Grand Chute, Wisconsin (Pop. 23,970) the State's most populous town seeks a proven leader to serve as its Public Works Director. Located in the dynamic Fox Valley, Grand Chute is the region’s commercial and retail center. Residents enjoy big city amenities in a quiet and safe community. The Fox River Mall anchors a regional shopping, hospitality and entertainment district. Grand Chute is home to the main campus of Fox Valley Technical College; the Community First Champion Center, Fox Cities Stadium; Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve; several community and neighborhood parks; and, an extensive network of pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Learn more about the community by visiting its website.
Grand Chute is an attractive place to live and to operate a business which has, historically, resulted in consistent growth. This presents both opportunities and challenges from a public works perspective. Superior planning skills and the ability to execute that plan to maintain existing infrastructure and expand it, in light of statutory budgetary constraints, will require a professional who can educate and work with all stakeholders to develop a shared vision that will ensure the community’s continued status as a growing and vibrant community.
The salary range for this position is $115,668 to $148,699 DOQ, plus excellent benefits. Relocation assistance is available.
The Public Works Director reports to the Town Administrator. The Town is governed by a five-member non-partisan board elected to staggered two-year terms. The 2024 General Fund Budget for the Public Works Department is $4.2M, with parks, trails and forestry general fund spending adding another $750k. The Public Works Director oversees wastewater collection, potable water distribution as a wholesale customer of the City of Appleton and all aspects of stormwater management. The overall utility operating budget is $13M with another $11.7M budgeted for capital improvements. The Town’s 2024 CIP budget for non-utility expenditures is $6.8M. Department operations are organized into four divisions: Maintenance Shop, Streets, Parks and Utilities. The Director has four direct reports who lead a staff of approximately 33 full-time equivalent employees, not counting seasonal workers.
This position requires knowledge and understanding of civil engineering principles and a proven track record of successfully managing public works projects. The successful candidate will have developed and executed complex capital improvement plans as well as operating budgets. The next Director will need to be a collaborative and approachable leader, with a track record of building strong teams and managing diverse operations. The ability to recruit and retain quality staff and develop talent within the Department are crucial skills.
A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, public administration, business administration or related field is required along with eight or more years of progressively responsible municipal public works experience including preparation and/or review of complex, comprehensive engineering plans and specifications. A minimum of three years of supervisory experience is required. Registration as a Professional Engineer in Wisconsin is a preferred credential. The Town may consider any equivalent amount of credentials, licensures, training, or experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.
Email cover letter, resume, salary history and three professional references (in one PDF file) to Public Administration Associates, LLC, Attn: Bruce Stelzner, Associate at bruce.stelzner@yahoo.com by April 8, 2024. Confidentiality must be requested and cannot be guaranteed for finalists.