Assistant Director of Planning & Development (Open until Filled)

Position Description

The City of Fresno seeks an Assistant Director of Planning & Development (Assistant Director) who will help direct the City's current and long-range planning, building and safety, and historic preservation services and is excited to hone their skills in permitting, land use planning, public planning, and related policies and procedures, including NEPA, CEQA, and environmental laws, codes, and practices.

Along with having the technical knowledge for the role, the Assistant Director will be highly attuned to the political nature of city planning while working with community members and city staff. They will be an effective communicator, relationship builder, and change agent. Being flexible, results oriented, and knowledgeable about the functions and processes of municipal organizations is highly important. This position will report to the Director of Planning and Development and oversee direct reports and an approximate budget of $30 million. The Assistant Director will also oversee the daily operations of the Planning & Development Department and serve as the City's expert in planning. This position will evaluate service cost and implementing fee changes. If you are looking to become part of a diverse community and want to serve as a technical advisor and innovative leader, apply now!

THE POSITION
The Assistant Director of Planning and Development (Assistant Director) supports the Director of Planning & Development in the planning, direction, and organization of the Department. They will oversee seven direct reports and approximately 130 indirect reports. The Assistant Director will work closely with the Director to plan, develop, and implement an annual budget of approximately $30 million.

The Assistant Director is tasked with supporting robust development growth and establishing more streamlined procedures for the Department. Balancing demands for housing with regulatory barriers is essential to this role, as is effectively coordinating with the public and public agencies. They will oversee a large volume of work, including 6,000 planning entitlements, 18,000 building permits, and 70,000 inspections annually. They will spearhead planning related to strategic plans, policies, and operational goals. The Assistant Director will serve as a technical advisor to the City Manager and City Council, and they will meet with various boards, commissions, and committees.

This is an unclassified position in which the incumbent serves at the will of the Department Director.

Opportunities, challenges, and projects:
- Implementing changes to the land management technology software
- Creating opportunities for staff growth and training
- Evaluating service costs and implementing fee changes
- Revising CEQA protocols
- Identifying tools to improve communication

THE DEPARTMENT
The Planning & Development Department is led by the Director of Planning & Development, who oversees approximately 200 staff and an adopted budget appropriation of over $200,000,000. The Department is charged with land use management and public infrastructure and is divided into several divisions and specialized activities:

Administration: Oversees business management functions of the Department, including general administration and financial management.

Current Planning: Processes entitlements, such as annexations, plan amendments, rezones, development permits, conditional use permits, and environmental assessments.

Building and Safety Services: Supports permit processing, plan review, and inspection services for public and private projects.

Historic Preservation: Historic Preservation supports investment in the City of Fresno through evaluation of properties for historic designation, support for owners in the maintenance and rehabilitation of buildings and structures.

Long Range Planning: Leads advanced planning functions, including preparing and updating the General plan, various community and specific plans, and maintaining the land use layer in the City's GIS.

Community Development: Serves as the central coordination point for the HUD federal formula programs, state and federal housing emergency funding, and state formula grants.

Housing Production and Finance: The Unit's primary goal is to increase the production and variety of affordable housing units within the city, including transitional and affordable rental housing, and affordable home ownership.

Homeless Services: The primary objective of the Homeless Services Unit is to bring a functional end to chronic street homelessness, making it rare, brief, and non-recurring.

Homeless Assistance Response Team (HART): HART oversees the compassionate response of the City toward the unsheltered community, which includes facilitating outreach, service provision, and housing navigation.

Parking Services: Provides management of the City's on-street and off-street parking resources.

Types of Planning & Building Applications:
- Residential Single- Family Homes
- Large Scale Residential Developments
- Industrial
- Solar
- Tenant Improvements
- Multifamily Homes
- Ministerial Permitting

Pay,Benefits, & Work Schedule

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
An annual salary of $115,056 - $192,888 DOE/DOQ and an attractive benefits package that includes:

Retirement: Fresno City Retirement System; reciprocity with other public California systems. The City's pension funds are among the best-funded public systems in California and the nation. The City does not participate in Social Security.

Health Insurance: PPO plan; The City contributes toward the current monthly premium for medical, prescription, dental, and vision for employee and dependents.

Flexible Spending Account Program: The City maintains IRS Section 125 Plan that includes spending accounts for health care and dependent care.

Auto Allowance: $300 per month upon the approval of the city manager.

Deferred Compensation: 457 plan available which allows tax contribution up to IRS determined limits.

Management Leave: 80 hours (pro-rated) per fiscal year with an annual cash out provision.

Supplemental Management Leave: Up to 32 hours at the discretion of the City Manager. This leave may be placed in a retiree Health Reimbursement Arrangement account.

Annual Leave: Accrue 15.5 hours of annual leave per month with a limited cash out provision.

Holidays: Ten (10) City-observed holidays annually, plus birthday and two (2) personal days per year.

Life Insurance: Equal to annual salary; premium paid by City.

Long-Term Disability: City pays premium for 66.66% of monthly salary up to $7,500 per month after 30 days.

Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP): DROP is an optional, voluntary program that allows you to have your retirement benefits deposited in a special savings account within your Retirement System all while you continue to work for the City of Fresno. To participate you must be at least age 50 with 5 years of service. Benefits include: ownership of DROP account monies; compound interest earnings; and alternative distribution options.

Additional information regarding the City of Fresno is available at www.fresno.gov.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be a service and solution-oriented person who is highly skilled in both planning and development functions. An innovative leader who understands how multi-disciplinary collaborative efforts enhance the ability to provide best in class service will do well in this position. The ideal candidate will have a record of straightforward and open communication and a willingness to make effective decisions within the parameters of the position, as well as the ability to effectively manage conflicting perspectives and priorities.

The ideal candidate will also have a strong background in project management, program administration, and overseeing fiscal programs consisting of multiple fund sources with complex regulatory requirements. A candidate with a strong record of collaborative work with internal and external stakeholders would be highly valued, as the Assistant Director must be able to develop positive relationships with staff, other City departments, the public, and outside agencies.

The ideal candidate will:
- Effectively present and communicate with the public, elected and appointed officials, and City executive leadership.
- Be an adept problem solver who thinks outside the box.
- Be responsive and available to all.
- Foster a department culture that is responsive, dedicated, and is focused on providing fair and balanced services to the community.
- Be a strategic business- minded leader who can successfully manage a planning team, department budget, and an efficient permitting process.
- Be a big picture thinker who can connect the dots on complex functions to create more efficient processes.
- Understand the political nuances of community planning and navigate the political challenges effectively.
- Have good leadership and interpersonal skills to work successfully with all levels in the organization.
- Demonstrate a proactive, customer-focused attitude.
- Maintain consistency with adopted policies and cultivate trust relationships.
- Anticipate challenges and identify strategic solutions to keep customers well informed.

Minimum Qualifications:
- Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required at time of appointment; AND
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Business Administration, Public Administration, Regional Planning, or a related field; AND
- 5 years of progressively responsible and directly related management experience; OR
- 9 years of directly related experience, including 5 years at a management level.

DESIRED: Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.

How To Apply

How to Apply
For first consideration apply by October 5, 2023 by submitting a letter of interest, resume, and five references to: Sandra Chavez Martin, HR Manager - email: Sandra.chavezmartin@fresno.gov

Recruitment is Open Until Filled and may close at any time.

Or apply on-line at: www.fresno.gov/jobs

We will select a group of candidates to participate in the interview process depending on their qualifications. For additional information regarding the City of Fresno, please visit fresno.gov.

The Community

The City of Fresno is the largest city in the San Joaquin Valley and the fifth largest city in California, with a population of more than 545,000 residents. Fresno is the financial core of the San Joaquin Valley, and its economy relies on its large-scale agricultural production. Revitalization of Downtown Fresno's core and the construction of High-Speed Rail are two of many exciting projects that continue to successfully support Fresno's growing economy.

Located in the geographical center of California, Fresno offers many sights, fertile agricultural fields, an abundance of lakes, and the snowy Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Fresno also features a diverse selection of dining, shopping, farmers markets, vibrant arts and culture, wineries, as well as a variety of attractions. With 300 days of sunshine a year, the climate in Fresno is the source of its agricultural productivity and allows year-round recreational activities including sailing, snow and water skiing, fishing, backpacking, and golfing.

Fresno is a full-service charter city operating under a strong mayor form of government with seven Council Members. The City employs 4,808 staff and operates on a budget of $1.9 billion to support a wide variety of services, such as economic development, planning and development, finance, fire, police, airport, convention and entertainment, information services, parks and recreation, community services, personnel services, public utilities, public works, and transportation.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Fresno is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information please refer to our Career Opportunities web page on the City of Fresno web site.

Closing Date/Time: 04/19/2024

9,588

2600 Fresno Street, Fresno, California 93721 United States View Map