Assistant Planning Director

THE CITY

Located in the gateway to the Los Angeles metropolis, the City of Paramount offers a secure quality of life to its residents and a business-friendly attitude that has created a growing retail and services sector, with a thriving Downtown.

Paramount's government is a stable, innovative, and financially conservative organization, and the City has continually invested in its infrastructure and emphasized code enforcement and assistance programs to help residents and businesses upgrade and maintain their properties. For these reasons, the City has a distinctive appearance that appeals to current and potential residents. For its employees, Paramount offers a family-friendly organization that places emphasis on work-life balance and flexibility. City leadership highly values the input and impact of each employee. Rather than working from the top-down, Paramount chooses collaboration, fostering a professional, respectful, and fulfilling work environment.

THE ORGANIZATION

The City is operated by six departments: Administrative Services, Planning, Public Safety, Public Works, Community Services, and Finance. The City’s FY 2024-25 Adopted Operating Budget is $79 million ($45 million General Fund), plus an additional $55 million in CIPs.

THE POSITION

Under the direction of the Planning Director, the Assistant Planning Director will assist with the management of all activities and services of the Planning Department, which includes the Building & Safety Division. They will coordinate and direct personnel and resources; develop, administer and evaluate projects and procedures to meet organizational needs and ensure smooth and efficient activities; to participate in preparation and monitoring of department budgets; to supervise and participate in a variety of personnel actions, including selection, promotion, performance evaluations, mentoring / coaching, and disciplinary actions; and to perform other related duties as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is a senior management class with broad responsibility for assisting the Planning Director in directing and managing Department divisions, programs, functions and activities and ensuring their compliance with applicable laws and regulations as well as the policies established by the Director, City Manager and City Council. This position is ideal for a creative, nimble, and energetic self-starter with excellent communication and project management skills, who enjoys working collaboratively.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

The Assistant Planning Director receives direct supervision from the Planning Director. and exercises direct and indirect supervision over subordinate management, supervisory, professional, technical and other support staff.

• Assist the Director in developing, organizing and managing the operations, services and activities of the Planning Department, including current and long-term planning, development, environmental reviews, housing strategies and economic development; ensure related planning and local programs, projects and activities comply with established standards, requirements, laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Participate in the development and implementation of Planning Department programs, projects, goals, objectives, policies and priorities for each assigned service area; establish and maintain, within City policy, appropriate service and staffing levels and allocate resources accordingly.
• Lead the development and implementations of the first comprehensive General Plan update since 2007.
• Oversee the continued transition to digital plan review, permitting, document archiving and retrieval, reporting, and public access to mapping and dashboard functions.
• Assist with maintaining, improving, and communicating Planning Department sustainability action internally and externally.
• Continuously monitor and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures; assess and monitor work load, administrative support systems and internal reporting relationships; identify opportunities for improvement; direct the implementation of changes.
• Represent the Planning Department while working with other City departments, elected officials and outside agencies; explain and interpret Department programs, policies and activities; negotiate and resolve sensitive, significant and controversial issues.
• Select, train, motivate, mentor and evaluate Planning Department personnel; provide or coordinate staff training; serve as a role model and inspire and coach employees to improve and grow.
• Assist with the development and implementation of the Planning Department’s work plan; meet with staff to identify and resolve problems; assign projects and programmatic areas of responsibility; review and evaluate work methods and procedures; initiate corrective actions.
• Assist with, and participate in, the development and administration of the Planning Department budget; direct the forecast of additional funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials and supplies; track, monitor and approve expenditures; direct the preparation of and implement budgetary adjustments; maintain records according to accounting policy and procedure.
• Research, assemble and compile technical information related to department and program operations, services and functions; perform complex analyses on a variety of narrative, statistical and other information; prepare and/or direct the preparation and maintenance of correspondence, fiscal documents, informational materials, records, files and reports; ensure completion and submission of mandated reports to appropriate local, State or federal agency according to established timelines.
• Review, consider and/or initiate various types of project proposals, agreements and recommendations; negotiate, draft, update and monitor agreements; communicate with City staff, attorneys and external agents as needed to ensure legal and administrative compliance.
• Review proposed or newly adopted State legislation to determine impact on department operations, make recommendations to adjust accordingly, and assist or lead implementation as needed.
• Review and edit written reports by staff.
• Assist Building and Safety Manager as needed with new State requirements, reporting, and ordinance development.
• Establish and maintain contact with various officials and outside organizations to ensure smooth and efficient utilization of outside services in meeting Department needs; meet and confer with various agencies to negotiate effective solutions to difficult problems; prepare and make presentations to the City Council, Planning Commission, and/or other boards, councils and commissions, as well as groups and individuals as required; follow-up on issues or questions.
• Represent and/or act for the Planning Director as assigned.
• Manage consultants.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Experience:

Four (4) years of professional city planning and managerial experience, including responsibility for planning, directing and evaluating the staff and operations of a major departmental section, program or function. 

Training:

Bachelor's degree with major coursework in urban planning, civil engineering, architecture, sustainability, public administration or a related field. A master’s degree in urban planning is highly desirable.

License or Certificate:

Possession of an appropriate, valid driver's license and insurability at regular rates for the City’s automobile insurance.

Knowledge of:

• Advanced principles, practices, procedures and techniques of public administration, specifically those related to budgeting, project management, human resource management and customer service.
• Principles, methods and requirements for planning, organizing, developing, implementing and directing planning and community development programs and operations.
• Laws, regulations, standards and requirements applicable to planning and community development programs and functions.
• Applicable land use laws, codes, regulations, including local growth policies, current general plan elements, subdivision regulations, zoning, variances and conditional use permit requirements.
• Environmental acts, zoning ordinances, local planning strategies, interagency coordination and building ordinances.
• California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
• Tribal consultation (AB 52)
• Housing programs such as fair housing, rental assistance, inclusionary housing, down payment / first-time homebuyers assistance, rent stabilization, CBDG/HOME administration.
• Techniques, standards and procedures involved in the design, development and implementation of community development projects and services.
• Policies, objectives, operations and organizational structures common to City governments, including those using a contract cities model.
• Advanced principles and practices of employee supervision and training, including effective motivation and mentoring techniques. 
• Terminology, concepts, methods and procedures associated with the management of assigned divisions, programs, and projects.
• Budget preparation and control.
• Public speaking and public relations principles and techniques.
• Basic knowledge of Building and Safety (or equivalent department or division) practices and protocols.

Skills:

• Effectively utilize modern office equipment, including personal computers and standard business software such as the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Safely operate vehicles if required by assignments.
• Interact and serve elected officials and the public using tact, courtesy, and professionalism.

Ability to: 

• Assist in overseeing the operations, activities and services of a Planning Department.
• Provide direction to managers and staff on program, budget and policy issues.
• Monitor, analyze and recommend modifications to organizational policies, procedures, programs and activities to enhance their financial effectiveness and operational efficiency.
• Interpret, apply, and explain planning-related laws.
• Interpret, apply and explain pertinent rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Research, evaluate and determine plan design and format for local planning strategy updates and zoning ordinance revisions.
• Evaluate, develop and update long-range State-mandated and short-rang land use plans for local planning strategies.
• Serve as a technical resource concerning the environmental review process and the preparation and distribution of environmental impact reports and negative declarations.
• Plan, direct and supervise the work of subordinate managers and supervisors, as well as professional, technical and clerical staff.
• Identify and allocate resources needed to meet department needs and ensure smooth and efficient activities.
• Direct and participate in the development and administration of department budgets.
• Direct the investigation of, and ensure the proper and timely resolution of, issues and disputes related to areas of assignment.
• Meet schedules and timelines. 
• Obtain accurate information through interviews and observation.
• Analyze complex problems, evaluate alternatives and make creative recommendations.
• Research complex information from various sources and prepare or direct the preparation of comprehensive statistical and narrative reports, records and files.
• Represent the department and/or City at various recurring, occasional, and one-time meetings and events. 
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing in a variety of formats and settings. 
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective business relationships with those contacted during work.

Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment:

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Work is primarily performed in a standard office setting and requires: the use of standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone; the ability to perform work that is primarily sedentary, although standing in and walking between work areas may be required; finger dexterity to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment; occasional bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing and pulling drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information; lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling materials and objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

Environmental Elements

Work is primarily performed in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances; may require interacting with upset staff and/or public and private representatives and contractors in interpreting and enforcing departmental and City policies and procedures. 

SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Completed application and resume must be submitted by the filing deadline listed above. Application packets will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in the job announcement. Possession of the minimum qualifications does not ensure an invitation to the recruitment process. The selection process will include an oral interview and may include other testing processes designed to predict successful job performance.

Candidates must be specific and complete in describing their qualifications for this position. Failure to state all pertinent information may lead to elimination from consideration. Stating "See Resume" is not an acceptable substitute for a completed application.

Communication regarding your application and/or status will be sent to the email address listed on your application. Please check your email regularly throughout the recruitment process as you will not receive communications by any other method.

Salary : $122,372 - $148,744