Assistant Director - Department of Transportation

Posting number: FY27-00029

Department: Transportation

Job classification: Assistant Director - Department of Transportation

Posting type: Open (External and Internal)

Categories: Transportation, Management, Construction Maintenance, Construction Trades

Summary

One City. One Team. One Mission

The City of Wilmington is seeking an Assistant Director of Transportation to provide strategic leadership in shaping the future of streets, stormwater, transportation safety, customer service, and critical infrastructure—helping build a safer, more connected, and resilient community.

The purpose of this position is to assist in directing the City’s stormwater and street programs, including capital planning, operations, asset management, planning, customer service, and associated revenues. Duties include directing the systematic management of transportation and stormwater infrastructure, leading asset management initiatives for stormwater and street infrastructure, managing budgets, overseeing capital improvement projects, and overseeing customer service initiatives related to water quality and transportation infrastructure. Other duties include responding to severe weather events, serving on committees, providing highly responsible support to the Director of Transportation, and acting in their absence when required.

Examples of duties

• Provide executive leadership and strategic oversight for the Customer Service, Streets, and Stormwater Maintenance divisions within the Department of Transportation, ensuring alignment with departmental goals and service priorities.
• Assist the Director of Transportation in evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of departmental operations by monitoring workloads, administrative and support processes, standard operating procedures, and identifying and implementing operational improvements.
• Lead and develop division staff by establishing priorities, assigning and monitoring work, ensuring compliance with policies and procedures, evaluating performance, recommending operational adjustments, and supporting employee growth and professional development.
• Oversee the administration of the streets and sidewalk program through staff responsible for infrastructure asset management, data systems, lifecycle planning, capital and maintenance budgeting, program planning, public communication, and coordination with internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee the administration of the stormwater and street maintenance operations by working with supervisory staff to establish maintenance priorities, reviewing plans for drainage improvement projects, recommend solutions for complex maintenance issues, coordinate emergency response activities, and optimize operational resource allocation.
• Oversee the administration of the Customer Service division operations by directing work priorities and continuous service improvements, including public communications, website
• content, reporting, budgeting, purchasing, administrative functions, and customer response activities.
• Provide clear guidance to staff and stakeholders on departmental policies and operations to ensure their proper implementation, including supporting the development and enforcement of department procedures.
• Provide guidance to staff and stakeholders regarding department policies and operations to ensure appropriate application.
• Respond to and resolve sensitive customer inquiries as appropriate, as well as inquiries from executive and elected leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in engineering, public administration, planning, business administration, or a related field and five (5) years of relevant experience.
• Valid Class C Driver's License
• Professional Engineer, AICP, or similar certification
• Ability to obtain and maintain all City of Wilmington FEMA and OSHA required certifications.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of modern principles and practices of construction methodologies, communications, and municipal budget preparation.
• Knowledge of principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation with applicable knowledge in the practices and principles of employee relations administration.
• Knowledge of pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations.
• Knowledge of principles and practices related to street and sidewalk program administration, regulatory compliance, and municipal transportation operations. Ability to analyze programs, policies and operational needs.
• Ability to delegate authority and responsibilities appropriately.
• Ability to identify and respond to concerns and needs from customers, executive management and staff.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and coordinate large, diverse teams across maintenance and operations functions

Supplemental information

• Office Work: Primarily sedentary, involving prolonged sitting, computer use, telephone and office equipment operation, and standard office tasks. Requires visual acuity, hearing, and manual dexterity for reviewing documents, analyzing data, and completing administrative responsibilities.

• Field Work: Regular visits to transportation, streets, and stormwater sites may require standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, pushing, pulling, and lifting or carrying objects up to 10 pounds occasionally. Employees may encounter uneven terrain, traffic, construction areas, and outdoor weather conditions and must use appropriate personal protective equipment.

• General Requirements: The position involves occasional travel to meetings, evening events, or after-hours response. All work is performed in compliance with applicable State and Federal OSHA regulations, including hazard communication, personal protective equipment, and slip, trip, and fall prevention.