Deputy Director - Transportation and Operations

Job Description:

Deputy Director - Transportation and Operations

Description

Position Information

Are you ready to help lead the future of transportation in Sonoma County?
Step into a leadership role with Sonoma Public Infrastructure (SPI) as our next Deputy Director - Transportation and Operations!

Bring your expertise to the projects that keep our community moving, make a lasting impact, and lead the way in fostering a safe, sustainable community through innovation and responsible stewardship.

Starting salary up to $115.16/hour ($240,352/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation - 3% of salary County contribution to a 401(a), in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in 401(a), based upon employee contribution
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits: Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

The Deputy Director Position

The Deputy Director-Transportation and Operations (Deputy Director) oversees the day-to-day functions of several operational divisions, including integrated waste services (landfill and composting oversight), transit, the airport, water systems, and fleet operations. This role collaborates closely with the Director and fellow Deputy Directors to establish priorities, allocate resources, and advance key departmental initiatives. It also leads strategic planning, policy development, and the implementation of departmental goals related to transportation and operational services. As an executive leader, the Deputy Director provides guidance on strategic, financial, and operational matters that impact department-wide functions, including transit service delivery and funding strategies. The role works collaboratively with the Director, County leadership, the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive Office, city managers, and refuse personnel across all nine cities on high-impact and policy-sensitive issues.

The Deputy Director - Transportation and Operations will also:

• Provide executive-level oversight of landfill operations, including management of contracted landfill operator and ensuring performance, compliance, and coordination with County priorities
• Oversee major initiatives including landfill expansion, composting facility operations, and development of mitigation banking programs
• Oversee and coordinate water systems management, including rate-setting, regulatory compliance, stakeholder coordination, and management of contracts for operations and maintenance of multiple County water systems
• Lead and coordinate debris management and debris removal operations in response to major events such as winter storms, wildfires, and other debris-generating incidents, including coordination with landfill operations, FEMA, Cal OES, and consultants.
• Collaboratively work with solid waste stakeholders across the County, including all nine cities through the Zero Waste Joint Powers Authority (JPA), to develop, negotiate, and implement agreements governing solid waste flow
• Represent the County in regional solid waste policy discussions and helps shape long-term system strategies in coordination with partner jurisdictions

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a creative, forward-thinking leader who can balance immediate operational needs with long-term strategic planning and confidently manage a diverse portfolio of complex projects. They will excel at leading diverse teams, building strong working relationships, and driving results with a high level of accountability for program delivery and overall performance. They will also possess many of the following:

• A strong background in public works operations, with emphasis in solid waste, landfill operations, transit systems, environmental programs, or related fields
• Experience managing contracted operations, including landfill, transit, or environmental services
• Experience leveraging and securing state and federal funding for transit and transportation programs
• Experience working with regional agencies or joint powers authorities (JPA) and multi-jurisdictional coordination
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-disciplinary programs and large operational teams
• Demonstrated leadership in delivering major infrastructure, environmental, or transit-related projects
• Working knowledge of:
  • Landfill operations and expansion projects
  • Composting facilities and organic waste management
  • Environmental regulations (state and federal)
  • Water systems operations, rate-setting, and contract management
  • Mitigation banking and environmental resource management
  • Public transit systems, including service planning, operations, and performance management
  • Transit-oriented communities (TOC) and transit-oriented development (TOD) principles

Note: This position will obtain a Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) certification within one (1) year of appointment.

About the Department

Sonoma Public Infrastructure (SPI) plans, builds, manages, and maintains the County of Sonoma's investment in critical services and quality infrastructure. SPI's multiple Divisions are dedicated to providing construction and maintenance services throughout the community, including:

• Administration
• Airport - operates and maintains airfield facilities for general and commercial services as well as corporate, recreational, law enforcement, emergency medical transport, and firefighting aircraft
• Integrated Waste (Refuse) - provides ecologically sound solid waste disposal, natural gas recovery, recycling, community hazardous waste disposal, and composting programs to the County
• Roads - performs design, construction, and maintenance of all roads, bridges, and minor drainage systems within the County road system, and keeps roads open and safely passable for the public
• Transit - delivers cost effective public transportation services to meet the public's transit needs
• Water Systems - operates, maintains, and improves the Fitch Mountain, Salmon Creek, Freestone, and Jenner water systems
• Fleet Operations
• Facilities Development Management

About Sonoma County

The County of Sonoma offers a rare and compelling array of scenic, recreational, and geographic characteristics that include over 200 award winning wineries, majestic redwoods, inspiring coastline and beaches, and the vibrant Russian River. Encompassing over one million acres of land and water, rich with agriculture, parks, campsites, lakes, and open spaces, the County is home to over 500,000 residents and offers a wide variety of art and music festivals, farmers' markets, and concert venues. Local schools continually rank high on California's Academic Performance Index, and the Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma State University offer higher education opportunities.

Please visit sonomacountyconnections.org for more information about Sonoma County, the place to live, work, and build your career.

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory .

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Deputy Director - Transportation and Operations position in Sonoma Public Infrastructure. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Extensive professional experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein. Normally five years of full-time, professional public works management; recycling, marketing and solid waste management; transit, transportation planning or transportation engineering; or airport facilities management experience including at least two years of experience equivalent to a public works division manager with Sonoma County, would provide such opportunity.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level, including special endorsements as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement does require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Extensive knowledge of: the operation and maintenance of large-scale public works projects; state and federal laws relative to the operation and maintenance of public works projects.

Thorough knowledge of: the principles and practices of personnel and fiscal administration, including the budgetary process, principles of supervision, staff development and training; the principles and practices of contract negotiation and administration; economic research and feasibility as it relates to public works projects.

Considerable knowledge of: English syntax and grammar.

Ability to: plan, organize and direct the activities of a large staff of highly specialized professional, technical, maintenance, operational, and clerical personnel; establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with coworkers, subordinates, representatives of other governmental agencies, private contractors, private organizations, consulting engineers and architects, and the general public; prepare and implement administrative and fiscal policies and controls; coordinate divisional program activities with other Department Divisions and other public entities; determine organizational needs and functional changes in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness; provide effective leadership in the development of new or improved procedures; analyze and review staff reports and recommendations and to give constructive criticism; effectively assemble, organize and present in written and/or oral form, reports containing alternative solutions and recommendations regarding specific resources, plans and policies; speak before groups regarding department plans, projects, and functions.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions maybe scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination, which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: JT
HR Technician: NM

Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits: Management*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to Human Resources or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at [email protected] or (707) 565-2900.

*Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 6/30/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$197,754.62 - $240,352.74 Annually