Website City of Keizer
THE CITY OF KEIZER – PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
Our first review of applications will begin on December 3, 2025.
This is an opportunity to join an organization with a strong service ethic, a supportive team, and an outstanding work culture. As part of the City’s leadership team, you will help guide Keizer alongside a close-knit group that relies on one another to achieve the best outcomes and make our city a great place to live, work, and play. We challenge each other, we laugh often, and we get things done. Our employees have built this positive environment over many years, and we celebrate it with regular citywide gatherings, often sharing a meal together.
THE ROLE
Under the general direction of the City Manager, this Department Director position plans, directs, coordinates, and evaluates the activities and operations of the Public Works Department, including the Divisions of Water, Stormwater and Street, Parks and Facility Maintenance, and Environmental and Technical.
THE COMMUNITY
The City of Keizer is located in the beautiful Willamette Valley with Oregon’s largest city, Portland, to the north, and the state capitol, Salem, bordering Keizer to the south. Oregon coastline and mountains are located just west and east of Keizer within a one-hour drive.
Our weather is moderate throughout the year with summer temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s. Keizer’s population is 39,249 and is the 16th largest city in Oregon. In spite of its growth since the 1990’s, Keizer continues to preserve its small-town pride by supporting many volunteer organizations and community-wide events. Some notable events include the KeizerFEST and parade, the Miracle of Lights lighting display, the Holiday Lights parade, concerts in the parks, and the Keizer Art Walk.
THE DEPARTMENT
The Keizer Public Works Department is the second-largest department (after police) with 27 full-time regular employees. Its principal business areas are:
- Ensuring safe, clean drinking water
- Ensuring proper protections for stormwater and natural resources
- Managing and repairing street signs
- Providing street sweeping
- Repairing and maintaining catch basins, manholes, potholes, water mains and water meters
- Maintaining the city’s parks and trails
- Maintaining city vehicles and facilities
- Issuing and inspecting permits for work in the Right-of-Way, sidewalks, and new development
- Maintaining our Emergency Preparedness Plan
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The City of Keizer is looking for a dynamic and forward-thinking Public Works Director who possesses the following qualities:
- Strategic & Visionary: Proven ability to create and execute long-range infrastructure and capital improvement plans that align with council priorities and community growth.
- Technical Expert: Strong foundation in engineering principles, public works systems, and environmental regulations; ability to evaluate complex technical reports and data.
- Proven Mentor & Leader: Demonstrated record of motivating multidisciplinary teams, resolving conflicts, coaching managers, and fostering accountability and professional growth.
- Public Service Ethic: Commitment to responsiveness, transparency, and equitable service delivery; ability to represent the city professionally with citizens and the media.
- Collaborative Communicator: Skilled at engaging staff, elected officials, partner agencies, and the public.
- Financial Steward: Competence in developing and administering multimillion-dollar departmental budgets, understanding municipal operations & regulatory compliance, monitoring expenditures, and aligning resources with outcomes.
- Innovative Problem Solver: Capable of analyzing departmental operations, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing sustainable, data-driven improvements.
- Integrity & Accountability: High ethical standards, sound judgment, and reliability in representing the interests of a municipality.
- Candidates with a Professional Engineer license or engineering experience are encouraged to apply.
The City’s talent acquisition goals include hiring the candidate who is best able to meet the performance objectives of the role. We encourage persons with non-traditional skill sets and experiences to apply, even if you believe you do not meet 100% of the qualifications and hiring criteria described.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
We are looking for candidates who at a minimum have a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration or Business Administration, Management, Engineering, or related field and five years of progressively responsible public works experience as well as a minimum of three (3) years of mid-management or higher experience.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
The annual salary range for this position is $124,488 – $162,427. The City offers a highly competitive benefits package including health, dental, vision at 90% to 100% premiums paid by the city, vacation, sick, and personal leave, and 11 paid holidays. The City of Keizer is a PERS-participating employer, and contributes the 6% ‘pick up’ as well as 6% to the employee’s deferred compensation program.
TO APPLY
For more information, including the full job description, benefits, or to submit your application, visit the job announcement on the City of Keizer website. https://www.keizeror.gov/543/Current-Job-Openings
Interested candidates can also contact:
Garrett Klever
HR Director, City of Keizer
(503)-856-3417
To apply for this job please visit www.keizeror.gov.