Description

Public Works Director

Department of Public Works

County of Shasta, California

Annual Salary $169,248 - $216,012 DOE/DOQ

The County of Shasta seeks a Director of Public Works (Director) to serve as an engaging leader of the Department of Public Works (Department). They will have a strategic, big-picture perspective with strong management, interpersonal, communication, and administrative skills. The Director will oversee the following core services/divisions: Roads, Facilities, and Fleet, and is responsible for the construction and maintenance of County roads and other public works property and facilities, engineering and surveying activities, County service areas, the solid waste program, and the water agency. The ideal candidate will have experience managing public works projects, strong fiscal and business acumen, leadership and project management expertise, and embrace a strong customer service culture; a California Professional Engineer’s License is required. This job is a chance to work with a top-notch executive team and be a transformative leader advancing public projects that will serve the community for generations to come. The Department is collegial, respectful, and inclusive. If you are looking for an innovative, forward-thinking organization where you have exceptional opportunities to advance a career, take on exciting projects, and be a part of a dynamic leadership team, then this is a great match for you! Read further for a snapshot of the exciting opportunities awaiting our next Director.

LIVING IN SHASTA COUNTY

Located in Northern California, about 160 miles north of Sacramento, Shasta County is the embodiment of sunshine, natural beauty, outdoor recreation, culture, and community. Shasta County is home to three incorporated cities: Anderson, Redding (County seat), and Shasta Lake City. The County's population is approximately 180,000 residents. With lakes, mountains, rivers, parks, hundreds of miles of trails, and a variety of outdoor attractions, Shasta County is home to endless recreation opportunities. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the nearby Lassen National Park, Whiskeytown Lake and National Recreation Area, Sacramento River Trail, Shasta Lake, and Castle Crags State Park.

Shasta County offers a great quality of life, with many healthcare facilities, early childhood services, higher education opportunities, and a reasonable cost of living. Businesses have the chance to thrive due to Shasta County's centralized location on the I-5 corridor and quality business environment. Major industries (Download PDF reader) here include healthcare & social assistance, government, utilities, crop & animal production, and retail trade. Shasta County is also known for its growing airport and world-class fishing, bringing in visitors from all over the world. 

Learn more about living in Shasta County here: https://www.shastacounty.gov/community/page/about-shasta-county

THE COUNTY

The County of Shasta is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors who serve staggered four-year terms. The Board oversees the County Executive Officer (CEO), who is tasked with carrying out county operations and the administration of 20 departments that provide a wide range of services. The County also has several committees and commissions that represent a variety of interests, including health care, criminal justice, planning, housing, Community Advisory Boards for County Service Areas, and more. The County operates on a budget of approximately $710 million and employs approximately 2,100 FT/PT staff.  

THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Public Works is made up of more than 130 staff dedicated to developing, building, and maintaining the County’s infrastructure to the standards and expectations set forth by the Board and community. The County includes municipal airport, open space, parks, water and sewer, fields, roadways and street scrapes, trails, flood plains and more. This is a full-service public works department from design to build and includes architects, engineers, maintenance, survey, and administrative staff. These divisions include: 

• Roads: Responsible for maintaining over 1,200 miles of County roadways and 400 bridges.
• Fleet Management: Maintains and repairs a fleet of approximately 500 County vehicles. See the Fleet Management Administrative Policy here (Download PDF reader).
• Solid Waste: Manages the Solid Waste program and oversees operations at the West Central Landfill.
• County Service Areas: Runs 11 County Service Areas (CSAs), consisting primarily of water and sewer systems.
• Miscellaneous: Participates in the Enterprise Anderson Groundwater Sustainability Agency; manages the Fall River Mills Airport, parks in French Gulch and Hat Creek, and the Balls Ferry Boat Ramp; forms and operates Permanent Road Divisions, and performs County Surveyor functions by checking, recording, and maintaining maps of surveys, subdivisions, and jurisdictional boundaries. 

OPPORTUNITIES & PROJECTS: 

• Leading a variety of 5-Year CIP Projects, with a primary focus on:
  • Alternative Custody Corrections and Rehabilitation Campus Project
  • Demolition of Old Shasta County Courthouse
• See the 5-Year Capital Facilities Improvement Plan here (Download PDF reader).  

THE POSITION

This is an at-will, executive position that reports directly to the County Executive Officer, oversees more than 130 staff, an approximate $97 million operational budget, and a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan of $115 million. The Public Works Director will have fantastic career opportunities and be part of the County’s executive team with a team culture that inspires creative thinking and engagement and supports quality of life and work-life balance. As mentioned, this position will oversee all aspects of public works in the County including administrative, engineering, roads, maintenance, county services areas, fleet, and operations and maintenance.  

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will work cross-departmentally with other leaders in the cities, County, and community and use their technical expertise and interpersonal skills to meet the goals and objectives of the Department and County. They will use their strengths in these areas to address a wide variety of County issues and needs and advocate for various modes of transportation. The Director will be customer-service-minded, an interdepartmental collaborator, an excellent project manager, and a mentor of our future leaders.   

Leadership / Communications / Customer Service

• Successfully lead a dynamic and talented staff and be interested in their professional development.
• Advance an organizational culture that attracts and retains talented staff.
• Be a transformational thinker and bring creative solutions to decision makers.
• Use effective communication skills and political savvy to work with other community and executive leaders and elected officials.
• Plan and implement strategic direction for the Department.
• Be adept and comfortable delivering presentations in a public forum.
• Promote a customer-oriented approach toward meeting client needs.
• Facilitate project concerns that are politically sensitive.

Technical and Business Acumen / Administration / Operations

• Oversee and report on day-to-day Department operations and manage a fiscal budget.
• Develop short- and long-range plans and align staff actions to achieve desired outcomes.
• Oversee contracts, vendor relationships, personnel, projects, quality assurance, and project timelines.
• Work collaboratively cross-departmentally and with other community members and organizations.
• Lead the County in implementing key projects with short timelines at a rapid pace.
• Understand and adhere to local, state, and federal building codes, laws, and mandates.
• Keep projects on time and on budget, meet deadlines, be flexible, and adjust priorities as needed.

Interpersonal

• Build trust with peers, contractors, community, stakeholders, and county leadership.
• Be self-directed, motivated, detail oriented, and flexible.
• Be a big-picture thinker and provide successful executive reviews.
• Demonstrate transparency, strong work ethic, and integrity.

SALARY & BENEFITS

Annual salary of $169,248 - $216,012 DOE/DOQ and an attractive benefits package that includes:

• Holidays: 12 fixed holiday per year; 1 floating holiday per year
• Vacation: 10 days first 3 years; increasing with years of continuous service
• Sick Leave: 12 days per year
• Administrative Leave: 80 hours per year
• Bereavement: 5 days of leave with 3 days (24 hours) paid
• Retirement: CalPERS, coordinated with Social Security
• Insurance: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Optional Insurance: Aflac, Flexible Spending Account
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability: Fully paid group life and accidental death and dismemberment policy and long-term disability
• Expense Allowance: $50 per pay period
• Employee Assistance Programs: Full access to County paid services
• Deferred Compensation Plan: Dollar-for-dollar County match of employee contribution up to 50% of the normal base contribution each calendar year
• IRC Section 125 plan

HOW TO APPLY: For first consideration, apply by 9:00 a.m. on March 11, 2026, at: www.shastacountycareers.com

SECURE THE DATES:

Interviews will be in person and take place on March 31, 2026. All candidates invited to interview must be available to appear in person on this date.

SHASTA COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Requirements

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

In addition to the above ideal candidate competencies, the preferred experience includes any combination of education and experience sufficient to directly demonstrate possession and application of the following: 

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, public administration, business, or related field from an accredited college
• Extensive experience overseeing large scale, multi-million-dollar capital budgets and construction projects
• Leadership experience overseeing process improvements
• Possession of an appropriate California driver license upon appointment
• At least three (3) years of supervisory or management experience in professional engineering work, involving the design and construction of roads, bridges, buildings, and a variety of other public works facilities.
• Candidates will be in possession of a civil engineering license by the California (or other state) Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, or Geologists

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Appointment as Road Commissioner requires possession of a current, valid certificate of registration as a Professional Civil Engineer issued by the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists.