Deputy Planning Director

Salary: $97,641.00 - $153,296.00 Annually
Location : 295 Riverside Circle Naples, FL
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 202500570
Department: Planning
Opening Date: 01/23/2025
Closing Date: 4/21/2025 5:00 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: N

To view the recruitment brochure, click here

PURPOSE OF CLASSIFICATION
The purpose of this classification is to assist in directing, managing, and overseeing Planning Department functions in both current and long-range planning initiatives and administration of grant programs and special assignments and to administer, coordinate, and implement land development code and comprehensive planning programs through building permit review, planning petition processing, and public presentations and responses to the public for zoning information. Employees in this position assist the Planning Director with all facets of City planning initiatives, such as transportation, land use and regulations, neighborhood redevelopment, natural resources, and housing programs.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE STATEMENT

Every City employee has emergency response responsibilities, though not every position will require routine assignments during an emergency event. All employees may be subject to recall around the clock for emergency response operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the normal work location, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official job description. Assignments in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature, with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically and operationally challenging conditions.

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.
The Deputy Director of Planning will assist the Director of Planning and perform in his/her absence all duties including the following:

• Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff: develops and oversees employee work schedules to ensure adequate coverage and control; compiles and reviews timesheets; approves/processes employee concerns and problems and counsels or disciplines as appropriate; assists with or completes employee performance appraisals; directs work; and trains staff in operations, policies, and procedures.
• Directs and administers staff planning in development, implementation, review, and revision of the City's planning and development initiatives, the Comprehensive Plan, grant program(s), and other special programs; conducts staff meetings to organize and prioritize planning tasks; prepares the planning staff position for major items.
• Assists in formulating and developing policies and standard operating procedures; implements departmental rules and regulations; communicates and clarifies local, state and federal regulations, codes and standards.
• Ensures all departmental activities comply with applicable local, state and federal codes, ordinances, laws and regulations, standards, policies and procedures; initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations.
• Has primary responsibility for developing and preparing long range management plans, including the Comprehensive Plan, Vision, and master planning initiatives.
• Receives, investigates and responds to citizen complaints and inquiries.
• Organizes tasks in order to complete assigned work; confers with employees, assists with complex/problem situations, and provides technical expertise; assists with training and instructing employees regarding operational procedures and proper use of equipment; assists with supervision of employees by reporting employee problems and providing input on disciplinary action and employee performance evaluations.
• Reviews and analyzes all agenda items, including preliminary plats, final plats, applications for rezoning, variances, conditional uses, plan amendments, and code amendments.
• Coordinates City planning and development activities with other local, County, regional and State agencies.
• Develops the City's annual Comprehensive Plan amendment cycle, to include preparation of staff reports, City Council executive summaries, and City ordinances. Reviews Comprehensive Plan amendments, to include preparation of staff reports, summaries, and ordinances, and meeting with applicants/attorneys as applicable. Administers the City's Comprehensive Plan updates, to include establishing work plans, staff assignments, and plan content and format; reviews applicable State law for compliance.
• Reviews and analyzes various staff reports, studies, and other forms of documentation to evaluate performance, gain information, determine compliance, and apply to special projects.
• Compiles data and assimilates such into various reports and records for documentation and presentation purposes, accountability, and future reference, i.e., impact studies, population data and analysis, maps, diagrams.
• Prepare agenda and ensure staff adherence to established department calendar in meeting task deadlines for the Planning Advisory Board, Design Review Board, City Council, Community Redevelopment Agency Board, and other committee/board initiatives.
• Process petitions for board and City Council review; oversee application meetings, notice (mailed, advertised and posted), meetings with staff, preparation of report and resolutions/ordinances, and coordination with other departments; responds to questions on petitions; makes presentations before board and City Council; and follows up on petition processes.
• Evaluate and amend the Land Development Code to include workshops with City Council, boards and other committees, meeting with City Attorney, preparation of ordinance and processing as required.
• Evaluate and amend the Comprehensive Plan; oversee and participate in development of the City's Comprehensive Plan in areas of transportation, land use, housing, infrastructure, neighborhood development, state housing, capital improvements, and conservation and natural resource management; conduct evaluation of comprehensive plan utilizing bi-annual amendment process as requested and a full evaluation of the plan every seven years; conduct public hearings; perform analysis of State Statutes; transmit required reports; and process necessary amendments.
• Provide written and verbal responses to requests for zoning information; responds to phone, email and walk-in requests; researches answers through code, past ordinances, resolutions and building permits; and drafts responses.
• Evaluates operational and organizational needs, statistical data, growth trends, and community needs.
• Prepare annual budget and approve expenditures; conduct annual analysis of costs and estimate costs for following year; input benchmarking data; develop goals and objectives for department; present proposed departmental budget to City Manager and City Council; prepare quarterly reports on goals and objectives and monthly approvals of expenditures prepared by Administrative Assistant.
• Review building permits for compliance with Land Development Code; contact contractors and architects regarding changes; conduct site visits as necessary; and enter review results in database.
• Operate a personal computer to enter, retrieve, review or modify data, utilizing Microsoft Word, H.T.E., Excel, Access, ArcView, word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, Internet, e-mail, or other software; and operate general office or other equipment as necessary to complete essential functions.
• Communicates with City Council, Board members, attorneys, contractors, developers, engineers, design professionals, regulatory agencies, the public, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems; provides oral presentations in public and official forums concerning planning projects, how issues are addressed, and projected impacts; prepares agendas and presents plans to the Planning Advisory Board, Design Review Board, and City Council.
• Manages the bidding of special projects; evaluates requests for proposal and requests for qualifications; makes recommendations for selection of contractors and consultants; ensures adherence to plans and specifications of special projects.
• Maintains current knowledge of trends and developments in municipal planning, development, and growth management, Naples Code of Ordinances, various State statutes, parking and trip generation standards of the ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers), other administrative codes relevant to planning, and the professional standards of planning practice as adopted by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS:

• Performs other duties as required.

PERFORMANCE APTITUDES:

Data Utilization: Requires the ability to synthesize, hypothesize, and/or theorize concerning data involving modification of existing policies, strategies and/or methods to meet unique or unusual conditions. Requires the ability to do so within the context of existing organizational theories and management principles.

Human Interaction: Requires the ability to function in a director capacity for a major organizational unit requiring significant internal and external interaction.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.

Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may include ability to compute discount, interest, and ratios; may include ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.

Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or synthesis functions; to deal with several concrete and abstract variables; and to analyze major problems that require complex planning for interrelated activities that can span one or several work units.

Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving broader aspects of organizational programs and operations, moderately unstable situations, or the direction, control and planning of an entire program or set of programs.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master's degree in Public Administration, Planning or closely related field, or Bachelor's degree and additional licensing; supplemented by five (5) years experience in Municipal Planning, with progressively responsible managerial experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.
• Must possess and maintain a valid Florida driver's license

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

The City of Naples is a Tobacco-Free Workplace. Applicants for the City of Naples must not have been a user of tobacco products for at least six (6) months immediately preceding an application for employment; and, if hired, must maintain non-use of tobacco products for the duration of employment with the City of Naples. Tobacco is defined as any lighted or unlighted cigarette, cigar, pipe, nicotine dispensing device, other types of smoking product, smokeless tobacco including dip, chew or snuff.

ADA COMPLIANCE
Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or work station.

Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate sounds and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors: Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
The City of Naples, Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Naples, Florida will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
The City of Naples offers a competitive benefits package to it's employees. Please refer to the employee benefits link on the Human Resources web page, linked below, to learn more about our benefits package:
01

Do you have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, or a closely related field?

• Yes, Master's Degree
• Yes, Bachelor's Degree
• No

02

Do you have six (6) years of progressively responsible/successful administrative and management experience in planning, preferably in a public sector environment?
03

How many years of professional level public agency planning experience do you have?

• 1-2 years
• 2-3 years
• 3-4 years
• 4-5 years
• More than 5 years

04

How many years of progressively responsible administrative and supervisory experience do you have in a large multi-functional organization?

• Less than 5 years
• 5-6 years
• 7 years or more

05

Please describe your relevant experience.
06

Do you have experience with City View software program?
07

Please describe the professional experiences that have prepared you for this position and how those experiences helped you be successful in your career.
08

Please describe your experience presenting information to elected officials during a City Council or Commission meeting.
09

Please describe the specific experience you have working with appointed Advisory Boards and Committees.
10

Please describe what interests you the most about working for the City of Naples as the Deputy Planning Director.
11

The City of Naples is a Tobacco-Free Workplace. Applicants for the City of Naples must not have been a user of tobacco products for at least six (6) months immediately preceding an application for employment; and, if hired, must maintain non-use of tobacco products for the duration of employment with the City of Naples. Tobacco is defined as any lighted or unlighted cigarette, cigar, pipe, nicotine dispensing device, other types of smoking product, smokeless tobacco including dip, chew or snuff in any form.

• I am a user of tobacco products
• I am not a user of tobacco products

Required Question