Assistant Public Works Director

JOB The City of St. Helena, located in the center of Napa Valley and recognized for its long-standing agricultural heritage, historic character, and regional economic significance, is seeking an Assistant Public Works Director who is an engaging, collaborative, and relationship-driven leader. With a resident population of approximately 6,000 and a substantial number of daily visitors drawn to its wineries, hospitality sector, and commercial amenities, St. Helena serves as an important service and employment hub for the upper valley. To learn more about this charming city, please visit the City of St. Helena website at www.cityofsthelena.gov/hr.

St. Helena seeks a leader who can unite a geographically dispersed team across treatment plants and the corporation yard. The ideal candidate brings strong project management skills, emotional intelligence, and a calm, solutions-oriented approach to conflict resolution. They are a visible, hands-on presence, building relationships with frontline staff, professional colleagues, and external partners, including regulatory agencies.

Exceptional communication skills are essential—able to present to City Council, commissions, and the public—and the ability to leverage tools like Grapevine to improve service delivery. A commitment to staff development, training, cross-training, and operational efficiency (including process modernization) will ensure continued excellence in St. Helena's public works operations.

The salary range for this outstanding opportunity is $152,438 - $185,289. Placement within this range is dependent upon qualifications. The Department The Public Works Department designs, builds, operates, maintains, cleans, and improves the City's infrastructure and public rights-of-way including streets, storm drains, parks, fleet, government buildings, water distribution, water treatment, wastewater collection, and wastewater treatment. The department facilitates environmental compliance including stormwater pollution prevention, sustainability, protection of public trees, and floodplain administration. In addition, the Public Works Department is a key responding entity in emergencies involving the City's infrastructure and facilities, as well as weather-related emergencies and other disasters that have the potential for adverse impacts to public health or the environment.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES

The Position Reporting to the Public Works Director, the Assistant Public Works Director will assist in planning, directing, managing, and overseeing the Operations Division of the Public Works Department, including all Corporation Yard operations, Water Treatment production and distribution, and Wastewater Treatment and collections. Additional duties include contributing to the development and implementation of the departmental Capital Improvement Plan (i.e. "CIP") and budget; overseeing the administration of contracts related to operations; collaborating on the impacts of both CIP projects and private development on public infrastructure including inspecting construction/work sites; overseeing operations staff seasonal work plans; and serving as an expert and point of contact for regulatory and enforcement matters with external agencies. The Ideal Candidate The City of St. Helena is seeking an Assistant Public Works Director who is an engaging, collaborative, and relationship-driven leader who thrives in a people-focused, operational environment. The ideal candidate brings a management style grounded in communication, teamwork, and trust, with the ability to break down silos and unite a geographically dispersed workforce, including staff at each of the treatment plants and the corporation yard. The successful candidate will be an energetic presence visiting job sites, and building strong connections with staff, including frontline field personnel, plant operators, and professional/administrative colleagues. The incumbent will demonstrate maturity, emotional intelligence, and a calm approach to conflict resolution, helping staff navigate challenges while fostering a culture of accountability, support, and continuous improvement. Strong project management skills are essential. The Assistant Director will coordinate operational and capital projects by working closely with consultants, engineers, and internal teams, even if not serving as a technical subject-matter expert. The ability to interact effectively with regulatory agencies such as the State Water Resources Control Board and the Division of Drinking Water is important. An understanding of water, wastewater, and related utility operations is highly desirable.

The ideal candidate will also be an effective communicator—comfortable presenting to the City Council, commissions, and community groups—and committed to high level customer engagement. The incumbent will use tools like the Grapevine reporting system to monitor responsiveness, improve service delivery, and strengthen public trust. Finally, the City seeks a leader who actively invests in staff development, champions training and cross-training, and brings a forward-thinking mindset to process improvement, operational efficiency, and organizational cohesion. This is a unique opportunity for a hands-on, personable, and solutions-oriented professional who is excited to help shape the future of St. Helena.