Planning Director

Position Title: Planning Director Department: Planning Grade: Grade12 FLSA Status: Exempt Reports To: Town Manager Salary Range: Starts at $80,732 - $113,026 based on qualifications Nature of Work: The Planning Director ("Employee") performs professional and administrative duties in planning, organizing, and coordinating the Town of Duxbury's ("Town") planning, land use, and community development functions and activities. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties. Supervision Received: Employee works under the direct supervision of the Town Manager and the Town's Planning Board ("Board"), working from organizational policies and objectives, establishing short- and long-range plans and objectives for the Planning Department, establishes personnel performance standards and assumes direct accountability for the results of a department of the Town. Employee consults with the Town Manager where clarification, interpretation, or exception to organizational policy may be required. The Employee exercises responsibility for the development of department policies, procedures, goals, objectives, and operating budgets. The Employee is expected to attempt to resolve conflicts that arise and coordinate with others as necessary. Supervisory Responsibility: The Employee is accountable for the direction and success of programs. Analyzes program objectives, determines work operations, and estimates and allocates the financial and staff resources required. Oversees the personnel function of the Planning Department ("Department") including recommending hiring, training, and disciplining of employees. The Employee is responsible for the supervision of subordinate position(s), developing job direction, and assigning tasks and instructions. Oversees the work of outside consultants on Town projects. Confidentiality: Employee has regular access to confidential information of the department, including personnel records, lawsuits, and client and department records such as bid documents and contracts. Confidentiality must be maintained with regard to this information in accordance with Departmental Policy and the Public Records Act. Accountability: Duties include department level responsibility for technical processes, service delivery, and oversight and the development of municipal wide planning goals and objectives and fiscal responsibility for the department including department equipment and staffing utilization. Consequences or errors, missed deadlines, or poor judgment could severely jeopardize department operations or have adverse public relations, jeopardize programs, or cause extensive financial and legal repercussions to the Town. Judgment: Work is performed based on administrative or organizational policies, general principles, legislation, or directives that pertain to a specific department or functional area. Extensive judgment is required to develop new or adapt existing methods and approaches for accomplishing objectives or to deal with new or unusual requirements within the limits of the guidelines or policies. The Employee is recognized as the department of functional area's authority in interpreting the guidelines, in determining how they should be applied, and in making recommendations for operating policies, standards, or criteria. Complexity: The work consists of employing many different concepts, theories, principles, techniques, and practices relating to the planning field. Assignments typically concern such matters as studying trends in the field for application to the work; assessing services and recommending improvements; planning and managing long-range projects; and devising new appropriate and applicable techniques for application to the work. Nature and Purpose of Public Contact: Employee has constant interactions with local, state, and federal government officials, community leaders, and many other individuals to protect and promote the municipality's overall interest. Employee must possess a high degree of diplomacy and judgment. Duties require a well-developed sense of strategy and timing in representing the municipality effectively in critical and important situations that may influence the well-being of the municipality. Excellent communication and customer service skills are required involving courtesy, tact, and diplomacy with the public and public officials. 9. Essential Functions: The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or logical assignment to the position. 1. Serves As Technical Advisor To The Planning Board, Duxbury Affordable Housing Trust, And Other Town Boards/Committees As Directed By The Town Manager Or Board By Preparing Reports And Recommendations And Serving As The Liaison Between The Board And The Public, Developers, And Other Town Boards And Commissions 2. Acts As Principal Contact For All Manner Of Development Proposals In The Town And Coordinates The Review Of Subdivisions, Site Plans, And Special Permit Applications For Commercial, Recreational, Office, Industrial, And Residential Development With Pertinent Staff Members And Members Of Other Departments. Coordinates The Reviews Conducted By The Interdepartmental Development Review Team Or DRT. 3. Carriesout a Comprehensive Planning Program for the Planning Board and assists theTown Manager and Board of Selectmen with Long-Range Strategic Planning. 4. Administersexisting land use regulations falling under the authority of the Planning Boardunder the provisions of state statute, Town Bylaws, and Town Zoning Bylaws. Develops and initiates planningand zoning policies and regulatory programs, addressing planning and land useissues in a manner consistent with state law, Town Bylaws, Zoning Bylaws,Subdivision Rules and Regulations, and land-use planning objectives. Assists theBoard in making recommendations and developing proposals for consideration bythe Town regarding land use. 5. Conducts Field Inspections For Planning Studies And Development Proposals To Ensure Compliance With Approvals And Regulations. 6. Providescomments and advice to the Town Manager, Board of Selectmen, Planning Board,and other Town boards and committees as requested; researches and writes zoningand subdivision regulations and design guidelines. 7. Overseesthe maintenance and updating of the inventory of Town maps and relatedinformation concerning wetlands, open space, and areas of ecological,biological, geological or hydrological significance; maintains contact withFEMA, and maintains an electronic inventory of GIS maps with Assessors. 8. Conducts Statistical And Narrative Research Pertaining To Economic, Social, And Physical Factors Affecting The Town; Makes Projections For Growth And Impacts By Analyzing Growth Trends, Population Data, And Development Pressures. 9. Providesinformation and guidance to members of the public and land owners as requiredpertaining to land use and zoning matters. 10. Prepares documents for legal appeals andprovides legal testimony in court as required. 11. Serves as staff advisor to Planning Board andother boards and commissions on planning-related matters and initiates and coordinatesplanning studies. 12. Coordinates and oversees the Town's GIS andweb-based projects by vendors/consultants. 13. Prepares and administers the Planning Department'soperating budget. 14. Serves as Town representative with local,county, state, federal, regional planning, and economic development agencies. 15. Servesas the Town's Floodplain Administrator and coordinates directly with local,state, and federal agencies and is responsible for reviewing all buildingpermit applications with respect to compliance and correct documentation offloodplain information on plans. 16. Serves as the Town's delegate to the OldColony Planning Council and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council - voting,submitting requests for Direct Local Technical Assistance, and TransportationImprovement Program representing the Town. Serves as the Town's designated contact and/or portal administrator forstate funding programs including: (i) Complete Streets; (ii) Green Community;(iii) Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness; (iv) Community Compact Cabinet; (v)MBTA Communities, and others as may arise 17. Maintains public-facing resources on the PlanningDepartment and Planning Board web pages. 18. Attendsall Planning Board meetings. Posts theagenda for Planning Board meetings and hearings and assembles supportingmaterials in a complete and timely manner. Oversees preparation of Planning Board meeting minutes, and drafts, andsolicits comments from the Planning Board to finalize decisions, bonds,covenants, and other legally binding documents. 19. Attends classes and educational seminars tomaintain and expand knowledge of planning laws, best practices, and/orregulations, and to maintain professional certification(s) and licenses 20. Performsother duties and functions as required or directed. Minimum Qualifications: Required Education and Experience: Bachelor'sdegree in Planning or a related field; five to seven (5-7) year municipalplanning experience or any equivalent combination of education, training andexperience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities toperform essential functions of the job. Required Qualifications: Valid Massachusetts Class D Driver's License.Certification as Planner by the AICP or theability to obtain within twelve (12) months of hire Preferred Qualifications: Supervisory Experience. 11.Knowledge, Abilities and Skill Knowledge: Thorough knowledge of municipal planning,research data, and the collection of data in support of the Town's planningservices. Working knowledge of federal,state, and local land use regulations and permit procedures. Abilities: Ability to meet and deal with the publiceffectively to accomplish the Town's planning goals and objectives; ability totake the initiative required to handle problems effectively; ability tocommunicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to operate a computer;ability to maintain confidential information; ability to maintain, manage, andorganize records; ability to deal appropriately with clients, Town employees,Town officials and other governmental agencies. Ability to deal with sensitive inquiries and complaints. The ability to conduct short- and long-termplanning projects and produce results. Skill: Excellent written and oral communicationskills. Excellent organizational anddata processing skills. Proficientcomputer and mathematical skills. 12. Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements when conducting field inspections. Employee must exercise caution when conducting field inspections. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings. 13. Occupational Risk: Duties generally do not present occupational risk to the Employee. Minor injury could occur, however, through Employee failure to property follow safety precautions or procedures when conducting site inspection work in the field. Examples of injury include minor bruises from falls, minor cuts or burns or minor muscular strains. 14.Physical and Mental Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position's essential functions. PhysicalSkills: Work requires agility andphysical strength when in the field accessing construction work sites orstanding or walking for extended periods of time. Occasionally, work mayrequire lifting (up to 30 lbs.), pushing, carrying, or pulling objects. Motor Skills: Duties involve assignments requiring application of hand and eye coordination with finger dexterity and motor coordination. Examples include operating a motor vehicle, using a personal computer, or climbing a ladder. Visual Demands: Visual demands require the Employee to constantly read documents for general understanding and analytical purposes as well as to interpret non-written materials such as maps; Employee must be able to distinguish colors. Open to Internal and External applicants. Posting begins July 8, 2024 and will remain open until filled. Town of Duxbury is an EEO employer - M/F/Vets/Disabled

Created: 2024-11-05