Deputy Director of Development Services

JOB TITLE: Deputy Director of Development Services

AGENCY: City of Chula Vista

LOCATION: Chula Vista, California

FILING DEADLINE:  December 30, 2024

SALARY RANGE:  $165,766.90 – $201,491.16 Annually

THE POSITION

This position assists the Director of Development Services in managing and directing the Development Services Department, including planning, directing, managing, and overseeing the activities and operations of assigned divisions that may include Current Planning, Advance Planning, Land Development, Landscape Architecture, Building Services, Code Enforcement, Facilities Financing, Administration, and the Development Services Counter. A focus is on providing highly complex staff assistance to the Director of Development Services. This position will work closely with the existing Deputy Director in the Department. Both Deputy Directors will assist the Director of Development Services by ensuring the daily operational needs of the Department are being met.

The department has 86 staff and eight divisions. This position will oversee four direct reports.

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Assist in the development and implementation of the Department’s work plan. Assign work activities, projects and programs, and monitor workflow, review, and evaluate work products, methods, and procedures.
• Prepare and administer the Department budget. Assist in budget implementation and participate in the forecast of additional funds needed.
• Assist in administering policies and procedures to meet legal requirements and City priorities and coordinate department activities with other departments and outside agencies and organizations.
• Monitor development in legislation related to Development Services functions, evaluate impacts, and recommend and implement policy and procedural improvements to meet legal requirements.
• Confer with and represent the department and the City in meetings with members of the City Council, members of boards and commissions, various governmental agencies, developers, contractors, business and industrial groups, and the public.
• Negotiate and resolve sensitive, significant, and controversial issues; participate in outside community and professional groups and committees, and provide technical assistance as necessary.
• Research, prepare, and write staff reports and other technical and administrative documents and studies as necessary.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with coworkers, other City employees and the public using principles of excellent customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will have exceptional management, interpersonal, and communication skills, with a hands-on and proactive approach to addressing a broad range of urban planning and development-related challenges. The City of Chula Vista is aggressively pursuing and purchasing land and properties, so the ideal candidate will have knowledge in the acquisition of real estate and negotiating public-private development partnerships on behalf of the City. The successful candidate will value relationships and be known as a manager of people who encourages innovation and problem solving yet holds people accountable for quality work. Ideally, the new Deputy Director will have notable success in business enterprises, property acquisition, and project delivery. A commitment to excellent customer service a must, as is someone who will provide leadership that promotes empowerment with the ability to respond and deliver projects with a sense of urgency in this fast-paced environment.

Key Attributes and Characteristics

• Able to assess projects and programs with an eye on process improvements and best practices, including the gray areas.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to build and foster positive business relationships with staff, leadership, the mayor and city council, commissions, and the business community.
• Solid experience in both current and long-range planning is ideal.
• A leader who is open to discussion and collaboration to overcome challenges and bring the best solutions.
• A listener.

QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in planning, architecture, engineering, public administration, business administration, economics, sociology, or a related field.
• A master’s degree in any of the fields listed above is highly desirable.
• Six (6) years of increasingly responsible experience in planning, land development, redevelopment, building services, code enforcement, development permitting, infrastructure finance, or development project management.
• Two (2) years of management responsibility.

THE COMMUNITY

The City of Chula Vista is located at the center of one of the richest cultural, economic, and environmentally diverse zones in the United States. It is the second-largest City in San Diego County with a population of 278,247. Chula Vista boasts more than 52 square miles of coastal landscape, canyons, rolling hills, mountains, quality parks, and miles of trails. Chula Vista is a leader in conservation and renewable energy, has well maintained infrastructure, outstanding public schools, and is consistently among the top safest cities in the country.

To learn more about the City of Chula Vista, go to: https://www.chulavistaca.gov/.

For more details about this opportunity, please visit the job brochure at: https://koffassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Rev3-Chula-Vista-DDDS.pdf.

To be considered, please electronically submit your resume, cover letter and a list of five professional references (references will not be contacted in the early stages of the recruitment) to: https://koffassociates.com/deputy-dir-of-dev-svcs/. Resumes should reflect years and months of positions held, as well as size of staff and budgets you have managed.

For additional information, please contact:

Frank Rojas

(510) 495-0448

Frank_Rojas@ajg.com

Website: https://koffassociates.com/  

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