Deliverable to Residents:

The Director of Resilience and Sustainability supports the Deputy CAO of Infrastructure to advance resilient, sustainable, and climate-informed infrastructure planning and operations for the City of New Orleans. Operating within the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and reporting to the Deputy CAO of Infrastructure, this role integrates resilience, climate adaptation, and sustainability principles into the City’s infrastructure programs. The Director will ensure that streets, drainage, sidewalks, and public assets are safe, reliable, and designed to withstand climate impacts in order to better protect neighborhoods, public safety, and quality of life.

Reporting Structure:

The Director of Resilience and Sustainability reports directly to the Deputy CAO of Infrastructure and coordinates closely with the Director of Public Works and other infrastructure-related departments and agencies. The Director of Resilience and Sustainability also collaborates with resilience, environmental, and planning partners across City Hall to align infrastructure investments with citywide resilience and sustainability goals.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the Director of Public Works in integrating resilience and sustainability principles into the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of streets, drainage, sidewalks, bridges, and traffic infrastructure.
• Embed climate adaptation, flood risk reduction, and sustainability strategies into infrastructure capital projects and operational practices.
• Coordinate with engineering, capital projects, and maintenance teams to ensure infrastructure designs account for sea-level rise, extreme weather, heat, and long-term environmental conditions.
• Assist in the delivery of infrastructure capital projects on time and on budget while incorporating resilient and sustainable design standards.
• Partner with other city departments, utilities, and regional agencies to align infrastructure planning with citywide resilience and sustainability initiatives.
• Support data collection, analysis, and reporting related to infrastructure resilience, asset condition, and environmental performance.
• Help develop operational standards, guidelines, and best practices that improve infrastructure durability, lifecycle performance, and service reliability.
• Coordinate and work closely with Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) to ensure alignment of mission, vision, scope and project delivery.
• Support clear communication with residents and stakeholders regarding resilience-focused infrastructure initiatives and project impacts.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Deputy CAO of Infrastructure in support of departmental and citywide infrastructure priorities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Urban Planning, Public Policy, or a related field (advanced degree preferred).
• At least 8–10 years of experience in infrastructure planning, engineering, resilience, sustainability, or capital project delivery.
• Demonstrated experience integrating resilience or sustainability principles into public infrastructure projects.
• Strong project coordination and cross-department collaboration skills.
• Knowledge of municipal infrastructure systems, climate adaptation strategies, and public-sector project delivery.
• Commitment to transparency, equity, and high-quality public service.

Benefits information will be available in the future.