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Assistant Planning & Development Director - Land Development

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Assistant Planning & Development Director - Land Development

Salary

$125,324.00 - $200,508.00 Annually

Location

Durham, NC

Job Type

Full time with benefits

Remote Employment

Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number

25-05712

Department

Planning & Development

Opening Date

11/19/2025

Closing Date

12/3/2025 11:59 PM Eastern

+ Description

+ Benefits

+ Questions

Position Description

Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham

Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Hiring Range: $123,531.20 – $197,641.60

Work Day/Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm

A flexible work environment, top-notch management, highly qualified, competent staff and opportunities for career advancement and professional success make the City-County Planning & Development Department a great place to work. We help plan and direct Durham’s growth to support a high quality of life, a robust economy, and a sustainable, equitable, and accessible Durham for generations to come. We work collaboratively with other agencies and the community in a fast- paced, innovative environment looking for solutions to today’s land-use, community planning, and infrastructure challenges. If you’re talented, creative and focused on serving the community, join our team!

The Assistant Director for Land Development, under administrative direction, directs, manages, supervises, and coordinates the activities and operations of the Land Development Division within the Planning & Development Department. This division is responsible for the development review approval, permitting, inspections, and ongoing compliance for land development proposals under the Unified Development Ordinance. The division will comprise multiple workgroups responsible for the following: site plan and plat reviews, building permit reviews for zoning compliance, floodplain management, Traffic Impact Analysis reviews, site plan compliance inspections and zoning enforcement. The division also includes staff support to the Board of Adjustment and processing of variances and special use permits.

Additional responsibilities will include developing and implementing cross-divisional work strategies, internal and external functional coordination, and facilitation and delivery of short, medium and long-range process improvements. This Assistant Director coordinates assigned activities with other divisions, departments, and outside agencies; and provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the department Director.

This position will require a skilled manager who is capable of effective and diplomatic communication of complex, technical or politically sensitive concepts. In addition, this position will require significant experience in development review, project management, and personnel management. Strong verbal and written communication skills are needed for routine communication and interaction with divisional and departmental staff, coordination with other departments, public interactions, design professionals, and contractors.

Other duties include providing administrative, technical and contractual support, attendance at various City Council, departmental and community meetings.

Duties/Responsibilities

+ Assists in managing the development and implementation of department goals, objectives, policies, and priorities; establishes, within city policy, appropriate service and staffing levels; and allocates resources accordingly.

+ Manages the implementation of internal operations for the Land Development Division; plans, coordinates, administers, and evaluates programs, projects, processes, procedures, systems, standards, and/or services, integrates operations and coordinates service areas, and ensures compliance with federal, state, and local laws, regulations, codes, and/or standards.

+ Assists in directing and coordinating work plans by assigning projects and areas of responsibility, evaluating work methods and procedures, ensuring accuracy and completeness of work, identifying, and resolving problems, assessing and monitoring workloads, administrative and support systems and internal reporting relationships, identifying opportunities for improvement, and directing and implementing changes.

+ Monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures; plans, develops, and implements methods and procedures designed to improve operations, minimize operating costs, and promote efficiency; recommends, within departmental policy, appropriate service, and staffing levels.

+ Participates in the development and administration of the departmental budget; researches and analyzes financial and operational data; prepares financial forecasts; monitors and approves expenditures; implements adjustments as necessary.

+ Assists in selecting, engaging, and evaluating department staff; provides or coordinates training and works with employees to correct deficiencies; and assists in implementing and administering disciplinary and termination procedures.

+ Negotiates, oversees, and monitors agreements and contracts.

+ Reads and interprets engineering and construction plans and specifications, and various environmental reports; and interprets them to others.

+ Provides consultation in area of expertise and responds to high-visibility and complex issues; conducts a variety of organizational studies, investigations, and operational studies; recommends modifications to programs, policies and procedures as appropriate; prepares and presents reports and other necessary correspondence to the City Council and city management.

+ Coordinates with the development community, general public, other departments, and/or external agencies.

+ Serves on internal and external committees and represents the department at meetings, proceedings, and conferences.

+ Responds to and resolves difficult and sensitive citizen inquiries and complaints; meets with and represents the city at various neighborhood meetings to explain stormwater management projects and issues.

+ May perform the duties of the Director in his or her absence.

+ Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

+ Bachelor’s degree in city, regional, environmental or transportation planning, civil, environmental, or transportation engineering, or a directly related field.

+ Nine years of progressively responsible professional planning, engineering and/or construction/project management experience.

+ Professional experience must include at least five years of experience managing and supervising technical, professional, and paraprofessional staff.

+ Some assignments may require a valid North Carolina Class C Driver’s License with a satisfactory driving record acquired within a time frame established by the City.

Additional Preferred Skills

+ Technical knowledge and six or more years of municipal experience in development review.

+ Experience managing planners, engineers, inspectors, and administrative staff.

+ Knowledge of land development regulatory requirements for the City of Durham, the state of North Carolina and the federal government.

+ P rior experience communicating with elected officials regarding development projects.

+ E xperience developing application fees and forecasting fee revenues as part of an annual budget development process.

Benefits – General Full-Time Employees

+ 12-13 paid holidays per year

+ 13 standard work days of vacation per year

+ 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement

+ 2 weeks paid military leave per year

+ Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans

+ State and City retirement plans

+ Short and long term disability plans

+ Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions

+ City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System

+ Paid funeral leave

+ Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling

+ Paid life insurance equal to annual salary

+ 48 hours for volunteer work each year*

+ 4 hours parental leave each year

+ Workman's Compensation Insurance

+ 457 Deferred Compensation Plans

Benefits - Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)

+ 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)

+ State retirement plan

Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)

+ 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)

+ State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire

+ Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire

+ Dental and life insurance, after one year of service

+ Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service

01

Where did you first hear about this opportunity?

+ City of Durham Website

+ Walk in

+ Job fair

+ Employee referral

+ Professional organization ***Please list the organization in "other" box below***

+ Internet posting ***Please list the specific web site in the "other" box below***

+ Craig's List

+ Facebook

+ LinkedIn

+ GlassDoor

+ governmentjobs.com

+ Monster.com

+ Indeed.com

+ Employment Security Commission

+ Magazine/Newspaper

+ Other

02

If you listed "other" above please give specific web site, organization, or publication.

03

Please select your highest level of COMPLETED education.

+ Less than a High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)

+ High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)

+ Associates Degree

+ Bachelor's Degree

+ Master's Degree

+ Doctoral Degree (PhD, Juris Doctorate)

04

How many years of progressively responsible professional planning, engineering and/or construction/project management experience do you have?

+ No related experience

+ Less than 1 year of related experience

+ 1 year but less than 5 years of related experience

+ 5 years but less than 9 years of related experience

+ 9 or more years of related experience

05

How many years of experience do you have managing and supervising technical, professional, and paraprofessional staff?

+ No related experience

+ Less than 1 year of related experience

+ 1 year but less than 2 years

+ 2 years but less than 5 years

+ 5 or more years

06

Do you have a valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license? (If you have a valid license from a State other than North Carolina, you must be willing and able to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days of hire).

+ I have a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license.

+ I have a valid license from another State and I am willing to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days.

+ I do not have a valid, unrestricted driver's license.

07

Do you have experience working in local government, specifically in a development review role?

+ Yes

+ No

08

Do you have prior experience communicating with elected officials regarding development projects?

+ Yes

+ No

09

Do you have experience developing application fees and forecasting fee revenues as part of an annual budget development process?

+ Yes

+ No

Required Question