ABSTRAK Khairunisa Sakina, 2210413220070, 2026 Strategi Penjabat Kepala Desa (PJ) dalam Pembangunan Infrastruktur di Desa Gunung Makmur Kecamatan Antang Kalang Kabupaten Kotawaringin Timur, dibimbing oleh Farid Nofiard. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengkaji strategi Penjabat Kepala Desa dalam menjalankan rencana kades terdahulu yaitu mempercepat pembangunan infrastruktur. Infrastruktur dipandang sebagai dasar utama pembangunan karena menunjang aktivitas sosial, ekonomi, dan pelayanan publik serta menentukan tingkat aksesibilitas dan kualitas hidup masyarakat. Peran PJ Kepala Desa menjadi penting untuk menjaga keberlangsungan pemerintahan desa dan mengoptimalkan pelaksanaan RPJMDes yang belum terealisasi. Berdasarkan teori Iman Mulyana (2010), strategi merupakan perpaduan kemampuan, sumber daya, lingkungan, dan tujuan yang digunakan untuk menyusun langkah-langkah pembangunan secara terarah, adaptif, dan berkelanjutan. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan jenis studi kasus. Metode pengumpulan data meliputi wawancara mendalam dengan pemimpin komunitas, pejabat desa, Kepala Desa Pelaksana, BPD, dan Kepala Pengembangan dan Keuangan Desa Antang Kalang. Melalui reduksi, penyajian, dan penarikan kesimpulan, analisis data deskriptif dan kualitatif dilakukan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa strategi yang diterapkan oleh Penjabat Kepala Desa berjalan secara efektif ditunjukkan dengan mampu meningkatkan pembangunan infrastruktur Desa Gunung Makmur secara signifikan. Keberhasilan tersebut tercermin dari terciptanya penguatan koordinasi antarperangkat desa, seperti Sekretaris Desa, Kaur Keuangan, dan Kaur Umum, yang memungkinkan perencanaan dan pelaksanaan kegiatan pembangunan berjalan lebih terarah dan terkontrol, serta berhasil melanjutkan dan merealisasikan RPJMDes yang telah disusun oleh Kepala Desa definitif sebelumnya. Selain itu, optimalisasi penggunaan dana desa yang dipadukan dengan partisipasi swadaya masyarakat serta dukungan dari pihak ketiga, seperti perusahaan dan mitra desa, turut memperkuat kapasitas pembiayaan dan pelaksanaan proyek infrastruktur. Peningkatan kualitas dan kuantitas infrastruktur, khususnya pada perbaikan jalan desa, pembangunan dan rehabilitasi jembatan, serta penyediaan sarana pendukung seperti gorong-gorong dan prasarana lingkungan, telah memberikan dampak nyata bagi masyarakat. Disarankan agar Pemerintah Desa mempertahankan pola perencanaan partisipatif, meningkatkan transparansi pengelolaan sumber daya, serta memperkuat kolaborasi dengan masyarakat dan pihak eksternal agar keberlanjutan pembangunan infrastruktur dapat terus terjaga dan memberikan manfaat jangka panjang. Kata Kunci : Strategi Pemerintahan, Penjabat Kepala Desa, Pembangunan Infrastruktur, Kepala Desa, RPJMDes ABSTRACT Khairunisa Sakina, 2210413220070, 2026 The Acting Village Head's Strategy in Infrastructure Development in Gunung Makmur Village, Antang Kalang District, East Kotawaringin Regency, supervised by Farid Nofiard. The purpose of this research is to examine the Acting Village Head's strategy in implementing the previous village head's plan, namely accelerating infrastructure development. Infrastructure is seen as the main foundation of development because it supports social, economic, and public service activities and determines the level of accessibility and quality of life of the community. The role of the Acting Village Head is crucial to maintaining the continuity of village governance and optimizing the implementation of the unrealized RPJMDes. Based on the theory of Iman Mulyana (2010), strategy is a combination of capabilities, resources, environment, and objectives used to formulate development steps in a directed, adaptive, and sustainable manner. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews with community leaders, village officials, the implementing village head, the Village Consultative Body (BPD), and the Head of Development and Finance of Antang Kalang Village. Through data reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing, descriptive and qualitative data analysis were conducted. The research results show that the strategy implemented by the Acting Village Head was able to significantly improve the infrastructure development of Gunung Makmur Village. This success is reflected in the creation of strengthened coordination between village officials, such as the Village Secretary, the Head of Finance, and the Head of General Affairs, which allows the planning and implementation of development activities to run more focused and controlled, and successfully continues and realizes the RPJMDes that has been prepared by the previous definitive Village Head. In addition, the optimization of the use of village funds combined with the participation of community self-help and support from third parties, such as companies and village partners, also strengthens the financing capacity and implementation of infrastructure projects. Improvements in the quality and quantity of infrastructure, particularly in the repair of village roads, the construction and rehabilitation of bridges, and the provision of supporting facilities such as culverts and environmental infrastructure, have had a real impact on the community. It is recommended that the Village Government maintain participatory planning practices, increase transparency in resource management, and strengthen collaboration with the community and external parties to ensure the sustainability of infrastructure development and provide long-term benefits. Keywords : Governance Strategy, Acting Village Head, Infrastructure Development, Village Head, RPJMDes