Director, City Planning

The City of Cleveland is seeking a Director of City Planning to provide vision and direction for long-range planning efforts, including the 2040 Citywide Plan and lakefront development. The role involves leading a team of approximately 35 staff, managing a budget of $3-4M, and fostering relationships with community partners. The position requires strategic oversight and advocacy for equitable urban development, aiming to modernize city governance.
Director, City Planning
City of Cleveland - United States
$120,000 - $150,000 a year
Description
Director, City Planning

About the City of Cleveland. Mayor Justin M. Bibb has built a team that reflects the diversity of our city and is working daily to deliver a modern and responsive city government to bring City Hall into the 21st century. The Bibb Administration has made substantial progress in modernizing City Hall, advancing lakefront and riverfront development, making long-term investments in strategic initiatives in site redevelopment, housing affordability, and neighborhood development. Mayor Bibb’s vision for Cleveland is to become a national model for city management, police reform, and neighborhood revitalization. The City of Cleveland employs over 8,000 people dedicated to public service and we’re looking for emerging and experienced leaders to help us move forward.

About the City Planning Commission. Chartered in 1915 as one of the oldest Planning Commissions in the United States, Cleveland’s City Planning Commission envisions a thriving urban community resilient in the face of changing regional, national, and global conditions. We accomplish this by enhancing physical development, preserving the City’s history, and creating places for people that are healthy, sustainable and vibrant for current and future generations.

About the Department of City Planning. The Department of City Planning is an advocate for the preservation and establishment of prosperous communities that are authentic and diverse, providing equitable access to the resources necessary for residents to thrive. The department currently has 34 staff members who serve the City Planning Commission, the Landmarks Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Board of Building Standards and Appeals.
Examples of Duties
Job Description: Director, City Planning

Provides vision and direction for long-range planning efforts such as the 2040 Citywide Plan, major projects on the lakefront and riverfront, and other citywide policy initiatives that support a 15-minute city
Leads culture change in City Hall and in the Department of City Planning through buy-in and relationship building
Provides strategic direction to the department and participates in the Mayor’s Integrated Development efforts across the administration
Drives implementation of key plans including the lakefront and riverfront plans and citywide mobility plan, and drives forward critical planning efforts such as the citywide plan
Stewards a department of ~35 staff members serving four different boards and commissions and provides guidance and expertise to the leaders of the Planning Commission, Landmarks Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals and the Board of Building Standards and Building Appeals
Organizes professional development for staff members and coaches, trains and mentors the departmental leadership team
Responsibly manages an annual budget of $3-4M and understands public finance
Represents the Department of City Planning at Council’s legislative and operational hearings
Develops strong working relationships with neighborhood partners, organizations and residents in order to produce engaged planning and zoning efforts
Leads continuous process improvement to the organization in the areas of development review, communications, and overall operations
Understands and manages cases for the City Planning Commission and ensures proper procedures for the four boards and commissions, speaking on the record on behalf of the City Planning Commission regularly
Attends and manages public involvement and engagement with an ability to practice active listening and educate the public around planning principles
Participate as asked in public interviews, speaking engagements, panels, etc
Any other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Requirements

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in urban or regional planning, land use, public administration, sustainability and environmental studies or related field from a four-year accredited college or university is required
Exercises strong analytical and organizational skills
Understands contemporary urban issues, social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges
Ability to work independently or collaboratively, building and maintaining interpersonal relationships through effective communication skills and responsiveness
Excellent oral and written communication skills for preparing and presenting planning reports and projects
Demonstrates an ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders around a clear vision for serving the City and its residents
Possesses and demonstrates good problem-solving skills and decision-making abilities
Demonstrates knowledge of standard office procedures, practices, and adept use of technology tools (e.g. Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Suite, Accela)
Demonstrates a commitment to public, ethics and customer service
Demonstrates a commitment to innovation and possesses an entrepreneurial spirit
Physical abilities to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation
Ability to perform duties with tact, discretion, and confidentiality
Ability to manage projects effectively and meet firm deadlines
Understands climate change and integrate environmental and climate justice into strategic planning, approach, and implementation
Supplemental Information
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate for the role of the Director, City Planning is an experienced, collaborative, solutions-oriented and visionary individual with a background in urban planning and development. This position requires a candidate to operate at a strategic thinking and systems level, as well as to grapple with detailed and tactical questions, all while managing a high performing team of highly skilled planners. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with a track record of proactive vision setting and a strong understanding of current planning principles. The position also requires strong communication and the ability to influence colleagues and partners. The Director is someone who is adept at managing change, creating positive organizational culture, and driving toward positive outcomes and successful results.
The Director must have a team-oriented approach towards decision-making and be comfortable with addressing and resolving multiple, sometimes conflicting demands across various stakeholders. This involves successfully navigating directives from citizens, developers, civic partners, City Council, and the Mayor while inspiring confidence and delivering results.
This Director must excel in personnel management, public presentations and municipal governance, as well as navigating bureaucracy (civil service, human resources, finance, and law). Given the majority non-white population in the City of Cleveland, the ideal candidate has internalized the importance of racial equity and cultural competency with an action-oriented approach toward city building and our built environment, promoting racially, ethnically and socioeconomically diverse communities.

Preferred Expertise

An American Planning Association AICP certification is preferred
Five years of full-time paid experience in urban planning, land use law, architecture or a closely related field is required. A Master’s Degree in urban planning or related field may substitute for two years of experience.
Exercises strong analytical and organizational skills
Understands contemporary urban issues, social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges
Ability to work independently or collaboratively, building and maintaining interpersonal relationships through effective communication skills and responsiveness
Excellent oral and written communication skills for preparing and presenting planning reports and projects
Demonstrates an ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders around a clear vision for serving the City and its residents
Possesses and demonstrates good problem-solving skills and decision-making abilities
Demonstrates knowledge of standard office procedures, practices, and adept use of technology tools (e.g. Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Suite, Accela)
Demonstrates a commitment to public, ethics and customer service
Demonstrates a commitment to innovation and possesses an entrepreneurial spirit
Physical abilities to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation
Ability to perform duties with tact, discretion, and confidentiality
Ability to manage projects effectively and meet firm deadlines
Understands climate change and integrate environmental and climate justice into strategic planning, approach, and implementation
Understands the structures, practices and relationships required to work effectively within city government and demonstrates ability to work across departments and organizations to achieve results
Demonstrates a sense of urgency and ability to work expeditiously in a deadline driven environment.
Demonstrates an ability to set goals and develop strategies and schedules for meeting goals
Bilingual speakers preferred, either in Spanish, Arabic or Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese)
Supervision
The Director of City Planning will report to the Chief of Integrated Development in the Mayor’s Office.
PLEASE PROVIDE A RESUME AND COVER LETTER WITH YOUR APPLICATION

The City's guiding principles are as follows: Placing Clevelanders at the Center, Empowering Employees to Do Purposeful Work, Defining Clear and Pragmatic Objectives, Leading with Trust and Transparency, Striving for Equity in All We Do, and Embracing Change. All City employees are responsible for embracing and carrying out these principles in all that they do.