Highway Commissioner

Status: Full Time, ExemptStarting Wage Range: $56.59/hr. - $62.39/hr. (wages effective 01/01/2026) Department: HighwayPosition Open Until Filled - Application Review Date: January 8, 2026Please submit a Cover Letter and Resume with application Highway Commissioner Flyer (PDF)

Dodge County offers a generous benefits package including:

• Paid Time Off (PTO) - available for use after 30 days of employment
• 10 observed paid holidays
• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) - with employer contributions - HRA
• Life insurance, Long-term disability, Short-term disability and Flex spending
• Participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) - an exceptional pension plan with employer match (upon vesting) and lifetime retirement payment.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Provides leadership in attracting, retaining, and developing an engaged workforce in the delivery of superior services to County residents and businesses.
2. Ensures essential services are provided to maintain the public infrastructure and provide for public safety, health, and welfare.
3. Directs the work of and manages Highway Department staff. Interviews and selects new employees. Provides training, instructions, and ongoing training needs. Provides coaching and/or counseling. Assigns tasks, reviews work, and prepares performance evaluations. Recommends employee transfers, promotions, disciplinary action, and discharge.
4. Provides leadership and management to all assigned staff. Audits work as needed to ensure adherence to pertinent regulations. Directs staff on complex work and interpreting the application of policy and procedure.
5. Researches, recommends, develops and implements policy and procedures for operational effectiveness, sustainability, and safety. Monitors all operations for effective application of Department policies, procedures, and standards.
6. Establishes long and short-range goals and objectives for Department division supervisors and monitors the progress toward reaching these goals.
7. Ensures inspection of County and State roads, bridges, and culverts for establishing maintenance and construction programs. Recommends and plans long range goals, objectives, organizational structure and overall direction for the Department. Ensures the objectives of the Department are developed and maintained in accordance with the objectives of the County Board and County Administrator.
8. Determines Department funding needs and supervises the preparation of the annual operating budget for submission to the County Administrator. Identifies funding sources and directs the application for grants/aids when appropriate. Monitors budget, contracts, services, costs, and other factors throughout the year to identify problem area and recommend adjustments. Responsible for the financial management of the Department and to insure the adherence to financial accounting principles.
9. Manages the maintenance of Federal, State, and US highway systems under contract for the Wisconsin DOT.
10. Negotiates intergovernmental cooperation projects and programs with other units of government.
11. Responds to and resolves public inquiries and complaints. Analyzes and takes the appropriate action with respect to correspondence and generate correspondence to multiple interests.
12. Prepares, presents, and provides information to individuals, groups, media, businesses, officials, County personnel, and the general public regarding Department activities and transportation issues. Provides technical information and assistance to local governments and officials.
13. Presents, with assistance from the Finance Director, the Department's operational annual report to the County Board, oversight committee, and others as needed.
14. Attends, participates, and makes recommendations to various governmental committees, the Highway Committee, other County Board committees, and the County Board of Supervisors, on a variety of topics, including transportation and public works.
15. Schedules projects; estimates costs; writes funding applications; negotiates State and Federal funding.
16. Reinforces a safe working environment and ensures all activities are carried out in a safe manner; adheres to all safety regulations; ensures equipment is safely operated; ensures all regulations pertaining to the safe use of equipment are understood and followed.
17. Reports all accidents to the appropriate authority. Follows all policies for reporting, investigating, and follow-up of equipment incidents or personal injuries. May investigate incidents as assigned.
18. Manages department machinery, equipment, fixed assets and tools; procures buildings, supplies and materials.
19. Manages the County-owned Airport and the services it provides within the County.
20. Other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED JOB COMPETENCIES

• Comprehensive knowledge of principles and practices of highway and local government highway maintenance administration, methods, procedures, and related activities and services.
• Thorough knowledge of the occupational hazards of the work and necessary safely precautions.
• Knowledge of the Wisconsin Statutes and Transportation Administrative rules as they apply to and impact Town, City, County, and State Transportation program areas.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of civil engineering as applied to construction and maintenance of highways, bridges, and other related infrastructure.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of budgeting, fiscal management, project management principles and techniques.
• Ability to effectively utilize the principles of strategic and long and short-range planning.
• Skill in analyzing complex administrative information and issues, defining problems and evaluating alternatives, and recommending methods, procedures, and techniques for resolution of issues.
• Ability to research and analyze detailed information and make appropriate recommendations.
• Ability to develop department goals and objectives.
• Ability to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate projects and programs.
• Ability to develop, interpret and implement regulations, policies, procedures, written instructions, general correspondence, and other Department-specific documents.
• Ability to prepare, recommend, and monitor an operating budget, including line-item budgeting.
• Knowledge of management and supervisory practices & principles, including the ability to make final employment recommendations, preparing performance evaluations, managing time-off, and maintaining personnel records.
• Ability to adapt and take control of situations, dictating subordinate activities in a responsible manner.
• Ability to instruct and train in methods and procedures.
• Ability to organize, assign, and modify the work assignment of others, and (re)-establish priorities to meet deadlines.
• Ability to establish and maintain accurate records of assigned activities and operations.
• Ability to interpret and implement local policies and procedures; written instructions, general correspondence; Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Skill in organizational and time management to prioritize duties to accomplish a high volume of work product while adapting to constant changes in priority.
• Ability to perform detailed work accurately and independently in compliance with stringent time limits requiring minimal direction and supervision.
• Ability to think quickly, maintain self-control, and adapt to stressful situations.
• Knowledge of current office practices and procedures and knowledge of the operation of standard office equipment and software.
• Knowledge of computer software including word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications consistent for this position.
• Ability to perform mathematical calculations required of this position.
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively in English in both written and verbal form.
• Skill in researching and understanding complex written materials.
• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate and concise records and reports.
• Ability to apply sound judgment and discretion in performing duties, resolving problems, and interpreting policies and regulations.
• Ability to communicate detailed and often sensitive information effectively and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to handle sensitive interpersonal situations calmly and tactfully.
• Ability to maintain professionalism at all times.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with individuals within and outside the organization.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion regarding business-related files, reports, and conversations, within the provisions of open records laws and other applicable State and Federal statutes and regulations.

PHYSICAL AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and reaching with hands and arms.
• Work has standard vision requirements.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Work is generally in a moderately noisy office setting.
• Work is primarily in an office setting with periodic visits to the field.
• Work has some exposure to outdoor and construction based environmental conditions.

Dodge County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following page: Accessibility Accommodation for Applicants

Bachelors of Civil Engineering (required)

5 years: Previous supervisory experience. (required)
7 years: Progressive administration experience in transportation and infrastructure. Equivalent combination of education and experience which provides necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered. (required)