Deputy Director of Capital Projects

Statement of Duties

Administrative, supervisory and management work in developing and implementing strategic capital investments in the City’s buildings and building systems. Employee is responsible planning and executing continuing capital improvements to the City’s buildings, and for coordinating with the Department of Public Works for ongoing operations and maintenance. 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.

• Assists the department director in overseeing the annual recurring capital investment program to provide building code updates, ADA compliance, energy efficiency, and general improvements to all buildings owned by the City.
• Manages department staff, which includes monitoring of project progress, assistance with problem solving, staff training and completion of annual performance reviews, and general mentoring.
• Develops scopes of work and budgets for the execution of building improvement projects in consultation House Doctor services and with other key City staff.
• Monitors contracts with professional service providers (e.g., architects, engineers, owner’s project managers, licensed site professionals), and contractors to ensure the delivery of quality capital projects and required services.
• Reviews and approves project related contract amendments for services, change orders, invoices and applications for payment.
• Monitors project budgets, projects cash flows, and reports additional financial needs to senior IAM management .
• Assists the Director of Infrastructure and Asset Management (IAM) in the development and execution of long-range capital planning, and implements methods that allow the City to prioritize capital improvement projects based on multiple factors and considerations.
• Provides advice and support to department heads and elected officials regarding capital improvement projects throughout the City and attends public city hearings and meetings as needed.
• Assists in any project coordination permitting efforts with the city’s Fire Prevention and Inspectional Services divisions
• Assists the Department of Public Works in the development of plans for the routine maintenance of all City buildings, and efficient use of the City’s work order software platform (CMMS) and building management systems (BMS).
• Oversees building audits and inspections to improve planning for capital improvements and enhanced maintenance.
• Interacts with the public concerning events and incidents that arise as a result of capital projects and works with the city’s Communications team to develop effective communication strategies 
• Assists in the development of the Department’s operating budget.
• In the absence of the Director of Capital Projects, be able to make decisions and communicate on behalf of the IAM Capital Projects Division.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, or a closely related field and five to seven (5-7) years of related experience in construction, real estate, facilities management; 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 or have the ability to obtain a license or certification in engineering, architecture, construction or related profession.
• Must possess a valid MA Class D Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of building construction and maintenance; knowledge of the principles and practices of effective budgetary management, as well as financial modeling. Working knowledge of computer hardware and software in support of departmental operations.

Ability: Ability to work independently; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to handle problems effectively in response to day-to-day crises; ability to communicate effectively and persuasively in writing and in public speaking and presentations; ability to operate a computer; ability to deal appropriately with City employees, City official, contractors, trades workers and the public. Ability to synthesize complex information. Ability to prioritize projects based on multiple factors, which may include political, financial, public health and safety, etc. Ability to analyze and explain financial implications of complex capital planning decisions. Ability to recruit and train employees, foster effective team relationships and communicate with direct reports in a clear and direct manner.

Skill: Excellent organizational skills and skills in all work-related software applications. Strong conceptual, analytical, verbal and written communication skills. Outstanding administrative skills, including the ability to produce, track, and manage multiple deliverables with overlapping deadlines in a high-performing environment. Excellent meeting facilitation skills. Bilingual language skills in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian-Creole or Nepali a plus.

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 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 and/or most other office equipment, typing and/or word processing, filing, and sorting.

Visual Skills

Visual demands include constantly reading documents for general understanding and for analytical purposes and routinely reviewing maps and blueprints with a need for color vision.

Hours: Full-Time 
Salary: $110,000 - $114,000 plus annualized benefits 
FLSA Status: Exempt 
Date Posted: August 4, 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.