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Public works director skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical public works director skills. We ranked the top skills for public works directors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 12.3% of public works director resumes contained public works as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a public works director needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 public works director skills for your resume and career

1. Public Works

Public Works usually include the divisions of water, wastewater, street, landfills, airports, and parks and fall under the control of city managers or some other city staff.

Here's how public works directors use public works:
  • Produced proposals and statement of qualifications with win strategies for new business development for public works departments in Nevada.
  • Reviewed and implemented critical engineering decisions relating to design, construction and maintenance of public works facilities.

2. Infrastructure

Infrastructure includes the organizational and physical structures needed to run an area or a society smoothly. It is a group of basic facilities required for any society or firm to run sustainably and efficiently. The infrastructural system is a high investing area and helps majorly in flourishing the economy and prosperity of a country. It is an underlying system needed for ensuring the safety and comfort of the public and to run a country smoothly. All the tasks needed to be performed for a flourishing economy and a happy and healthy public are included in infrastructure.

Here's how public works directors use infrastructure:
  • Develop and manage an approximately $8.5 million annual budget to fund infrastructure replacement and capital improvement projects.
  • Manage infrastructure capital improvement projects including paving and street and utility maintenance and improvement projects.

3. Building Maintenance

Building maintenance means all duties necessary to keep a building livable and functional. It involves removing trash regularly, repairing broken items, and cleaning common areas.

Here's how public works directors use building maintenance:
  • Directed approximately 323 employees including 2 divisions consisting of 12 individual departments and subordinate supervisors in building maintenance and custodial services.
  • Reviewed and successfully renegotiated building maintenance and services contracts to control costs and deliver on performance and budgetary goals.

4. Oversight

Having oversight of someone means to monitor a process or a situation. If someone has oversight of something, they are responsible for the completion of the project. Oversight is usually given to experts as they monitor their juniors or newbies as they go through a project.

Here's how public works directors use oversight:
  • General oversight and management of the City Sewer, Streets and Fire Water control.
  • Finance Director: Oversight of all city, RDA and utility authority financial activities.

5. Project Management

Here's how public works directors use project management:
  • Develop and maintain client relationships with City departments and other outside governmental agencies relative to construction project management services and requests.
  • Project management and supervision of heavy industrial and commercial building projects.

6. Storm Water

Here's how public works directors use storm water:
  • Provided staff assistance to Storm water and Drainage Review board or any other board/or committee that relates to City PW functions.
  • Ensured compliance with regulatory agencies for water distribution, sewage treatment, and storm water quality.

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7. Street Maintenance

Here's how public works directors use street maintenance:
  • Orchestrated administrative and operational functions for Administration and Support, Buildings Maintenance, Sanitation and Street Maintenance Divisions totaling 165 employees.
  • Oversee street maintenance, repairs to roadways, and drainage issues.

8. Capital Improvement Projects

Here's how public works directors use capital improvement projects:
  • Served as contract administrator on capital improvement projects.
  • Managed budgets & manpower for capital improvement projects.

9. Construction Projects

A construction project is an organized process of constructing, redeveloping, renovating, or otherwise improving a building, or structure. The project phase begins usually as a broad criterion that is then made with the help of a brief, feasibility analysis, funding, and planning. The majority of construction projects are one-time jobs.

Here's how public works directors use construction projects:
  • Prepared contract documents and reviewed/evaluated tenders for construction projects.
  • Provide construction management for Town initiated construction projects.

10. Traffic Control

Traffic control helps in the supervision of the movement of vehicles, goods, and people for safety and efficiency.

Here's how public works directors use traffic control:
  • Reviewed and prepared traffic control plans based upon Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
  • Managed right- of-way acquisition, traffic control issues, contractor coordination, construction management and overall project administration.

11. OSHA

Here's how public works directors use osha:
  • Perform Quality Control inspections to insure compliance with the Texas Railroad Commission, TCEQ and OSHA.
  • Learned and Complied with all OSHA, Post, EO, ECO and QRP regulation.

12. Construction Management

Here's how public works directors use construction management:
  • Developed and coordinate site selection, tenant build-out, construction management and strategic planning for all facility requirements.
  • Analyze, develop and implement project/construction management strategies for the completion of capital improvement projects.

13. EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a US-based organization established to sustain and improve the environmental and human health standards across the United States. EPA was established by US President Richard Nixon by executive order in December 1970. The EPA formulates laws and releases guidelines to promote the health of individuals and the ecosystem.

Here's how public works directors use epa:
  • Complete all EPA required monthly testing.
  • Interact with Regulators, ADEQ, ADWR, EPA.

14. Facilities Maintenance

Facilities maintenance is the art of keeping a building, structure, or office in an appropriate working condition. The maintenance activities can include keeping the place clean and tidy, monitoring the work, ensuring the workers or employees follow all the rules and regulations, and maintaining a sustainable and environmental-friendly workflow.

Here's how public works directors use facilities maintenance:
  • Managed facilities maintenance operations including mechanical, electrical, and HVAC.
  • Prepared bid specifications and managed facilities maintenance and service contracts.

15. Fleet Maintenance

Here's how public works directors use fleet maintenance:
  • Managed five divisions: fleet maintenance, sanitation, streets, utility systems and utility treatment (90+ employees).
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List of public works director skills to add to your resume

Public works director skills

The most important skills for a public works director resume and required skills for a public works director to have include:

  • 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
  • Fleet Maintenance
  • Performance Evaluations
  • Improvement Plan
  • Water Quality
  • Treatment Plant
  • City Streets
  • Cost Estimates
  • Landfill
  • GIS
  • Water Distribution System
  • Road Construction
  • Grounds Maintenance
  • Snow Removal
  • Collective Bargaining
  • Federal Agencies
  • Capital Budgets
  • HVAC
  • Road Maintenance
  • Environmental Compliance
  • City Facilities
  • Mowing
  • Water Lines
  • Economic Development
  • Collection Systems
  • Code Enforcement
  • DPW
  • FTE

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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