Director of Public Works

Location:  City of McKinney, TX Download:  City of McKinney, TX - Director of Public Works Brochure

City of McKinney, TX
The Director of Public Works

The Community:

Established in 1848, McKinney, Texas is located 30 miles north of downtown Dallas. It serves as the county seat of Collin County and is situated in the midst of the growth out of Dallas and its northern suburbs. The City of McKinney has established a reputation in the DFW metroplex for being at the forefront of development and quality of life.

McKinney has experienced a steady population growth in the last three decades. In 2007, the Census Bureau announced that among cities with populations over 100,000, McKinney was the fastest growing city in the nation. McKinney's population reached more than 130,000 by the beginning of 2011, a 95% increase in the previous ten years, and now stands at more than 149,000 in 2014.

Economic development is a central component to our city's strategic plan. Companies in McKinney range from Global Fortune 500 corporations to home-grown, local startups. City efforts have a focus on attracting, retaining and expanding businesses that add vitality to the local economy.

The Gateway development, a 90-acre site owned by the city, is a key entryway to our community. Collin College was the first occupant at Gateway and recently, Emerson Process Management built its headquarters and research and development facility at the site. The four-story 187-room Sheraton McKinney Hotel and Conference Center opened in early 2015. In addition, McKinney is home to the headquarters for Hisun Motors Corporation U.S.A., Raytheon SAS business, Emerson Process Management, Encore Wire, radio-controlled car maker Traxxas and the international Wistron GreenTech.

McKinney is home to McKinney National Airport, the premier general aviation airport in North Texas. The airport is just one major draw for businesses located here. The nation continues to recognize McKinney as a stand-out community with some of the most recent accolades including the October 2014 issue of Money Magazine ranking McKinney #1 on their list of the Best Places to Live in the country. Factors considered included employment, schools, crime and safety, as well as overall quality of life aspects including a feeling of community pride. According to the listing, McKinney's historic downtown and hometown spirit set the city apart from the rest of suburban America. This adds to the accolades already received from Forbes, Best Life Magazine, CNNMoney, Texas Highways Magazine and many more.

The City of McKinney Unique by Nature brand has come to define the city's image for residents, businesses and visitors.  The brand speaks to McKinney's natural assets: our rolling hills, parks, streams and lakes. It refers to our inherent uniqueness: our historic downtown, our cultural diversity, our quality of life, our business-friendly environment and the dynamic growth we've seen over the past decade. It represents the spirit of our community - the charming neighborhoods, friendly residents, downtown festivals, a sense of history and the prudent but forward-thinking attitudes of our leadership and the community's willingness to work together to make McKinney a great place to be. Our community's employees embody the spirit of this brand in their service-minded approach.

McKinney has a unique, rich and diverse spirit in part because of the history that shaped it. Over the years, city leadership's vision in preserving our history has intentionally crafted a growing community that represents its past while offering a vibrant present and a very promising future.

Government:

The City of McKinney operates under a Home-Rule charter providing for the Council-Manager form of government. The city is governed by a City Council composed of the Mayor and six Council Members. The Mayor and two members of the City Council are elected at large and the other four members are elected from single-member districts. All are elected on a nonpartisan basis for staggered, four-year terms with a two term limit. The City Council, as the policy maker, appoints a City Manager to manage the city's day-to-day operations. The City Manager appoints and removes all officers and employees of the city with the exception of the Municipal Court Judges, who is appointed by the City Council. The City Council also appoints a contract City Attorney firm.

The City of McKinney, with nearly 1,000 employees, prides itself on being a fiscally sound, service-oriented city government serving more than 161,000 residents and growing. We provide a broad spectrum of programs and critical services including police, fire, emergency ambulance service, library, parks, recreation, water, sewer, refuse and recycling collection and disposal, golf, traffic engineering, street maintenance, community development (planning and zoning) and public improvements.

The Director of Public Works:

Under general supervision of the City Manager's Office, the Director of Public Works is responsible for planning, directing and managing the following departments: Street and Storm Water Drainage Maintenance, Facilities Maintenance, Facilities Construction, Environmental Stewardship, Solid Waste, Fleet Maintenance and Water Utilities. The position also coordinates activities with other City departments and outside agencies and provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the City Manager's Office. This position may perform other related functions as assigned.

Responsibilities:

  • Supervisory duties include but are not limited to instructing, assigning, reviewing and planning the work of others; Monitoring standards; Coordinating activities; Allocating personnel; Recommending employee transfers, promotions and salary increases as appropriate.
  • Identifies and resolves problems, assigns projects, evaluates methods and procedures with subordinate supervisors.
  • Provides City Council and City Management with complete and appropriate information regarding the division's activities.
  • Coordinates organizational activities with other City departments.
  • Participates on various boards, commissions and committees.
  • Oversees budget development, approves expenditures and makes adjustments as necessary.
  • Develops, oversees, monitors and updates various maintenance, repair and construction projects.
  • Presents staff reports and other pertinent information to City Council, boards, commissions and interested citizen groups.
  • Resolves and responds to citizen complaints or inquiries regarding public works.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Requires the ability to coordinate, manage, strategize and/or correlate data and/or information. Includes exercise of judgment in determining time, place and or sequence of operations. Includes referencing data analyses to determine necessity for revision of organizational components.
  • Requires the ability to function in the director capacity for a major organizational unit requiring significant internal and external interaction.
  • Requires the ability to operate, maneuver, and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
  • Requires the ability to utilize a variety of advisory and design data and information such as vehicle maintenance and fuel reports, engineering plans and drawings, construction plans and specifications, regulatory agency rules and regulations and equipment brochures.
  • Requires the ability to perform mathematical operations involving basic algebraic principles and formulas and basic geometric principles and calculations.
  • Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or synthesis functions. Ability to deal with several concrete and abstract variables and to analyze major problems that require complex planning for interrelated activities that can span one or several work units.
  • Requires the ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving the direction, control and planning of an entire program or set of programs.
  • Requires the ability to perform coordinated movements involving placing and turning motions, such as utilizing hand and construction tools, operating a computer terminal, calculator, two-way radio and City vehicle.

Education and Experience:

Interested candidates should possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Civil Engineering, Public Administration or closely related field and have a minimum of ten (10) years previous experience that includes city administration, management and public works operations; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.   A Masters degree in Public Administration, Engineering, Planning or a closely related field is preferred.

Licenses and Certifications 
State of Texas Professional Engineer Certification is preferred.

Ideal Candidate:

The ideal candidate should be knowledgeable of local, state and federal water and wastewater utility regulations. Prior experience working with Public Works is necessary.

The ideal candidate will possess superior management skills and have the ability to make strategic decisions pertaining to staff and procedures within the department. This person should be a visible leader with the ability to delegate authority and responsibility while maintaining appropriate levels of operational control. The successful candidate should possess financial knowledge to include fiscal planning, budget management and capital improvement projects.

The ideal candidate should be a critical decision maker with the ability to process information and commit to a definite course of action. This person will need to be creative, resourceful and politically astute; someone who understands the value of creating partnerships as a way of accomplishing goals.

The ideal candidate is someone who can effectively manage the needs of a complex organization. Characteristics include a strong leader who will also need to motivate, mentor and provide guidance to department staff to help unite and engage the organization to function as a cohesive team.

The successful candidate must set a positive example of competence, professionalism, energy and work ethic to the organization. Advanced written and verbal communication skills are imperative for this position. 

Salary:

The City of McKinney is offering a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. Relocation assistance will be available for the successful out of area candidate.

How to Apply:

Interested applicants should forward a cover letter and resume to:

resumes@affionpublic.com
Reference: MCDPW

Affion Public
2120 Market Street
Camp Hill, PA 17011
888.321.4922
Fax: 717-214-8004
www.affionpublic.com

 

**Deadline to receive resumes: February 08, 2016**

Posted: 03/22/2022