Deputy Director-Durham Public Works

TOWN OF DURHAM |  NEW HAMPSHIRE

DEPUTY DIRECTOR- DURHAM PUBLIC WORKS

A leadership opportunity in New Hampshire’s Seacoast region

$92,235 – $117,390 | 2026 salary range, depending on qualifications

Help lead a progressive, fully integrated Public Works Team in Durham, New Hampshire, home to the University of New Hampshire’s flagship campus. We are seeking a collaborative, hands-on leader who enjoys developing people, solving practical challenges, and helping shape the infrastructure and services that make a community thrive.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Working closely with the Director of Public Works and an experienced team of professionals and skilled operators, the Deputy Director provides managerial, technical, and operational leadership across transportation and highway maintenance, stormwater and drainage, water and wastewater treatment, collection and distribution, facilities and grounds, cemeteries, fleet maintenance, solid waste and recycling, and capital improvements.

• Lead and support supervisors and employees while fostering teamwork, accountability, professional development, and safety.
• Coordinate daily operations, seasonal maintenance, winter weather response, and infrastructure emergencies.
• Help plan and deliver capital projects, assess infrastructure needs, and work with contractors, consultants, and community partners.
• Work with team to develop and manage operating and capital budgets, purchasing, fleet replacement, and improvements in service delivery and technology.
• Collaborate with residents, Town leadership, UNH, utilities, contractors, and regulatory agencies.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

We welcome applicants with varied professional paths and transferable experience. Candidates should bring strong leadership and communication skills; practical knowledge of public works construction, maintenance, and equipment; sound judgment; and familiarity with budgeting, safety, and personnel practices.

Minimum qualifications: Associate degree in Engineering Technology, Public Administration, Construction Management, or a related field; at least five years of progressively responsible experience, including three years in highway maintenance, construction, buildings, and grounds maintenance, and two years in a supervisory capacity. Relevant experience may substitute for formal education; equivalent combinations of education, training, and experience are encouraged. Valid Class B CDL with airbrake endorsement, Grade 1 Water Operator Distribution and Treatment License  or ability to obtain within one year of hire. Emergency response availability is required.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

2026 salary range: $92,235–$117,390, depending on qualifications. Benefits include the New Hampshire Retirement System, health and dental insurance, and paid time off. A copy of the job description is located on the Town of Durham’s website:   https://www.durhamnh.gov/Jobs.aspx 

HOW TO APPLY

Send a resume and letter of interest to: Assistant to the Public Works Director, Town of Durham, 100 Stone Quarry Drive, Durham, NH 03824, or SShaw@ci.durham.nh.us 

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. First consideration: November 18, 2026. Final deadline: December 4, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. EST. Interviews may be scheduled before the closing date.

The Town of Durham is an equal opportunity employer.

TOWN OF DURHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE

DEPUTY DIRECTOR -DURHAM PUBLIC WORKS

Department: Durham Public Works | Reports to: Director of Public Works | Position: Salaried leadership role

THE OPPORTUNITY

Help lead a progressive, fully integrated public works department in New Hampshire’s Seacoast region. Home to the University of New Hampshire’s flagship campus, Durham offers an unusually varied and rewarding municipal infrastructure environment. The Deputy Director works closely with the Director and a skilled team to deliver essential services, guide staff, improve operations, and advance projects that residents experience every day. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for a collaborative problem-solver who enjoys both planning for the future and making things happen in the field.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the general direction of the Director of Public Works, the Deputy Director provides senior managerial, administrative, technical, and operational leadership for the operation, maintenance, and construction of the Town of Durham's public works infrastructure, including roadway systems, sidewalks, traffic controls, stormwater and drainage, bridges, dams, and water and wastewater coordination, along with buildings, facilities and grounds, cemeteries, fleet maintenance, solid waste and recycling, and capital improvements. The Deputy Director helps establish priorities, coordinates division supervisors and staff, manages resources, and is responsible for maintaining and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of all areas under their direction. The position requires a thorough knowledge of public works operations and the exercise of judgment and initiative, particularly in situations not clearly defined by precedent or established procedures.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITY AND SKILLS REQUIRED

• Expertise in construction and maintenance methods for streets, roads, and sidewalks; stormwater, drainage, and water collection and distribution systems; winter operations; and other municipal facilities and infrastructure.
• Knowledge of fleet equipment, vehicle licensing requirements, and the equipment and machinery used in public works operations.
• Knowledge of effective management practices, team building, supervision, employee and labor relations, personnel management, public procurement, and budget management.
• Knowledge of workplace safety programs, safe work practices, and applicable environmental and operational requirements.
• Proficiency in Federal, State, Town, and Department policies, procedures, zoning, building systems, and ordinances.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, construction drawings, specifications, and work plans, and to understand construction techniques, methods, and materials.
• Ability to assess infrastructure conditions, evaluate alternatives, set priorities, organize competing demands, and make timely decisions in routine and emergency situations.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both written and oral form. Ability to communicate effectively with the public, co-workers, other employees, departments, officials, and other agencies.
• Ability to establish and maintain constructive and supportive working relationships with employees, department heads, the Town Council, the University of New Hampshire, contractors, utilities, residents, and outside agencies.
• Requires a collaborative, service-oriented leadership style, initiative, flexibility, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Requires skill in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite, GIS, work-order, and asset-management systems, or the ability to learn them.
• Requires exposure to outside weather and work around active construction and maintenance operations.

IMPACT

Requires responsibility for achieving Public Works objectives across multiple divisions and organizational units. Errors at this level may affect department-wide operations, public safety, regulatory compliance, and Town finances, and may result in significant monetary, legal, or public-relations consequences.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Works under the general direction of the Director of Public Works. May act on behalf of the Director when designated.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Directly supervises and provides functional oversight to division supervisors and divisional employees. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Town policies and applicable laws, including recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; coaching and appraising performance; addressing complaints and resolving problems; and making recommendations to the Director of Public Works. Fosters teamwork, accountability, employee development, and a positive safety culture.

COMPLEXITY

Requires a wide range of varied and complex job functions demanding considerable judgment, initiative, and flexibility in handling a significant number of details, each differing in substance and content. Requires analyzing technical information, evaluating alternatives, and developing sound recommendations. Requires frequent interaction with residents, businesses, institutions, officials, and outside agencies to coordinate work, resolve issues, and respond to requests.

INDEPENDENT ACTION

Requires independent judgment in planning, organizing, and directing the work of multiple divisions within the framework of departmental goals, policies, and applicable laws. Exercises discretion in situations not clearly defined by precedent or established procedures, including emergency operations, under the general direction of the Director of Public Works.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinates and manages the day-to-day operations of the Highway, Buildings and Grounds, Cemeteries, Solid Waste and Recycling, Fleet Maintenance, Traffic Control, and Water divisions.
• Works with division supervisors to establish seasonal schedules, assign personnel and equipment, monitor progress, and address operational challenges.
• Assists the Director in planning and implementing short-term, long-term, and seasonal projects, and in shaping departmental goals, policies, work plans, performance measures, and long-range priorities.
• Establishes annual goals, objectives, and strategies for divisional projects and programs to ensure efficient organization and completion of work.
• Helps develop and execute maintenance programs and capital projects for roads, sidewalks, drainage, utilities, facilities, and other municipal assets, including coordination of contractors and consultants.
• Inspects and evaluates roadway pavement, drainage systems, facilities, and other infrastructure, and recommends maintenance priorities, repair methods, and improvements to the Director of Public Works.
• Implements and manages snow and ice control, severe-weather response, and other infrastructure emergencies on a 24 hour – 7 day per week basis, including coordination of personnel and contractors.
• Develops the roadside tree trimming/removal program, including designating trees for removal and ensuring work is completed to conformance.
• Develops, recommends, and implements the Public Works Employee Safety Program; instructs and trains employees in safe work procedures, equipment operation, standard operating procedures, and safety regulations; and conducts field observations and audits to confirm environmental, safety, DOT, and other objectives are achieved.
• Prepares and recommends operating and capital budgets, monitors expenditures, and prepares purchase specifications, procurement documents, material requisitions, and project estimates.
• Evaluates fleet equipment condition, oversees fleet maintenance, and recommends priorities and specifications for fleet unit replacements and additions.
• Maintains and improves operational records, work orders, project cost tracking, materials, timekeeping, schedules, and infrastructure information systems.
• Recommends new divisional operating policies and procedures, oversees their implementation and effectiveness, and identifies opportunities to improve reliability, efficiency, asset management, technology use, and customer service.
• Handles personnel matters, including recommending candidates for hire, onboarding, coaching, performance evaluation, discipline, resolution of workplace concerns, approval of leave requests, and payroll, in accordance with Town policies.
• Interacts frequently with residents, businesses, contractors, the University of New Hampshire, utility providers, consultants, and regulatory agencies to coordinate work, resolve service requests, and advance projects.
• Represents the department as assigned and provides operational supervision as directed by the Director of Public Works.
• Performs special projects and other related duties as required, directed, or as the situation dictates.
• Regular attendance at the workplace is required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate degree in Engineering Technology, Public Administration, Construction Management, or a related field. Relevant years of experience may be substituted for formal education.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience, including three (3) years in a combination of highway maintenance, construction, and buildings and grounds maintenance.
• Two (2) years of supervisory experience.
• Valid Class B CDL with air brake endorsement, or the ability to obtain within one (1) year of hire.
• Valid Grade 1 Water Distribution and Treatment Operator’s License, or the ability to obtain within one (1) year of hire.
• Candidates with equivalent combinations of applicable education, training, and experience are encouraged to apply.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

This is a salaried position. Work combines office, field, and jobsite settings and includes travel between Town facilities and sites. Must be available 24/7 for emergency operations, including nights, weekends, winter weather events, building system failures, and water system emergencies.

2026 salary range: $92,235–$117,390, depending on qualifications. Benefits include participation in the New Hampshire Retirement System, health and dental insurance, and paid time off.

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT

This class specification is descriptive of general duties and is not intended to list every specific function of this class title.