The City of Dahlonega is seeking a highly qualified professional to serve as its inaugural Director of Utilities over its water, wastewater, and storm water utilities. This is a rare opportunity to drive operational excellence and infrastructure innovation in a historic city, ensuring the continued well-being and sustainable growth of the Dahlonega community.

WELCOME TO DAHLONEGA
Dahlonega offers a strategic “gateway” location that balances the serenity of the Blue Ridge Mountains with the economic and logistical advantages of the accessible major metropolitan hubs of Atlanta and Chattanooga. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Dahlonega is often recognized as one of the most desirable places to live and work in the Southeast. That quality of life is woven into the historic architecture of our vibrant Public Square, the scenic vistas of our award-winning vineyards, and the welcoming spirit of a community that prides itself on safety, security, and a deep sense of belonging.

Our community is a regional hub for the arts, anchored by the Historic Holly Theater and a thriving network of local galleries and music venues. Residents enjoy a year-round calendar of events, from the sounds of traditional mountain music to the Appalachian charm of the Bear on the Square Mountain Festival and the festive glow of our “Hallmark-style” Old Fashioned Christmas. Dahlonega offers a breathtaking landscape of mountain vistas and rushing water in the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest. Residents enjoy immediate access to world-class hiking on the Appalachian Trail and at Amicalola Falls State Park, home to the Southeast’s tallest cascading waterfall. The Chestatee and Etowah Rivers provide ideal settings for kayaking, tubing, and trout fishing, while the Jake and Bull Mountain trail systems offer premier terrain for mountain biking and horseback riding.

Our families are served by the Lumpkin County School System, boasting a 97.8% graduation rate and SAT/ACT scores that frequently outpace state and national averages. Complementing our K-12 system is the University of North Georgia (UNG), a federally designated Senior Military College. The City and the Lumpkin County Development Authority are committed to smart growth, ensuring that housing remains accessible and that the cost of living stays reasonable. With a pro-business climate, exceptional infrastructure, and a focus on workforce development, Dahlonega provides the perfect environment to build a career of service to community.

CITY GOVERNMENT
The City of Dahlonega operates under a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council appoints a professional City Manager who serves as the chief administrative officer.

THE DEPARTMENT AND POSITION
With state certified crews on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the 7,500 residents of Dahlonega can rest assured that their water and wastewater needs are met. Composed of over seventy miles of drinking water lines, fifty miles of gravity/force mains, and over twenty lift stations, Dahlonega’s Utility System is well prepared to manage today’s needs as well as future needs.

The Director of Utilities directs, manages, and provides strategic planning and visioning associated with all activities of the department to provide and maintain water, sanitary sewer, stormwater, and watersheds of the City of Dahlonega. These activities include operation and maintenance of water and wastewater treatment facilities, water distribution, sanitary and storm water collection systems, customer service and billing, engineering, construction, and inspection services as well as relevant environmental compliance and permitting functions. Reporting to the City Manager, the Director will have three to four direct reports with oversight of a department total of approximately 20 full-time staff. As the City’s first Director of Utilities, the selected candidate will have the opportunity to set the vision towards successfully building an organization and a lasting legacy in service to the community.

BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor’s degree in civil or environmental engineering or related field is required.
• Master’s degree in engineering, public administration, or related field is preferred.
• The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in urban planning, civil engineering, construction or project management or related field; three (3) years of supervisory and project management oversight experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities for this job.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
• State of Georgia Professional Engineering certification is desirable.
• Class 1 water or wastewater treatment operator is desirable.
• Valid Class C Georgia Driver’s license (or ability to obtain one by date of hire) and a satisfactory
motor vehicle record are required.

WORK SCHEDULE: This position works 40 hours per week and is subject to recall to duty in cases of emergency. After hours, weekend, and holiday work are sometimes necessary to fulfil the job duties.

EXEMPLARY CANDIDATES
Exemplary candidates bring not only an excellent technical background but also highly developed communication, leadership, and interpersonal relationship skills needed for success in a tight-knit organization that values the care of people and teams, as well as the hard-won trust of the public, City Council, and employees. An exemplary candidate will be comfortable with a variety of roles in the hands-on, front-line management of daily operations, projects, and consultant relationships. This will necessitate the ability to effectively communicate highly technical information at the appropriate level to professionals and lay persons to ensure understanding of issues, problems,, and decision points.

Please review the position brochure at https://mercergroupassociates.com/job/director-of-utilities/

A complete job description is available upon request.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The expected starting salary range for the Director of Utilities is $118,000 - $125,000 depending on experience and qualifications. The city prioritizes employee well-being through high-quality insurance plans and active wellness initiatives:

Medical Insurance • FSA Voluntary Dental & Vision Insurance Employer Paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability • Defined Benefit Plan (Pension) 457 Deferred Compensation • Life Insurance & AD&D • Paid Time Off (PTO) Paid Holidays • Wellness Program • Tuition Reimbursement

TO APPLY
Interested candidates are invited to apply by emailing in 1) cover letter, 2) resume, and 3) List of five job related references with email and phone contact information to Jeff Hale, Senior Associate, Mercer Group Associates at jeffhale@localgovhrs.com by 11:59 PM EST on Monday, February 23, 2026. Documents are requested in pdf format.

The City of Dahlonega is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

For questions, please contact Jeff Hale, Mercer Group Associates: jeffhale@localgovhrs.com, (706) 371-6126.

City of Dahlonega

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Director of Utilities