collaborative and supportive leader, the Director builds strong relationships across departments, values the contributions of others, and actively fosters teamwork to achieve shared goals. The Director successfully engages with different audiences, values diversity of thought, and uses that information to drive consensus and inform decision-making. Known for driving positive organizational change, the Director listens, follows through, and remains steadfastly committed to serving the community with professionalism, openness, and integrity.
The Public Works Director is an approachable and visible leader who fosters a respectful, collaborative workplace culture. Known for empowering employees and attracting and retaining top talent, the Director leads with empathy, humor, and authenticity. They support coaching and professional development to ensure the continued success of public works operations. Committed to exceptional customer service, the successful candidate sets clear expectations, communicates transparently, and balances effective delegation with accountability. The Director actively supports staff, removes barriers to success, and champions a culture of excellence and high-quality service delivery across all aspects of the department’s work.
At least six years of progressively responsible leadership experience in public administration with a focus on public works, transportation, or utilities management is required. At least three years of supervisory and management responsibilities over significant program areas is required. A thorough knowledge of modern principles and practices of public works administration is essential. Prior experience in change management with the ability to leverage best practices in a growing community is ideal.
A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, environmental services, public administration, business administration, or a closely related field is required. The City may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. The successful candidate must possess or be able to obtain a valid Oregon Driver's License and have a driving record that meets the City’s driving standards.
Operating under the Council-Manager form of government, the legislative and governing body is the City Council, composed of a nonpartisan Mayor and six City Council members. The Council is responsible for setting policy, legislative action, and overall budgetary authority. The City Manager serves as the Chief Executive Officer and administrative head of the City and is appointed by the City Council.With a 2025-2027 Biennial Budget of $494 million, the City of Albany provides services through ten departments, including City Manager’s Office, Community Development, Finance and Municipal Court, Fire, Human Resources, Information Technology, Library, Parks and Recreation, Police, and Public Works. The biennial budget lays the foundation for continued progress, resilience, and innovation while honoring our commitment to the Council’s strategic plan, community needs, and core services.
Mission
Providing quality public services for a better Albany community.
Vision
A vital and diversified community that promotes a high quality of life, great neighborhoods, balanced economic growth, and quality public services.
Organizational Values
The City of Albany is at a key transition point with significant community growth on the horizon and several anticipated staff retirements. The City is taking a strategic, proactive approach to ensure long-term organizational sustainability and continued delivery of exceptional services. Over the past year, Albany has restructured several positions to enhance service delivery, reorganized teams, including GIS and Utility Billing, to increase efficiency and collaboration, and strategically invested in new personnel and professional development. These efforts reflect a broader commitment to modernizing systems, empowering staff, and positioning the organization for long-term success. The City is also undergoing a major update to its Strategic Plan and other supporting operations plans.
The Public Works Department strives to support the overall goals of the City by managing and maintaining critical infrastructure. With an operating budget of $28.2 million, a capital budget of $40.5 million, and approximately $270 million across the Public Transit, Sewer, Stormwater, Street, and Water Funds, the dedicated staff of 126 provides essential services through Engineering, Environmental Services and Regulatory Compliance, Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, Transportation, and Airport Operations. Within each function, there are individual programs that provide specific services to the community. This is a highly skilled team that brings significant experience across all functions to the table. The Public Works Director is currently supported by a City Engineer and an Operations Manager who support day-to-day operations.
Located in the heart of the Willamette Valley, where the scenic Calapooia and Willamette Rivers join, Albany, Oregon, is known as the “Hub City” with easy access via road or rail to many of the amenities that make the Pacific Northwest such a desirable place to live. With a population of approximately 60,000, Albany is located in both Linn and Benton counties and is the county seat of Linn County. Albany is at the center of a region full of possibilities. To the west, the Oregon Coast beckons with its sandy beaches and rugged coastline. To the east, the mountains and forests of the Cascades have endless activities such as hiking and skiing, and here in the valley, vineyards, lakes, rivers, and lots of curving backcountry roads are waiting to be explored.
Albany is widely considered Oregon’s most architecturally diverse City, featuring four National Historic Districts: Downtown, Monteith, Hackleman, and the Airport. These districts form a diverse collection of architectural styles spanning the 1840s to the 1950s. Albany is also at the center of a region full of enriching arts and entertainment, with unique art experiences, great cinemas, music festivals, live theater, and is home to the distinctive Albany Historic Carousel & Museum.
Albany’s commitment to quality of life is evident in its abundance of green space, providing an exceptional experience for all residents. Through a dedicated Parks & Recreation Department, the City maintains over 30 city parks and numerous trails, ensuring that nearly every neighborhood has nearby access to recreation. The City’s park system includes sports fields, playgrounds, boat ramps, a community skate park, and an off-leash dog park, with Waverly Park offering summertime paddling on its lake. The City’s recent Water Avenue Project has created a central gathering space downtown for concerts, farmers’ markets, and other festivities throughout the year.
Albany has shifted from being primarily agricultural and timber-based to a more diversified economy. Major sectors now include manufacturing (specialty metals, advanced manufacturing), services (healthcare, education), government, and retail. With its mix of historic charm, great neighborhoods, and forward-looking economic development, Albany is a safe community offering a well-rounded, welcoming environment and a strong quality of life.
The hiring range for the Public Works Director is $139,789 - $188,718 and will depend on the qualifications of the successful candidate. The City of Albany provides a generous benefits package. Learn more about the options and employee-based benefits here.
Join a city focused on innovation, alignment, and building a strong foundation for the future. Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. The position is open until filled, with a first review of applications beginning December 22, 2025.
For more information or questions regarding the City of Albany or the Public Works Director position, please contact Heather Gantz at hgantz@raftelis.com.