Operations Superintendent

Description

The City of Sumner is seeking a qualified and motivated Operations Superintendent to join our team. This leadership role is key to overseeing essential public operations that keep our community running smoothly.

This position is open until filled, with the first review of applications beginning May 4, 2026.

About Sumner:
The City of Sumner’s vision is to set the standard of excellence for a progressive small city. In working to achieve that vision, Sumner prioritizes and celebrates diverse perspectives, life experiences and differences. The City actively seeks and encourages people with diverse backgrounds and characteristics to apply and all come together with a goal of continuing to learn and improve to better serve the residents, businesses and visitors of our community. Sumner remains a traditional city of just over 11,000 residents with agricultural roots, known for decades as the Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World. At the same time, its compact, walkable layout aligns perfectly with progressive planning trends, as its classic Main Street becomes repurposed for boutiques, independent restaurants and daily services such as legal offices, financial advisors and doctors. While Sumner retains historic neighborhoods of Craftsman houses and an active high school right on Main Street, it also offers over 16,000 manufacturing and distribution jobs for companies such as REI, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Amazon.com, and Dillanos Coffee Roasters. With a downtown Sound Transit station with buses and trains, it is well connected to the Puget Sound region while striving to be a full-service city with the largest YMCA facility in the state of Washington as well as a link trail system that will connect the Foothills and Interurban trails. Like the community, the city government is large enough to be professional but small enough to be creative. The City has won a variety of awards from the Governor's Smart Planning Award to recognition at the International Association of Chiefs of Police for its groundbreaking police work on victims' assistance. With a strong mayor format, the City has just over 130 employees who operate a cemetery, wastewater treatment facility, accredited police department, animal shelter, parks, senior center, full service public operations and administration.

Examples of Duties

The job duties and responsibilities in this job description in no way imply that these are the only duties to be performed. Employees occupying the position will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by a supervisor. While requirements may be representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and abilities to perform this job successfully, the employee will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty with advanced proficiency.

Examples of general duties include:

• Oversees the day-to-day maintenance programs, projects, and operations of assigned areas; reviews and evaluates daily activities and work assignments with Field Supervisors and the Assistant Director.
• Works in close coordination with the Utilities Superintendent to ensure seamless collaboration on shared projects, resource allocation, and cross-division responses that support the overall goals of the Public Operations Department.
• Provides expertise in resolving operational and maintenance issues and directs the response to and recovery of service during emergencies and planned and unplanned operational stoppages.
• Efficiently monitors and administers appropriate safety protocols of the supervised divisions.
• Ensures all work complies with appropriate federal, state, and local agency permitting.
• Assists with preparation of emergency response procedures.
• Monitors and controls budget expenditures.
• Assists with preparation of the annual budget including staffing, materials, and equipment needs.
• Performs cost analysis, implements division budgets, determines equipment specifications, purchases equipment and supplies, negotiates and administers service contracts, monitors and maintains inventory, and prepares and submits periodic budget updates.
• Uses asset management tools to develop, implement, and maintain appropriate maintenance standards for supervised divisions; creates service requests, work orders, and periodic and annual work plans that can be used to prioritize work, justifies additional resources, communicates plan to staff, and tracks expenditures; helps to resolve workflow problems and conflicts by analyzing situations and reorganizing work to make most efficient use of personnel and material resources.
• Evaluates maintenance requests to determine feasibility, cost benefit, and priority within assigned resources.
• Manages and supervises operations staff, including but not limited to interviewing and recommending candidates, and training employees; establishes goals, objectives, and performance criteria; addresses complaints, grievances, and disputes; performs escalated investigations and resolves problems; evaluates performance; recommends promotions and disciplinary actions; implements organizational changes; approves and schedules leave time; and recommends terminations as appropriate.
• Acts as liaison with stakeholders, to include other departments, divisions, consultants, contractors, vendors, and the public.
• Represents the Department and/or City at meetings and prepares and presents briefings, staff reports, and other applicable correspondence.
• Receives and responds to questions and concerns from the public regarding assigned services and functions; initiates and directs investigations regarding such complaints; implements corrective action as necessary to resolve issues; and communicates answers and/or actions taken to appropriate parties in a timely and respectful manner.
• Collaborates with staff to develop and establish operational goals and objectives, short and long-term maintenance and operations projects, and other planning decisions related to operations, maintenance, budgeting, or equipment.
• Monitors emerging technologies, industry trends, proposed regulations, and upcoming federal and state legislative and administrative changes that may impact the maintenance and operations of the City.
• Prepares a variety of records, reports, memorandums and letters including attendance, department activities, scheduled maintenance, operational manuals and time sheets.
• Documents, analyzes, troubleshoots, and tracks maintenance needs and provides general supervision to operations crew(s) engaged in a wide variety of tasks, including but not limited to, maintenance and repair of:
  • Streets, sidewalks and trail surfaces.
  • Traffic signals, signs, and other pedestrian features.
  • Traffic control operations for Operations-led construction work.
  • Planning and management of event operations, particularly event signage and traffic control.
  • Parks, including landscaped areas, playgrounds, trails, and public green spaces to ensure community safety, accessibility, and aesthetic standards.
  • Facilities, including preventive maintenance, repair scheduling, and coordination of building systems such as HVAC, lighting, and security.
  • City Cemetery, ensuring respectful management of burial services, grounds care, and recordkeeping in accordance with City policy and state regulations.
• In coordination with the Department Administrative Assistant, prepares and updates certification requirements for key staff positions; incorporates training and certification needs in the annual budget.
• Schedules monthly safety meetings for staff.
• Ensures all safety equipment is available and in good condition and employees follow safety regulations regarding appropriate operations. Administers the operations division safety program.
• Effectively communicates with city administration, staff, engineers, consultants, vendors, and regulatory agencies.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Any equivalent combination of education, technical training, and experience demonstrating the capability to fulfill the requirements of the position will be considered.

Minimum Required Qualifications:
Education and Experience:

• Graduation from high school or GED.
• Five (5) years, full-time paid work experience in a supervisory role within a Public Works or Public Operations Department.

• Possession and maintenance of a valid Washington State driver's license free from serious or frequent violations.
• Possession of standard first-aid/CPR certification or ability to obtain within six (6) months of hire.

• A Bachelor's and/or Master's degree in science or engineering from a four-year university or college, particularly in the fields of civil or environmental engineering, construction management, or a related field; or,
• An Associate's Degree directly related to engineering or utility management. Certifications in one or more of the following areas: traffic signal operations, signs and markings, traffic control, street lighting, park playground inspection, vegetation maintenance, cemetery operations, and facility maintenance.
• Experience working with and administering federal, state, and local regulations and permits.

• Asset management best management practices.
• The occupational hazards and safety standards and practices applicable to the work being supervised.
• Asset management software, including documentation and scheduling of asset maintenance.
• Supervision and management principles.
• Work prioritization and delegation to maximize efficiency.
• Employee training and work supervision.
• Methods, materials and techniques used in the operation, repair, maintenance, construction and care of roadways and pedestrian facilities, traffic signals, parks, facilities, and cemeteries.
• Safe operation of vehicles and equipment.
• Preparing and maintaining electronic records and files, including asset management documentation, project/program records, equipment, and material purchasing and accounting.
• The utilization and care of the materials, tools, and equipment used by the employees supervised.
• Public Operations standard operating policies and procedures as well as other Department/City policies and procedures.

• Maintain accurate inventory records and other permanent department records.
• Work and be called into work during times other than normal working hours to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the City and its citizens.
• Provide excellent customer service by using a friendly, professional, accurate and customer-orientated approach to a wide variety of customers, including the general public and other staff, including in-person and verbal communications.
• Effectively supervise and coordinate the activities of employees of all skill levels performing a wide variety of maintenance, repair, and service functions.
• Make sound and timely recommendations for project implementation, and/or modification based upon established department plans and results of personal observations and needs analysis.
• Read and interpret maps, diagrams, plans and specifications.
• Support the development of a public operations budget, including preparing objectives, programs, long-range planning, and program and project estimating.
• Confer with administrators and other public works agencies to ensure the cooperative exchange of information.
• Develop, implement and revise policies and procedures.
• Read, interpret, apply, and explain rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Develop and maintain a positive working relationship with stakeholders, including but not limited to City staff members, external contacts, and the public.
• Perform a variety of administrative duties in support of assigned activities.
• Ensure compliance with City ordinances with consistency and impartiality.
• Analyze situations accurately and recommend an effective course of action.
• Operate a computer, tablet, and phone to enter data, maintain records, and generate reports.
• Operate software used by the City.
• Maintain reliable and dependable attendance.
• Contribute to the City’s mission.

Supplemental Information

Drug Free Workplace
The City of Sumner is a drug free workplace. The City is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy work environment, free from employees whose job performance may be impaired by the use of prescription, nonprescription, over-the-counter drugs, illegal controlled substances, marijuana and alcohol.

General Hiring Process Information

• Candidates must submit required documents as outlined in the job announcement in order to be considered.
• Submitting a cover letter and resume is not required but is recommended.
• Applicants must provide professional references with accurate phone numbers and email addresses. References will only be contacted for applicants who progress past the interview process.
• If multiple applications are received for the same candidate, only the most recently submitted, complete application will be considered.
• Applications received by the review date will be screened for minimum qualifications and then submitted to a Subject Matter Expert to select which candidates will be invited to interview. Personally identifiable information is removed from the applications during the screening process.
• Applicants who are invited to interview will receive notification by email and are typically provided at least one weeks' notice prior to the scheduled interview date.
• Applicants who are not invited to interview will be notified by email.
• Remote interviews may be available for candidates unable to participate in person, remote interviews are held through an online meeting platform such as Microsoft Teams.
• Applicants who pass the interview process may be invited back for a second interview with the department leads or for a walking interview through the department.
• Applicants who did not pass the interview process will be notified by email.