The City of Mill Valley is pleased to accept applications for the position of Director of Planning & Building. Surrounded by the picturesque backdrop of Mount Tamalpais and towering redwood trees, the City is one of the most scenic places to work in Northern California. This position provides the opportunity to lead and develop a staff of hard-working, fun-loving, talented professionals who are committed to public service and adept at what they do. As a part of the City’s senior management team, the Director will play a large role in setting a vision for the future and ensuring the continued excellence of City services.
ABOUT THE POSITION:
The Director of Planning & Building manages and directs all activities of the Planning & Building Department, including current planning, advanced planning, building inspection, and code enforcement. Additionally, the Director serves as the Zoning Administrator, primary staff liaison to the Mill Valley Planning Commission, and regularly represents the department to the City Council.
ABOUT MILL VALLEY:
The City of Mill Valley is 14 miles north of San Francisco and 40 miles from California’s famous wine country. Mill Valley is a town with a rich and eclectic cultural history and a lively and engaged citizenry.
Mill Valley is primarily a suburban community, with distinctive residential neighborhoods representing the many eras of the town’s growth from a small mill town to the modern full-service city it is today. The 2010 Census documents a total of 6,534 housing units in Mill Valley, the majority of which are single-family dwellings with about 24% comprised of apartments and condominiums.
Our population’s approximately 14,000 residents live in a 4.8 square mile area, although we serve as the center for a larger unincorporated Mill Valley area with more than 30,000 residents.
Education and income levels of residents are high, with around 40% of the population having a graduate or professional degree. The median resident age is 48 years, the median household income is $129,626 and the median housing price is over $1.4 million. Our community expects a very high quality of services and facilities.
Incorporated in 1900, the City of Mill Valley is a full-service city with a City Council/City Manager form of government. Mill Valley has five elected City Councilmembers who annually elect from among their ranks a Mayor and Vice Mayor, and serve four-year terms.
The City’s nearly 150 full-time staff provide a full range of municipal services to residents and businesses in accordance with the MV2040 General Plan and City Council policy and direction. City staff are committed to delivering those services in an efficient, effective and courteous manner with a high standard of operational excellence.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The ideal candidate will be a self-directed problem solver who enjoys working with the public and multi-tasking under complex conditions. Flexibility and adaptability are a must, as is a good sense of humor and approachable manner. The ideal candidate should be a proven leader with dynamic and forward-thinking solutions to serve the needs of an engaged citizenry.
An essential component of this position is building and maintaining effective and strong relationships with the community, City staff, and elected or appointed officials. The high expectations of the community and nature of the City’s small but efficient workforce require a high degree of collaboration and teamwork. The ideal candidate should have a proven track record of empowering staff and building a culture that enables results-driven collaboration.
High level communication skills are essential for the position. The ideal candidate will have proven themselves in the areas of public speaking, report writing, and interpersonal communication. A strong eye for detail and maintaining high standards throughout the department will be important. Ideally, the candidate will have a strong desire to mentor and provide professional development for their staff.
Familiarity with California building codes, land use issues, and essential planning functions is necessary. Experience in and knowledge of the planning and building environment and current issues in Marin County are highly desirable.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in land use planning, urban planning, landscape architecture or closely related field. A Master’s Degree or other advanced degrees are highly desirable.
- Six years of municipal planning experience.
- Three years of management experience in a municipal planning position.
- Driver’s license.
- Current certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners (ACIP) is highly desirable.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
1. To apply, please CLICK HERE
2. Utilizing the application process in the above link, please also upload your Cover Letter and Resume.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the City’s official application form, but should accompany the application.
The filing deadline is 5:00 P.M. Thursday, July 20, 2017.
Interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week of August 14, 2017 and applicants can expect to hear from the City by the end of July.
FOR QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT:
Seth Allingham, Deputy City Clerk/Administrative Analyst
26 Corte Madera Avenue
Mill Valley, CA 94941
The City of Mill Valley is an Equal Opportunity Employer.