Job Description
The Position The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees. Why join the City of Oakland Public Works Department? Joining the City of Oakland's Public Works Department (OPW) means becoming part of a team dedicated to real-time service, problem-solving, and operational excellence. The work performed in this division has a visible and meaningful impact on the daily lives of Oakland residents and contributes to a stronger, safer, and more resilient city. OPW's Equipment Services Division is at the forefront of keeping the City moving. This team is responsible for ensuring that Oakland’s fleet ranging from public safety vehicle to essential service equipment is reliable, efficient, and ready to serve at a moment’s notice. Joining this division means stepping into a role where your contributions directly support critical City operations and where your expertise helps drive innovation, efficiency, and continuous improvement across a vital municipal function. As part of the Equipment Services Division, you will join a mission-driven team committed to excellence, collaboration, and public service. Your work will have a direct and visible impact supporting first responders, maintaining essential services, and helping prevent costly disruptions through proactive, strategic fleet management. This is an opportunity to grow your career while making a meaningful difference in the community, working alongside dedicated professionals who take pride in serving the residents of Oakland every day. We are looking for someone who is: A strong operational leader in Public Works. You understand heavy equipment, light-duty equipment, public safety vehicles, lifecycle costs, fueling operations, preventive maintenance, and regulatory requirements. Skilled in navigating MOUs and civil service rules. You demonstrate your commitment to fair and consistent performance practices while fostering constructive communication and effectively supporting staff, supervisors, and departments in resolving workplace challenges. Knowledgeable in contracts and vendor management. You demonstrate ability to maintain strong vendor relationships, ensure adherence to specifications, and navigate public procurement requirements, especially when working with parts suppliers, fueling operations, and specialized equipment vendors. Steady and reliable in your judgment under pressure. You have the ability to lead effectively in fast-moving, operationally critical situations. You respond with urgency and professionalism while supporting Fire, Public Works, Department of Transportation, Parks, Police, and Emergency Operations, ensuring public safety and thoughtfully balancing operational needs with cost and environmental considerations. Experienced in budget and resource management. You have managed operating budgets, equipment, contracts, and staffing resources with a focus on efficiency, accountability, and service delivery outcomes. Highly skilled in evaluating and prioritizing multiple competing demand. You have strong judgment in identifying critical needs and ensuring timely, effective action in fast-paced and resource limited environments. What you will typically be responsible for: Planning, organizing, managing, and directing the daily operations of fleet and equipment oversight. Leading staff by supervising supervisors, mechanics, clerical staff, and inspectors, while ensuring safety compliance with OSHA, DOT, and CAL/OSHA requirements. Administering contracts and vendor relationships, including reviewing invoices, resolving disputes, monitoring performance metrics, and supporting RFP development and evaluations in coordination with Purchasing and the City Attorney. Supervising subordinate supervisors and staff, including hiring, training, evaluating, and supporting performance management. Managing operational and capital budgets, supporting audits and responding to findings, and tracking grant funded or sustainability related fleet initiatives to ensure compliance. Complaint resolution about downtime or s