Director of Operations

Statement of Duties:

The Director of Operations is responsible for the planning, maintenance and management of the city’s physical systems and has operational responsibility for snow operations, Sanitation, Buildings, Grounds, Fleet Division, Lights and Lines, and maintenance of DPW owned equipment. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Develops and implements Departmental policy
• Ensures consistency of Departmental operations.
• Coordinates work and assignments of all division within the Department, reviews work schedules and deployment of equipment.
• Responsible for operation of the Department’s operations center for snow emergency and coordinates all related efforts such as sanding, plowing, assigning employees and contractors.
• Assists in recruitment, screening and orientation of new employees.
• Monitors all utility work, private contractors, city waste contracts and subcontractors.
• Directs operative contact to state agencies regarding Homeland Security and Emergency Management guidelines.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with the random drug screening program for all DOT employees in the City.
• Functions in public relations capacity for the Department of Public Works, as needed.
• Works with State Agencies such as MassDOT, DCR, etc.to ensure proper operation management
• Develops and implements Standard Operating Procedures
• Utilizes knowledge of the Massachusetts Purchasing Laws and City procurement to obtain and pay for services.
• Direct DPW work to crews through appropriate Superintendents
• Responsible for developing, implementing, and communicating emergency response plans to prepare for possible dangerous weather events such as micro-bursts, flooding, snow, etc.
• Responsible for effective management of DPW employees (union and non-union)
• Supports the Finance Director and Commissioner in development and defense of the Budget.
• Supports the Commissioner in personnel matters, including discharging discipline and hearing grievances

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience: Graduate of a four year college with Bachelor’s degree and five to seven (5-7) years of experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Special Requirements:

• Must possess an OSHA 10 card (minimum), OSHA 30 card recommended
• Must possess a valid Massachusetts Class D driver’s license (minimum), CDL B with airbrake endorsement preferred

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill:

Knowledge: Some knowledge and experience with personnel management; considerable knowledge of materials, methods, and techniques relative to building maintenance, parks and playground maintenance, and/or highway operations, vendor management, fleet operations and management, and capital asset management. General knowledge of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Knowledge of Massachusetts Purchasing Laws and City procurement procedures, preferred.

Abilities: Ability to communicate work assignments and supervise subordinates; ability to express ideas effectively, both orally and in writing; ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with employees and the public; ability to program and schedule activities on a long and short term

basis; ability to express oneself clearly and concisely in oral and written form. Ability to identify dig safe markings.

Skill: Skilled in cost estimating for budget purposes; skilled in public relations and supervision of employees.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills

Little or no physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves standing or sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as books, office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.)

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone system, computer, tablet, and/or most other office equipment, typing and/or word processing, filing, and sorting.

Visual Skills

Visual demands include constantly reading documents and screens (phones, computers, tablets) for general understanding and for analytical purposes and routinely reviewing maps and blueprints with a need for color vision.

Hours: Full-Time
Salary: $120,000 annualized, plus benefits.
FLSA: Exempt 
Union: Non-Union
Date Posted: April 1st, 2026 

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The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact the ADA Coordinator at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or ADA@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.