City of Pismo Beach
Lead, Innovate, and Serve – Build Your Career in Pismo Beach
The City of Pismo Beach invites dynamic and experienced leaders to apply for the limited-term position of Assistant Public Works Director.
This is an exciting opportunity to make an immediate impact on the infrastructure, public spaces, and essential services that keep our coastal community thriving. Overseeing a broad range of public works functions, including engineering, streets, parks, fleet, facilities, and capital projects, this position will help drive key initiatives, strengthen departmental operations, and bring complex projects from vision to reality. We seek a proactive, solutions-driven leader who combines strategic thinking with a collaborative approach, builds strong partnerships, and delivers results that make a tangible difference in the community.
The Assistant Public Works Director will provide hands-on leadership of daily operations, ensuring services are delivered effectively, resources are used responsibly, and staff have the direction and support needed to succeed. Balancing immediate operational demands with long-term priorities, the Assistant Director will also identify opportunities to improve service delivery, embrace emerging technologies, and advance initiatives that strengthen efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.
As part of the City’s long-term succession planning efforts, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop the broad departmental knowledge, leadership capabilities, and strategic perspective necessary to support future leadership continuity within the Public Works Department. This experience is intended to support the development of a strong leadership pipeline and the department’s long-term organizational needs.
The City of Pismo Beach offers a highly competitive salary and benefits package, including CalPERS retirement, $8,000 annually toward deferred compensation contributions, up to $2,500 monthly health benefit allowance, and 56 hours of Administrative Leave per fiscal year. The salary range for Assistant Public Works Director is $160,118 – $194,625 Annually. The city offers relocation assistance up to $10,000, to be negotiated.
Qualified candidates possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and five (5) years of management and/or administrative experience in professional engineering, capital improvement programs, and public works management and operations. All highly qualified candidates from existing Assistant or Deputy Directors to aspiring professionals (e.g., Superintendents, Operations Managers, and Supervisors) are encouraged to apply. The City Manager will consider a broad spectrum of talented individuals.
To review the Assistant Public Works Director brochure or to apply today, please visit ASSISTANT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR BROCHURE.
Prospective candidates are encouraged to schedule a virtual or in-person informational meeting with the City Manager. To arrange a meeting or make a confidential inquiry, please contact Bianka Buchanan, Human Resources Officer, at (805) 773-7004 or HR@pismobeach.org.
In-person interviews are scheduled for December 9, 2026, with final interviews to follow on December 10, 2026.