Urgent! Director of Public Utilities Job Opening In Portland – Now Hiring Motus Recruiting and Staffing
OVERVIEW OF THE DIRECTOR OF PORTLAND PUBLIC UTILITIES POSITION:
The City of Portland is seeking a transformational leader to serve as its first Director of Public Utility Services, a newly created executive role jointly overseeing the Water and Environmental Services bureaus.
This role is the cornerstone of Portland’s One Water vision—unifying drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater services under a single leader for the first time in the city’s history.
This position is part of a broader structural transformation under Portland’s new council–mayor–administrator form of government.
The Mayor acts as the city’s chief executive, directing policy and budget, while the City Administrator manages day-to-day operations.
Bureaus are now organized into six strategic service areas led by Deputy City Administrators.
The Director reports directly to the Deputy City Administrator (DCA) for Public Works, who is responsible for setting integrated strategies, aligning citywide priorities, and overseeing performance across all Public Works bureaus.
With a combined workforce of over 1,200 employees and an annual budget exceeding $1 billion, the Director is the senior executive responsible for service delivery, operations, regulatory compliance, financial stewardship, One Water strategy implementation, and cultural transformation across two historically independent utility bureaus.
This is a high-visibility leadership role that will reshape Portland’s infrastructure future—centered on equity, climate resilience, and affordability—and will work closely with the DCA to realize the City’s strategic goals.
This executive-level position will lead the strategic integration of the Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services (BES).
The Director is accountable for delivering high-quality utility services to over 650,000 Portlanders while aligning efforts with the City’s climate action, racial equity, and economic justice goals.
Key responsibilities include capital investment planning, utility finance oversight, regulatory compliance, labor-management collaboration, transparent community engagement, and coordination with the Portland Utility Board.
The Director will execute strategic direction established by the Deputy City Administrator under Portland’s new service area model, ensuring alignment across bureaus, service areas, and partner agencies.
WHAT YOU’LL LEAD:
Strategic integration of leadership functions across the Water Bureau and BES
A high-performing executive team delivering core utility services to over 650,000 residents
Cross-cutting policy aligned with Portland’s climate action, racial equity, and justice goals
Major capital programs including water filtration, sewer modernization, and green infrastructure
A cultural shift rooted in transparency, frontline empowerment, and operational excellence
Constructive labor-management partnerships that foster a positive, safe workplace
Transparent public engagement that centers the voices of historically underserved communities
Utility infrastructure alignment with broader city initiatives
Risk mitigation, emergency preparedness, and climate-adaptive utility planning
Execution of strategic priorities from the DCA for Public Works
Collaboration with the Portland Utility Board for equitable, community-informed decision-making
ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE DIRECTOR OF PORTLAND PUBLIC UTILITIES:
You are an experienced public utility or infrastructure executive with a proven record of leading large, complex organizations through transformational change.
You thrive in politically nuanced, high-accountability environments, and you move comfortably between conversations with regulators, engineers, frontline workers, elected officials, and community organizers.
You believe that transparent governance and public trust are foundational to effective utility management.
You bring strong communication skills, political savvy, and a deep understanding of the value of culturally responsive community engagement, inclusive labor relations, and frontline empowerment.
You understand the importance of advisory oversight and are committed to building strong, respectful relationships with bodies like the Portland Utility Board.
You don’t shy away from legacy challenges—you meet them with vision, clarity, and courage.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE DIRECTOR OF PORTLAND PUBLIC UTILITIES :
Minimum 7–10 years of executive leadership experience in water, wastewater, stormwater, environmental services, or related public-sector infrastructure
Bachelor’s degree in public administration, engineering, environmental policy, or related field; master’s degree (e.g., MPA, MBA, MS) strongly preferred
Proven success in leading organizational transformation and unifying siloed teams
Expertise in utility finance, rate setting, and capital delivery within regulatory frameworks (e.g., SDWA, CWA, MS4, UIC)
Strong experience collaborating with labor unions and labor-management committees
Deep commitment to racial equity, environmental justice, and workforce inclusion
Familiarity with city administrator–led government structures and centralized performance accountability models
Exceptional communication and political acumen with the ability to engage media, labor, City Council, regulators, and community partners
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Unlock Your Director of Potential: Insight & Career Growth Guide
Real-time Director of Jobs Trends in Portland, United States (Graphical Representation)
Explore profound insights with Expertini's real-time, in-depth analysis, showcased through the graph below. This graph displays the job market trends for Director of in Portland, United States using a bar chart to represent the number of jobs available and a trend line to illustrate the trend over time. Specifically, the graph shows 110655 jobs in United States and 543 jobs in Portland. This comprehensive analysis highlights market share and opportunities for professionals in Director of roles. These dynamic trends provide a better understanding of the job market landscape in these regions.
Great news! Motus Recruiting and Staffing is currently hiring and seeking a Director of Public Utilities to join their team. Feel free to download the job details.
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An organization's rules and standards set how people should be treated in the office and how different situations should be handled. The work culture at Motus Recruiting and Staffing adheres to the cultural norms as outlined by Expertini.
The fundamental ethical values are:The average salary range for a Director of Public Utilities Jobs United States varies, but the pay scale is rated "Standard" in Portland. Salary levels may vary depending on your industry, experience, and skills. It's essential to research and negotiate effectively. We advise reading the full job specification before proceeding with the application to understand the salary package.
Key qualifications for Director of Public Utilities typically include Other Management Occupations and a list of qualifications and expertise as mentioned in the job specification. Be sure to check the specific job listing for detailed requirements and qualifications.
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Before the Interview:To prepare for your Director of Public Utilities interview at Motus Recruiting and Staffing, research the company, understand the job requirements, and practice common interview questions.
Highlight your leadership skills, achievements, and strategic thinking abilities. Be prepared to discuss your experience with HR, including your approach to meeting targets as a team player. Additionally, review the Motus Recruiting and Staffing's products or services and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to their success.
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