Director, Eastern Maryland Planning Region

Job description

About us

We are a professional and agile agency and our goal is to serve as the statewide, cross-disciplinary resource for local and state agencies working collaboratively to create places that people love and communities where all thrive.

Our work environment includes:

• Modern office setting
• Food provided
• Modern office setting
• Work-from-home days

Overview

As Director of the Eastern Maryland Planning Region (Director), this position oversees and assists Lower Eastern Shore Regional (Salisbury) staff in the management and operations of the Salisbury office, including the assignment of work and coordination of the Maryland Department of Planning's (MDP's) local engagement. In this role, this position also serves as the lead for MDP's Eastern Maryland Planning Best Practices Program. The Director also supervises the Lower Eastern Shore and Upper Eastern Shore (Centreville) Regional Planners.

The main purpose of this position is managerial oversight of best practices development and planning liaison activities provided to appointed and elected officials and staff of municipal and county governments in Maryland's Eastern Region (Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties). This position also participates in these activities as needed to meet regional demands, at the direction of the Director of Planning Best Practices, or as Eastern Region staffing needs require it. The technical assistance services provided must be consistent with, and in furtherance of, the programs and policies of MDP. The Director is also responsible for allocating Eastern Maryland Region staff resources, as well as coordinating with other MDP division staff to secure their resources, to meet fluctuating project and programmatic demands by both content area and jurisdiction. If not typically working out of one of MDP's satellite Eastern Shore offices, the Director is expected to regularly visit the Eastern Maryland region as required by the Director of Planning Best Practices to advance department programs and projects.

This is a Management Service position, and serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority.

Responsibilities

Develop, coordinate, and participate in MDP programs, projects, and studies geographically located in the Eastern Maryland Region or those that involve planning and policy issues that affect Eastern Maryland. This function includes the promotion of Maryland's sustainable growth policy, developing best practices, natural resources protection, regulatory streamlining, and inter-jurisdictional coordination, for the purpose of primarily addressing planning, community development, and land use issues typically encountered in more rural jurisdictions experiencing physical changes or pressures associated with increased development, climate change, resiliency threats, and capacity limitations. In this role, the Director is required to work closely with the Directors of the Western and Middle Maryland Regions to coordinate department leadership directives, share resources and insight across regions, and develop protocols and messaging for communicating department initiatives to the division's regional planners. Supervisory Duties: Supervise two regional planners assigned to MDP's Eastern Region.

Supervisory duties include, but are not limited to:

(1) Overseeing planning and technical assistance to nine counties and the municipalities therein.

(2) Organizing, assigning, and reviewing work products to ensure completion in a timely manner

(3) Interviewing and assisting in the selection and training of new employees

(4) Approving and signing leave requests, time sheets, and expense vouchers

(5) Evaluating and documenting employee performance; and

(6) Counseling and disciplining employees, as needed

(7) Critical Area Circuit Rider (internship) program

(8) Overseeing operations in the Salisbury Office, including IT and material needs, equipment procurement, and vehicle fleet management. Salisbury staff have primary responsibility for office operations, but the Director ensures that procurement, vendor engagement, and other office maintenance demands guarantee a productive work environment.

Regional Planning/Liaison: Aid jurisdictions as directed to help meet state planning requirements, build local capacity and effective partnerships, develop and promote best planning and zoning practices, gain desired local designations, access grant funding, enhance economic and community development, and ensure effective local and regional collaboration, among other needs. This position is expected to provide leadership in leveraging department resources from various divisions, facilitate coordination between local and state stakeholders, analyze both challenges and assets, develop creative solutions, manage projects, and form and implement effective and measurable workplans. Duties include providing or coordinating state agencies' assistance to local governments, giving presentations, and providing guidance and limited assistance in preparing comprehensive land use plans, zoning, and other ordinances.

Preferred Qualifications

Our preferred candidate will have:

· AICP, LEED, CC-P or similar planning related certification.

· Exceptional communications and project management skills.

· Three years of experience in one or more of the following:

- Local or state government and/or providing planning and related technical assistance to government and non-government organizations. Ideally, this experience should incorporate a variety of issues, including but not limited to long range and current planning, zoning, emergency management, and community engagement.

- Establishing, adjusting, and ensuring successful implementation of programs and associated policies, workplans, templates, checklists, evaluation criteria and procedures.

- Conducting and facilitating meetings with various individuals and agencies using exceptional client relations skills.

- Planning and project management in support of community resiliency and education, climate change adaptation and mitigation, energy access, cultural and historic resource preservation, or regulatory reform.

- State of Maryland Planning initiatives and programs and how they can be applied to develop a more resilient economy and local capacity, as well as experience with Maryland land use and sustainability statutory requirements.

- Making public presentations and representing a department or organization on committees and other representative bodies.

- Managing and executing complex planning and community development projects that involve coordination of multiple stakeholders, competing interests, and the development of new communication channels.

- Proficiency with office productivity software, GIS, site design and visualization tools such as Sketch Up, Photoshop or similar.

Complete the application at https://www.jobapscloud.com/MD/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1=25&R2=002317&R3=0001

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $84,229.00 - $123,643.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Baltimore, MD 21202

Salary : $84,229 - $123,643