February, 2021
Camden County, North Carolina
FLSA Status: Exempt
Planning and Community Development Director
General Definition of Work
Performs complex professional work planning, directing and developing short and long-range planning and community development activities, services and programs, coordinating and supervising building codes enforcement, zoning land use ordinance and environmental code enforcement and activities, serving as staff support to various boards and commissions, maintaining records and files, preparing reports, and related work as apparent or assigned.
Work involves setting policies and goals under the direction of the County Manager. Departmental supervision is exercised over all personnel within the department.
Qualification Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Essential Functions
- Analyzes County planning needs, programs, services, infrastructure and requests for assistance.
- Formulates recommendations regarding current and long-range plans, priorities and strategies for improving economic and quality of life for County citizens.
- Supervises the gathering and analysis of statistical and narrative data pertaining to population growth, land use and economic development.
- Develops land use plans, policies and standards in collaboration with the County Manager, Board of Commissioners, and other boards and commissions; plans for improvement of the economic and aesthetic quality of life for the County.
- Researches and drafts local land use policies and ordinances to further County land use objectives regarding the patterns and standards of development.
- Directs the preparation of charts, maps, graphs and other illustrative materials and makes presentations to elected officials, appointed boards, community groups and concerned citizens.
- Participates in meetings and public hearings to explain recommendations and planning proposals.
- Proposes and implements methods of public involvement and education about planning and development issues.
- Supervises and participates in administration of various ordinances and regulations including review and approval of plans of developers and property owners to ensure compliance with County zoning, subdivision, mobile home, storm water and other land use ordinances and regulations.
- Coordinates the review and approval or recommendation of site development plans and subdivision plats to technical review agencies, Planning Board and Board of Commissioners.
- Assists citizens, developers, property owners, engineers, architects, consultants and officials to understand, interpret and comply with development regulations; resolves issues, through administrative decisions or formal legal procedure, where there may be conflicting interpretation of local and/or state laws.
- Prepares, monitors and manages departmental budget.
- Supervises field inspectors and permitting staff and oversees code enforcement activities.
- Prioritizes work schedules, responds to complaints and inquiries, and meets with staff regularly.
- Assists in the recruitment and selection of department personnel.
- Assigns, directs, inspects the work and evaluates the performance of assigned staff.
- Recommends rewards, transfers, promotions, suspensions and terminations; coaches, counsels, disciplines and trains department staff; develops staff schedules.
- Prepares requests for proposals and contractual agreements for technical services provided by consultants and other contracted services.
- Provides staff support to the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Board of Commissioners, Technical Review Committee and County Manager; serves on various other related boards and committees.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Comprehensive knowledge of the advanced principles and practices of municipal planning and community development; comprehensive knowledge of economics, municipal finance and sociology as they apply to planning; general knowledge of landscape architecture and traffic engineering; general knowledge of the principles and practices of civil engineering as they relate to planning and subdivision design and control; general knowledge of CAD and GIS preferred; competent in computer operations and relevant software programs; ability to interpret and analyze technical and statistical information and to prepare and present technical oral and written reports; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associate, County officials, other agencies and the general public. Stays abreast of professional developments in the field of planning through outside reading and study and attendance at professional meetings.
Performs related work as required. Become an expert in the interpretation and application of the Unified Development Ordinance.
Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree in Planning and AICP certification preferred or related field and extensive experience in planning and development processes with firm understanding of County codes and operations, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Physical Requirements
This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 20 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting and speaking or hearing and occasionally requires standing and walking; must have visual acuity to view a computer terminal, do extensive reading, perform accounting, prepare records and reports, and to determine the accuracy and thoroughness of work; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; no special hearing perception is required; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).
Special Requirements Valid driver's license in the State of North Carolina.
Click Here for the Camden County Employment Application.