Director - Community Development

Job DescriptionJob Description

Closing Date: Friday, August 23rd,2024 at 9:00 PM (PST)

Position: Director

Department: Community Development

Salary Range: $194,307.84 - $247,991.88 (Annual)

Classification: Full-Time (Non-Union-2000 Series)

FLSA: Exempt

EEO Category: 1.1 Executive/Senior Level Officials and Managers

General Summary: Plans, directs, manages, and oversees the activities and operations of the City of Lancaster. Implements policy decisions made by City Council. Facilitates the development and implementation of City goals and objectives while providing highly complex administrative support to the City Council.

Tasks may include:

• Enforce and administer the provisions, laws, and ordinances governing the City.
• Assume full management responsibility for all City Operations and Community Development Department services and activities, including the implementation of the City's general plan; assess ongoing operational needs through department heads, determine the best organizational structure to meet goals and objectives, and recommend and administer policies and procedures.
• Establish appropriate service and staffing levels within City policy, allocate resources, and continuously monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures.
• Manage the development and implementation of Community Development Department goals, objectives, policies, and priorities, assess workloads, administrative systems, and internal reporting relationships, identify opportunities for improvement, and direct the implementation of changes.
• Plan, direct, and coordinate the work plans for the City and the Community Development Department through department heads; assign projects and programmatic areas of responsibility; review and evaluate work methods and procedures; and meet with management staff to identify and resolve problems.
• Oversee the development and administration of the City budget; approve forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; approve expenditures and implement budgetary adjustments as appropriate and necessary.
• Represent the Community Development Department to other City departments, elected officials, and outside agencies; explain, justify, and defend Community Development programs, policies, and activities; negotiate and resolve sensitive, significant, and controversial issues.
• Select, train, motivate, and evaluate Community Development Department staff; provide or coordinate staff training; work with employees to correct deficiencies; implement discipline and termination procedures.
• Coordinate Community Development Department activities with those of other departments and outside agencies and organizations; provide staff assistance to the City Manager, City Council, City Planning Commission; prepare and present staff reports and other necessary correspondence.
• Confer with engineers, developers, architects, other agencies, and the general public in acquiring information and coordinating planning, zoning, environmental, and related activities.
• Analyze the effects of new legislation dealing with land use, planning, or environmental issues on City development plans, programs, and activities.
• Direct and oversee the preparation and administration of various grants from the State and Federal government; supervise the preparation of applications for City projects for all permits from other governmental agencies.
• Supervise the processing of all planning, zoning, and environmental permitting within the City.
• Direct the preparation of environmental documents including Notices of Exception, Initial Studies, Negative Declarations, and Environmental Impact Reports in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
• Participate on various boards and commissions; attend and participate in professional group meetings; stay abreast of new trends and innovations in urban planning and community development.
• Respond to and resolve difficult and sensitive citizen inquiries and complaints.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in public administration, business administration or related field; Advanced degree desirable
• Seven (7) years of highly responsible experience with (5) years administrative and supervisory responsibility
• Equivalent combination of education and work experience

Core Competencies: Learning Agility – Seeking learning opportunities and applying the lessons to work

• Professional Integrity & Ethics – Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Safety Focus – Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
• Customer Focus –Being responsive and quick in following up to meet the needs and expectations of customers internally and externally
• Teamwork – Collaborating, building/creating/maintaining relationships with others, to achieve a shared goal and a positive work environment
• Valuing Diversity – Appreciating the benefits of varied backgrounds and cultures in the workplace
• Allocating Resources – Prioritizing the use of fiscal and material resources to maximize organizational effectiveness
• Legal & Regulatory Navigation – Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
• Leading Others – Guiding and encouraging others to accomplish a common goal and creating a culture where people thrive and rise to do their best work. Focusing on an environment of approachability and leadership humility to feedback
• Political & Organization Savvy – Working skillfully with stakeholders, policies, procedures, and protocols across organizational levels

Core Competencies:

• Problem Solving – Analytically and logically evaluating information
• Learning Agility – Seeking learning opportunities and applying the lessons to work
• Handling Stress – Maintaining emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity
• Professional Integrity & Ethics – Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Safety Focus – Showing Vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
• Customer Focus – Attending to the Needs and expectations of customers
• Informing – Proactively obtaining and sharing information
• Teamwork – Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals
• Valuing Diversity – Appreciating the benefits of varied backgrounds and cultures in the workplace
• Allocating Resources – Prioritizing the use of fiscal and material resources to maximize organizational effectiveness

Guiding Principles

1. Put people first.
2. Be visionary.
3. Be an ambassador for Lancaster.
4. Be Fiscally Responsible.
5. Be Creative.
6. Always Improving.
7. Be Adaptable and Resilient.

Essential Physical Requirements:

• Ascend/Descend stairs/ladders/balance (moderate)
• Position self to bend or twist (frequent)
• To move, transport, position items up to 15 lbs. (frequent)
• Exposed to outdoor weather conditions (infrequent)
• Operate Equipment (none)
• Stationary or squatting position (frequent)

Environmental Factors:

• Work under time pressure (moderate to frequent)
• Interruptions (frequent)

Essential Cognitive Functions:

• Analyze (continuous)
• Computations (frequent)
• Generate Written Work Product (moderate)
• Independent Problem Solving (continuous)
• Interruptions (frequent)
• Maintain Positive Public Relations (continuous)
• Organize (frequent)

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time;

The City of Lancaster will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the City of Lancaster is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting www.dfeh.ca.gov/fair-chance-act/.

The City of Lancaster is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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