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What is a public works director and how to become one
The public works director is responsible for planning, implementing, and managing public projects in the community. These projects can vary widely, from disaster preparedness to school lunch programs and from public sanitation to troubled youth intervention efforts.
Similar to the types of projects they handle, the duties of a public works director also vary. But in general, their job revolves around attending meetings with program leaders, facilitating program execution, evaluating the effectiveness of programs, managing departmental budgets, communicating with public officials, and addressing public work concerns.
The position of a public works director usually requires at least a four-year degree in public administration, civil engineering, business, or something similar. Furthermore, an aspiring public works director must have a substantial amount of work experience before they can qualify, which can range from at least five to ten years.
In terms of salary, a public works director takes home an average of $99,000 a year. Individuals working in healthcare, finance, and nonprofit companies can earn even higher than that.
Avg. Salary $88,965
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 6%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%
Asian 7.48%
Black or African American 3.67%
Hispanic or Latino 7.57%
Unknown 3.88%
White 76.75%
Genderfemale 8.57%
male 91.43%
Age - 52American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 52Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Public Works Director career paths
Key steps to become a public works director
Explore public works director education requirements
Start to develop specific public works director skills
Skills 
Percentages Public Works 12.32% Infrastructure 10.31% Building Maintenance 7.60% Oversight 6.10% Project Management 5.60% Research public works director duties and 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.
Get public works director experience
Generally, it takes more than 10 years to become a public works director. The most common roles before becoming a public works director include project manager, civil engineer team lead and project engineer.Prepare your public works director resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your public works director resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a public works director resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Public Works Director Resume templates
Build a professional Public Works Director resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Public Works Director resume.
Apply for public works director jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a public works director job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
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Average public works director salary
The average Public Works Director salary in the United States is $88,965 per year or $43 per hour. Public works director salaries range between $58,000 and $134,000 per year.
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Public Works Director reviews
Antigienic people, irresponsible people, lazy employees
Updated January 8, 2025
