Deputy Planning Director - Economic Development

Posting Type: Closed Competitive

Work Type: Full-Time

Nature of Work: This is administrative and professional work that involves directing employees engaged in all functions of the Planning Department. An incumbent oversees the daily operation of a Planning department division and coordinates its activities with other divisions, departments, and governmental agencies. Supervision is exercised over employees engaged in the preparation and development of metropolitan area master plans, assessment of neighborhood and community needs, economic development and administering programs to meet those needs, plan review, code development, computer technology, permit issuance, and numerous other miscellaneous functions. An incumbent in this classification works with considerable independence and reports to the Planning Director. The incumbent may manage the department in the absence of the Director.

Education and Experience: The knowledge, skills, and abilities may be acquired through, but are not limited to, the following combination of education and/or experience.

Bachelor's degree
AND
Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in work involving:
city planning, economic development and master plan development and administration, including supervision of other professionals in the field, conducting research, writing reports and other documents, and explaining proposals and programs to individuals and groups.

Special Qualifications: Must be able to transport oneself or coordinate transportation to work sites throughout the City during the course of the work day.
A Master's or advanced degree in a related field is preferred.

Pay Range: $105,144.00 with step increases to $160,180.80 Annually

Benefits: Forty-hour work week. Paid leave per year: twelve days vacation; five days management; fifteen days sick; and fifteen holidays. Employee's group health insurance, including major medical, vision, and dental, for individual or family. Defined benefit pension plan, plus Social Security, and more. See hr.cityofomaha.org for detailed information.

Who Can Apply: Applicants for a closed competitive posting are required to meet the following: Candidates must be a current or former City of Omaha employee in any of the following categories: Part-time, Seasonal, Classified, Unclassified, or Probationary, who has worked, at the time of application, at least 1,040 cumulative hours within the last 5 years and has been employed by the City at sometime within the last 18 months and who meets the qualifications as set forth in the posting.

How to Apply: Completed City of Omaha employment applications must be submitted using the online application from the City website. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to check and ensure that any and all required application materials and supplemental forms are received by the City of Omaha Human Resources Department by the stated deadline. You may confirm receipt of any materials and forms by contacting the Human Resources Department. If the materials are not received in the Human Resources Department by the stated deadline, they will not be considered. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

Examination Information: The examination will consist of a structured interview which will be scheduled at a later date. The structured interview is designed to assess job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position. The final eligibility list will be assembled from those candidates achieving a passing score of 60% on the structured interview (100% weight).

Veteran Points: Not applicable to this posting.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

* Knowledge of or the ability to learn and apply federal and state regulations and City ordinances related to the implementation of programs and projects that are supported through the use of city, state, and federal funding.
* Knowledge of, and ability to operate, computers and other technology using standard or customized computer or systems software applications appropriate to the assigned tasks.
* Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of city planning, including research methods and the ability to apply them.
* Knowledge of theories, laws, principles and practices of economic development, incorporating real estate practices, economic/business development and neighborhood revitalization strategies, finance and planning considerations.
* Knowledge of various financial analytic techniques, including those related to municipal economic development, such as tax increment financing (TIF).
* Skill in related financial packaging, program development, and economic development activities, including projects of a complex and sensitive nature.
* Ability to administer sound principles and practices of organization, personnel, and financial management to the operation of a large municipal division.
* Ability to learn and adapt to advances in computer and electronics device technology and software.
* Ability to analyze community needs and to design and implement plans to meet those needs.
* Ability to foster private and public partnerships for economic development initiatives.
* Ability to effectively develop and communicate technical recommendations to Boards, Commissions, elected officials, other governmental officials and the public.
* Ability to supervise a number of professional planners and technicians, including overseeing the work of data research and analysis, detailed plan design, development, and implementation, inspections, and report writing.
* Ability to coordinate all phases of city planning with other departments, consultants, contractors, architects, and the public.
* Ability to supervise subordinates including assigning work, providing direction, monitoring performance, and recommending the hiring, disciplining termination of employees.
* Ability to understand written or oral instructions.
* Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees and members of the general public.
* Ability to prepare reports concerning planning proposals and programs.
* Ability to conduct hearings and explain planning proposals and programs to interested groups.
* Ability to adhere to safety policies, procedures, and guidelines.
* Ability to stand, walk, and sit frequently and climb, reach, bend, stoop, squat, kneel, crouch, push, and pull occasionally.
* Ability to move objects weighing up to ten (10) pounds occasionally.

Essential Functions: Any one position may not perform all of the duties listed, nor do the listed examples include all of the duties that may be performed in positions allocated to this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

* Oversees the daily operation of a Planning Department division and coordinates its activities with other divisions, within the Planning Department, other City departments, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
* Manages the annual budget and expenditures of a Planning Department division.
* Participates in regular meetings with the Mayor's Office and the City Council offices to discuss city planning-related topics to ensure that overlapping departmental operations function cohesively.
* Meets regularly with the Planning Director, other Planning Department personnel, and other City Departments to coordinate work activities and programs.
* Participates in hiring and trains, plans, schedules, assigns, oversees, and evaluates the work of a number of subordinates.
* Conducts professional presentation for and direct preparation of communications with the Mayor, City Council, Planning Director and various committees, neighborhood and development groups.
* Maintains regular job attendance in accordance with a schedule established for the position by the supervisor.
* Analyzes community needs and determines annual division goals, their feasibility, eligibility, and priority.
* Performs other related duties as assigned or as the situation dictates within the scope of this classification.
* The following essential functions are specific to the designated division:

* Economic Development Division
* Serves as project manager on high-level, complex or sensitive economic development projects.
* Reviews recommendations on various loan proposals and provide recommendations on modifications or development of TIF plans and redevelopment plans.
* Develops and oversees financial assistance and/or incentive programs to assist in redevelopment, revitalization, and economic development initiatives including new business creation and attraction and existing business development and retention.
* Facilitates entrepreneurship and small and emerging business development and expansion opportunities, monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of the City's Economic Development's programs and initiatives, and coordinates projects and initiatives with government agencies and community organizations.
* Meets with private sector investors with interest in development or redevelopment of targeted geographic areas; assemble appropriate city staff and outside agencies to coordinate the process.
* Designs programs and action plans to facilitate development or redevelopment; analyzes and advocates for appropriate incentives and economic development tools; and monitors as necessary to effect project completion.
* Promotes new and expanded business opportunities through enhanced private and public sector cooperation. Promotes and coordinates economic development activities with business organizations, other city departments, other governmental agencies, private sector entities and the public.
* Negotiates complex public and private real estate and economic development deals involving sensitive, high-level communication between the State, the County, neighboring communities, and other entities.
* Represents, promotes, and helps to market the city's economic development division's programming locally, regionally, and beyond through a broad spectrum of media and partnerships.

Conditions of Employment: Candidates must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or proof of permanent residence or authorization to work. The City of Omaha reserves the right to conduct criminal history, driving record, reference and credit checks and a background investigation on applicants for employment. Successfully passing a criminal background review, reference check, and if applicable, a credit check, is required as a condition of employment. If applicable, the City will require that you successfully pass a review of the driver's license, driving abstract, a pre-employment drug test, a hearing test and a back screening examination as a condition of employment. Failure to provide the information requested in the application process in a truthful, accurate and complete manner may result in disqualification, revocation of conditional employment or termination.

Reasonable Accommodation: The City of Omaha does not discriminate on the basis of disability. If you need a disability-related accommodation during the job application or selection process, advise the Human Resources Department at least 48 hours prior to the need by emailing employment@cityofomaha.org.

For a complete description of this job classification, visit hr.cityofomaha.org

Contact Points:

City of Omaha Human Resources Department
1819 Farnam St, Suite 506
Omaha, NE 68183

Phone: (402) 444-5300
Fax: (402) 444-5314

Website: hr.cityofomaha.org
Email: employment@cityofomaha.org