2025 Community Development Director

City of Oregon City, OR
Community Development Director 
Annual salary range $127,584 to $159,336 plus excellent benefits
Open until filled – First review May 26, 2025.

The City of Oregon City is seeking a strategic and engaging leader to serve and lead the Community Development Department.  The ideal candidate will be customer service minded and utilize a collaborative approach. The City is looking for someone with strong initiative and commitment to serve the community.  Oregon City offers an outstanding quality of life, residents that truly care about their community, and businesses that want to make a difference.  
 
The Community 
Historic Oregon City is perched on the bluffs overlooking thundering Willamette Falls and situated in the lush green valley at the confluence of the Willamette and Clackamas rivers. Oregon City has a long-standing reputation for its livability and growing economic climate.  Known as “The City at the End of the Oregon Trail,” Oregon City has easy access to all the amenities of the Portland metropolitan area while maintaining the quality of small-town life.  It is ideally located less than 25 minutes from downtown Portland and the Portland International Airport.  Oregon City was the original capital of the Oregon Territory, is the County seat of Clackamas County and is designated a Regional Center. The city (population 35,570) occupies a territory of approximately 9.2 square miles.   Interstate 205 and State Highways 99E and 213 provide links to Portland, Salem, Canby, and Southwest Clackamas County. 
 
What Oregon City Has to Offer
With an abundance of rivers, excellent golf courses, and the proximity to Mt. Hood and the Oregon Coast, Oregon City offers an expansive range of recreational opportunities. Boaters, water and snow skiers, swimmers, golfers, and anglers have virtually a limitless playground in and around Oregon City.
 
Oregon City boasts three well-known landmarks:  Willamette Falls, the municipal elevator, and the End of the Oregon Trail. In addition to these landmarks, Oregon City has numerous historic sites including the home of John McLoughlin, known as the “Father of Oregon.”
The Position of Community Development Director
Reporting to the City Manager, this position will focus on engaging the City Commission, Planning Commission, boards/committees, neighborhoods and community groups. The Director will also implement strategic planning process, development and implementation of the comprehensive plan, economic and environmental planning, and zoning administration for all current planning, code compliance, housing, and land use issues. The director oversees two managers, one in planning and zoning the other, a building inspector. The department  has 15 full time employees including the Director.  
 
The key functions include but are not limited to the following: 
 

• Plan, organize, control, integrate, and evaluate the work of the Community Development Department.  Develop, implement, monitor, and review accomplishments against annual performance plans. 

• Formulate and recommend policies on development, growth, land use, transportation, environmental, and housing.   Direct and conduct communications programs to enhance public awareness of growth and planning challenges.  

 

• Consult and offer direction for major projects to ensure compliance with City goals, needs, and applicable planning laws.  Ensure that project deadlines are reasonable and attainable, and professional quality work is maintained. 

 

• Meet and advise City Commission on goals, priorities, programs, and regulations for land use, conservation, municipal infrastructure, and quality and livability of the City.  
• Support the Planning Manager in advising the Planning Commission, Historic Review Board, and other committees.

 

• Direct the conduct of surveys, public hearings, and other communication techniques to identify community and customer goals, objectives, and needs.

 

• Monitor project management plans and results, overseeing contractor selection and the evaluation of contract compliance and adherence to applicable policies.  

 

• Review work plans and schedules, assignment of staff to projects, and prioritize and resolve conflicts to ensure goals are met in a timely and fiscally responsible manner. 

 

• Direct and participate in developing budgets for the department.  Monitor and evaluate performance against established budgets.

• Direct, advise, and participate in preparing analysis and recommendations on legislation, policy issues, and long-range plans.  Interpret Planning and City Commission instructions and requests.  Interpret city ordinances, policies, laws and regulations.

 

• Serve as a City representative to conferences and meetings with other governmental agencies and industries.   Participate in meetings, conferences, conventions, and other professional forums to stay current with planning trends and emerging strategies for metropolitan communities.
   
   
• Performs other duties as assigned that support the overall objective of the position.

Ideal Candidate Competencies

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following competencies:
 

• Problem Solving - Identify and resolve problems in a timely manner? Gather and analyze information skillfully? Develop alternative solutions? Work well in group problem solving situations? Use reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

 

• Leadership - Strong leadership presence and the ability to present with confidence to the commission, employees, and internal and external stakeholders. 

Interest in developing, mentoring, and growing employees within their current roles to keep them challenged and committed to their work.
The ability to lead the development and implementation of the organization’s strategic plan including its goals and objectives.
 

• Communication - Ability to effectively collaborate and communicate with employees, the Commission, and external stakeholders in a fair, professional and consistent manner.

Demonstrated ability to articulate work expectations and outcomes clearly to staff, including priorities, plans, procedures, schedules, and final services and/or products.
 

• Ethics - Treat people with respect? Inspire the trust of others? Work ethically and with integrity? Uphold organizational values. 

 

• Strategic Thinking - Develop strategies to achieve organizational goals? Understand organization's strengths & weaknesses? Identify external threats and opportunities. 

 

• Planning/Organizing – Oversee the prioritization and planning of work activities? Use time efficiently? Plan for additional resources? lead the development and implementation of the organization’s strategic plan and its goals and objectives.

 

• Professionalism - Approach others in a tactful manner? React well under pressure? Treat others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position? Inspire respect and trust? Recognize and handle political issues and topics.

 

• Judgment - Display willingness to make decisions? Exhibit sound and accurate judgment? Support and explain reasoning for decisions? Include appropriate people in decision making process? Make timely decisions.

Experience and Education 
Competitive candidates should have a Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Architecture or related field and eight years of progressive experience in a government Planning environment, three of which must be in a managerial capacity or an equivalent combination of education and experience enabling the incumbent to perform the essential functions of the position.  

Successful candidates will also have the knowledge and experience leading in a similar type of organization, including experience reporting to a Commission.  Experience successfully hiring and leading employees and demonstrated listening, coaching, and team development skills. Ability to address issues and performance problems proactively consistently and to hold others accountable.  The next Director must have a passion for the current and future work of Community Development.
 
Also requires possession of a valid state driver’s license with a safe driving record. 
 
Compensation and Benefits
Salary range:  $127,584 to $159,336 annually
Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP)
Medical / Vision/ Rx Insurance
Dental Insurance
Life Insurance
Long Term Disability 
Vacation
Sick Leave
Holidays
HRA-VEBA
Employer Deferred Compensation (6.27%) 
48 hours Executive Leave 
Medical and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
Employee Assistance Program
 

The City of Oregon City is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Equal employment opportunity:  People of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability for which a reasonable accommodation can be made or any other status protected by law. Assistance will be gladly provided upon request for any applicant with sensory or non-sensory disabilities.

Oregon City Commission’s DEI Commitment:  In Oregon City, we strive to be a place where all persons, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, or ability feel safe, respected, and valued. We will work to ensure that all staff feel a sense of belonging and all city services and programs are equally available and accessible to everyone. We are committed to sustained improvement by doing the work necessary to achieve this goal.

Application Process
The City of Oregon City is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.   The recruitment will stay open until filled, though we anticipate a first review of applications May 26, 2025.
 
Candidates must apply online and include the following:

• Oregon City Application
• Cover letter 
• Current resume
• Responses to supplemental question 

Questions may be directed to Patrick Foiles, HR Director at (503) 496-1528, by e-mail at pfoiles@orcity.org

Salary : $127,584 - $159,336