How to hire a public works director

How to hire a public works director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step public works director hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a public works director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new public works director
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a public works director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the public works director you need to hire. Certain public works director roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a public works director to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a public works director that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of public works directors.

   Type of Public Works Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Public Works Director	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$27-64
   Owner	Owners, in the most basic sense, own the business, company, or organization. They are responsible for building the business... Show more	$28-64
   Board Member	Board members are fiduciaries of an organization leading it to its sustainable development. They are elected by its board of directors or its supervisory committee... Show more	$12-95

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Public Works
   • Infrastructure
   • Building Maintenance
   • Oversight
   • Project Management
   • Storm Water
   • Street Maintenance
   • Capital Improvement Projects
   • Construction Projects
   • Traffic Control
   • OSHA
   • Construction Management
   • EPA
   • Facilities Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage key controls, CCTV, safety devices, and training activities.
   • Conceptualise, initiate & independently manage innovative after-school & lunch programs, and innovative successful school fundraiser.
   • Manage, delegate and perform facility repairs, apartment renovations, preventive maintenance and inventory control utilizing CMMS program for maintenance.
   • Provide management oversight of safety and training programs, ensure quality management certification and OSHA standards are maintain.
   • Complete all EPA require monthly testing.
   • Help with on air promotions and giveaways.

   More public works director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the public works director job description is a good way to get more applicants. A public works director salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a public works director in Arkansas may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level public works director. Additionally, a public works director with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average public works director salary

   $88,965yearly

   $42.77 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level public works director salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average public works director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$123,632	$59
   2	District of Columbia	$117,826	$57
   3	Nevada	$114,933	$55
   4	Washington	$107,457	$52
   5	Illinois	$105,851	$51
   6	Virginia	$102,802	$49
   7	Texas	$93,435	$45
   8	Arizona	$92,525	$44
   9	Missouri	$91,995	$44
   10	Colorado	$87,858	$42
   11	Florida	$85,889	$41
   12	Michigan	$85,430	$41
   13	Minnesota	$79,101	$38
   14	Kansas	$77,718	$37
   15	Idaho	$62,743	$30

   Average public works director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Icma-rc	$108,010	$51.93	10
   2	City of Colleyville	$99,000	$47.60
   3	1 8 3 Lanes	$98,130	$47.18
   4	City Of Ceres	$97,842	$47.04	2
   5	Borough Of Chambersburg	$96,279	$46.29
   6	City of Lewistown	$95,319	$45.83
   7	Westchester	$94,285	$45.33
   8	Village of Ashwaubenon	$94,226	$45.30	1
   9	City of Fort Madison	$94,222	$45.30
   10	City of Prescott	$93,310	$44.86
   11	Minnesota Limited	$93,228	$44.82
   12	TAIT & Associates	$92,199	$44.33
   13	City of Tukwila	$90,691	$43.60
   14	City of Palm Bay	$89,108	$42.84
   15	New York State Restaurant Association	$87,255	$41.95
   16	Glenn County Emergency Service	$87,016	$41.83
   17	City of Las Vegas	$86,683	$41.67
   18	Lincoln Holdings LLC	$85,855	$41.28
   19	Washington County	$83,766	$40.27
   20	WTS International	$81,112	$39.00

4. Writing a public works director job description

   A job description for a public works director role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a public works director job description:

   Public works director job description example

   We are leaders in improving civilization through the design and development of our physical environment. TAIT is a family company and continues to grow since 1964. Join TAIT & become an integral part of a stellar team!

   We are looking for talented, motivated, and technically driven individuals who want to join a company with excellent opportunities for career growth and development. TAIT fosters and encourages each Associate's entrepreneurial spirit with every project & design opportunity. We provide a variety of training opportunities to develop your skills, top tier benefits because we care about your well-being, a real work-life balance & the flexibility life needs, and an unbeatable friendly, professional, positive work environment. Here's your chance to start your career with a Top Workplace in Orange County :) don't wait to apply

   Position Description

   TAIT is looking for a Director of Public Works to join our growing team. TAIT, a leading engineering firm with offices throughout the Western US, is on the path to become a leader in Public Works and Infrastructure projects, and as we continue to expand into new markets, we are looking for a talented, creative, and go-getting person who can grow and lead this effort. This position will work in close collaboration with the Vice President and Director of Engineering to continue to grow our public works and infrastructure group, manage projects and project managers, and develop new opportunities.

   Minimum Qualifications & Experience

   • Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) with a minimum of 10 years of public works design and management experience.
   • Understand Successful Proposal Writing (SOQ/RFP) & Budget Management for public contracts
   • Ability to Market, Communicate, and Develop relationships with Existing and New Public Agency Clients
   • Experience must include Local Public Works Design (City to County Level) is required
   • Experience with Regional Projects (Caltrans to Federal) is desired
   • Experience with Public Roadway Engineering (Rehabilitation/Widening/Construction), Water & Sewer Improvements, and Storm Drain Improvements required
   • Experience with Site Improvements/Development, Signing & Striping, Traffic Control are a plus/desired
   • Knowledge of Water Quality (Pre and Post Construction) as well as Hydrology as it relates to public improvements
   • CAD/Civil 3D knowledge is a plus but not required

   Position Responsibilities

   • Will assist the Director with marketing and client development for the Division.
   • Interface daily with our clients, develop proposals, negotiate scopes and fees, ensure timely billing and collections and change orders.
   • Proposal Writing & Marketing (Existing & New Clients)
   • Work with Department Management to Delegate Public Projects
   • Strategic Planning of Public Works Marketing and Design/Construction Strategies with Department Management
   • Project Management for awarded Public Works Contracts to include:
   • Budget & Design Team Management
   • Review/Signing/Stamping of Plans for which you are managing
   • Continued Development of Internal Project and Design Processes for Public Contracts
   • Training & Development of Associates

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5. Post your job

   To find public works directors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any public works directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level public works directors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your public works director job on Zippia to find and recruit public works director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with public works director candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new public works director

   Once you have selected a candidate for the public works director position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new public works director first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a public works director?