Assistant Director, Public Works (UC)

About Los Angeles County Public Works

Public Works delivers essential infrastructure and municipal services to residents and businesses throughout Los Angeles County. Its operations span Construction Management, Environmental Services, Transportation, Water Resources, and Municipal Services. The Department has approximately 4,000 employees, operates with a fiscal year 2026–27 budget of approximately $4.1 billion, and manages more than 211 active capital projects valued at nearly $4.1 billion.

The opportunity

• Provide executive oversight and accountability for major business service areas, including operational performance, capital planning, and fiscal stewardship.
• Align personnel, budgets, business plans, and long-term infrastructure strategies with County and regional priorities.
• Advance initiatives involving climate resilience, transportation innovation, infrastructure integration, sustainability, and operational improvement.
• Translate Board and County policies into effective operational strategies.
• Advise the Director of Public Works and collaborate with County leadership, elected officials, regulatory agencies, public agencies, communities, and regional stakeholders.
• Develop senior managers, strengthen the leadership pipeline, and maintain organizational continuity through effective succession planning.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Current registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of California. The license must be active, unrestricted, and in good standing when the candidate applies and must be maintained throughout employment.
• Five years of leadership experience in a large, complex organization, including responsibility for infrastructure systems, engineering operations and services, major capital programs, or public works functions.

Desirable qualifications

• Success leading large, multidisciplinary organizations through multiple levels of management.
• Experience overseeing significant operating and capital budgets.
• Experience developing strategic plans and long-term infrastructure investment priorities.
• Executive governance or delivery experience involving major capital improvement programs.
• Experience advising executive leadership, governing boards, elected officials, regulatory agencies, community stakeholders, and external partners.
• Expertise in organizational strategy, transformation, business-process improvement, and workforce optimization.
• An advanced degree in business administration, public administration, law, civil engineering, or a closely related field.
• Experience developing long-range financial strategies, assessing financial and operational risks, and conducting cost-benefit analyses.
• Experience involving land use, real estate law, property development, or related regulatory matters.

Pay

The annual salary range is $235,440–$366,158. The starting salary will depend on the selected candidate’s qualifications and career accomplishments.

Benefits

Los Angeles County offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health and dependent-care benefits, retirement and deferred-compensation plans, flexible spending accounts, paid leave, and 13 paid holidays annually.