The City of Dearborn seeks a dynamic and results-driven Chief Operating Officer (COO) / Chief Infrastructure Officer (CIO) to lead and modernize the City’s operational and infrastructure functions. The Chief Operating Officer / Chief Infrastructure Officer will support day-to-day municipal operations while driving long-term infrastructure strategy, capital delivery, and organizational performance.
The Chief Operating Officer / Chief Infrastructure Officer will design, implement, and continuously refine citywide operational strategies, systems, and performance standards to ensure efficient service delivery, fiscal responsibility, and sustainable urban development. The ideal candidate brings a strong blend of technical engineering expertise, large-scale capital project leadership, financial acumen, and experience fostering a high-performance, accountable organizational culture.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Infrastructure & Operational Leadership
- Lead execution of the City’s strategic plan across all infrastructure-related departments.
- Establish, monitor, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive accountability and measurable outcomes.
- Champion operational excellence through process optimization, Lean/Six Sigma principles, and data-driven performance management.
- Ensure efficient utilization of municipal resources, assets, and infrastructure to meet service delivery expectations and public safety standards.
- Promote innovation and technology integration to modernize service delivery and enhance operational transparency.
2. Strategic Planning & Capital Program Delivery:
- Partner with the Chief of Staff and executive leadership to develop and implement multi-year Capital Improvement Plans (CIP) aligned with the City’s long-term vision.
- Oversee planning, prioritization, and execution of major capital infrastructure projects from concept through completion.
- Drive cross-departmental coordination to eliminate silos and ensure cohesive execution of growth and development initiatives
- Align infrastructure investments with economic development objectives and community priorities.
3. Funding Strategy & Intergovernmental Coordination:
- Lead comprehensive funding strategies to support infrastructure initiatives, including federal and state grants, municipal bonds, and intergovernmental partnerships.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable funding requirements, procurement regulations, and reporting standards.
- Represent the City in engagements with state and federal agencies, funding authorities, and regional partners.
4. Financial & Asset Management:
- Collaborate closely with the Finance Team on budget development, forecasting, and fiscal management of capital investment and expenditures.
- Oversee lifecycle asset management strategies to maximize return on public investment.
- Ensure all infrastructure and operational processes comply with legal, regulatory, environmental, and safety requirements (including MDOT, EGLE, and federal mandates).
- Identify cost efficiencies while maintaining service quality and regulatory compliance.
Qualifications:
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related technical field required.
- Professional Engineer (P.E.) license strongly preferred.
- MBA, Master’s in Engineering Management, Public Administration, or related advanced degree highly desirable.
Experience:
- Minimum 5+ years of progressive leadership experience managing large-scale infrastructure or engineering programs.
- At least 5 years in a senior executive role overseeing complex municipal or similarly structured public-sector operations
- Demonstrated success leading organizational transformation and implementing performance management systems.
- Proven track record navigating complex funding environments and managing multi-source capital programs.
- Experience working with elected officials, executive leadership, and diverse stakeholder groups.
Core Competencies:
- Operational Excellence: Ability to design efficient systems, streamline workflows, and deliver measurable improvements in service performance.
- Capital Project Leadership: Expertise managing the full lifecycle of major infrastructure and construction initiatives.
- Strategic Alignment: Skill in unifying multiple departments under a cohesive long-term vision.
- Financial Stewardship: Strong understanding of municipal finance, capital budgeting, and grant administration
- Collaborative Leadership: Ability to build trust, foster accountability, and lead high-performing cross-functional teams.
- Regulatory & Compliance Expertise: Deep familiarity with public-sector regulatory frameworks and environmental standards.