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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJefferson County WA DCD Position Profile Final DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT $83,669 - $112,444 Plus Excellent Benefits Apply by May 23, 2021 (open until filled) J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y , W A ♦ D I R E C T O R O F C O M M U N I T Y D E V E L O P M E N T 2 WHY APPLY? This is an excellent oppor- tunity for a senior level public sector professional to lead the Department of Community Development at an exciting time for the department. If you are looking to apply your skills to make a difference in the department and in also the community, Jefferson County is the place to be. Jefferson County offers the right candidate a chance to join and work with an excellent County management team, Board of Commissioners, and dedicated staff committed to enhancing their community! Located on the Olympic Peninsula in Western Washington, Jefferson County offers an amazing quality of life: incredible outdoor recreational op- portunities both on sea and in the mountains, stun- ningly beautiful landscapes, and a uniquely vibrant cultural scene. Accessible by ferry or car from Se- attle on the east side of Puget Sound, Jefferson County has maintained a historic character while embracing a progressive and creative way of life. THE COMMUNITY Jefferson County is located on the Olympic Penin- sula in Western Washington. With a population of over 32,000 residents, Jefferson County offers everything from a remarkable natural environment to the vibrant arts and cultural center of Port Townsend. The City of Port Townsend is a spec- tacular seaport designated as a National Historic Landmark and famous for its Wooden Boat, Film, Steampunk and Rhododendron Festivals. The community of Port Townsend is as varied as the geography that surrounds it. Historically, Port Townsend was a major seaport in the 1800's, and most of that era’s unique architecture remains. Port Townsend is the only incorporated city in Jef- ferson County and is the county seat. Founded in 1851, Port Townsend is located just 41 miles northwest of Seattle. The city has a population of approximately 9,500, though the city's spectacular festivals, vibrant cultural scene, and other unique attractions bring over a million visitors each year. From hiking, camping, rafting, or biking in the Olympic Mountains, to drama at the downtown theatre in Port Townsend, life here is connected to both the land and to the people. Discovery Bay, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Port Townsend Bay surround the Quimper Peninsula, and make the area a center for boating and sailing. Jefferson County is also home to the beautiful Olympic Na- tional Park, including the Pacific coastline, the Olympic Mountains, and a temperate rainforest. The region is home to a diverse community of farmers, artists, long-time residents, boat folks and those looking to live in an active community offer- ing a choice of urban and rural lifestyles. Many hidden gems in the area have generated a thriving writing, music, and theatre scene in Port Town- send. The city hosts well over 50 major events each year, including the opening of the award- winning Port Townsend’s Farmers Market in April, the Rhododendron Festival in May that brings pet parades, bed races, a downtown carnival, the "Rhody Run", and the Steampunk Festival in June. Centrum, located in Fort Worden State Park, hosts nationally renowned week-long workshops and festivals throughout the summer, including Blues, Fiddle Tunes, Jazz, Voice, Chamber Music, Cho- ro, Ukulele, Dance This, and Writers’ Conference. Other events include the Wooden Boat Festival, Port Townsend Film Festival, the Jefferson County Fair, Concerts on the Dock, and many more. J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y , W A ♦ D I R E C T O R O F C O M M U N I T Y D E V E L O P M E N T 3 THE COUNTY Jefferson County covers 2,183 square miles, stretching from Puget Sound to the Pacific Coast, and is home to just over 31,000 residents. Elected to four-year terms by the Citizens of Jefferson County, the Board of County Commissioners is the legislative authority of Jefferson County, and is comprised of three Commissioners. In addition, Jefferson County citizens elect their Assessor, Auditor, Clerk, District Court Judge, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff, Superior Court Judge, and Treasurer to serve 4-year terms. The County’s General Fund budget for 2021 is $22 million and the total budget is $60.5 million. Jefferson County conducts planning under the Washington State’s Growth Management Act. The County has one incorporated urban growth man- agement area - the City of Port Townsend - an unincorporated urban growth area in Port Hadlock, the Master Planned Resorts in Port Ludlow and Brinnon, several limited areas of intense rural de- velopment, and designated resource lands for ag- riculture, forestry and mining. Unincorporated, but well-established communities include Chimacum, Quilcene, Brinnon, Cape George, and Gardiner. THE POSITION Jefferson County seeks a talented candidate to build upon the good work of the prior Director, who took another opportunity after leading the depart- ment for nearly five years. The Department of Community Development (DCD) is comprised of three divisions: Building/Inspections, Development Review, and Long-Range Planning. The mission of the department is to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Jefferson County by promoting a vibrant economy, sound communities and a healthy environment. The department en- gages in long-range planning for rural and urban lands, drafts land use policy and regulations, shepherds proposals through the public process, and implements policies and regulations adopted by the Board of County Commissioners. DCD helps individuals, businesses and communities fulfill their dreams by administering building and land use permit applications, while ensuring a high quality of life and environment. DCD also coordi- nates with other County departments and State and Federal agencies during permit review. DCD, together with the Planning Commission, forms the Planning Agency. Reporting to the County Administrator, the Director will lead a highly energized staff of 14.9 FTEs with an annual budget of $1.8 million. The Director or- ganizes and directs Jefferson County's Depart- ment of Community Development, mentors staff, and sets the culture and tone for the entire de- partment. The Director is responsible for initiating and sustaining technology and management solu- tions for effective planning, permitting and en- forcement to maintain and enhance the quality of life in the County. As well, the Director will continue Lean-inspired improvement processes to assure efficiency and excellent customer service. The Director also par- ticipates as a member of the County's senior man- agement team. To view the full responsibilities of the position, please view the attachment found here. OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES 1. Jefferson County is on the cusp of constructing a wastewater treatment facility in Port Hadlock. Once the sewer is built, it will trigger urban zoning, changing land uses and development patterns into the foreseeable future. Port Hadlock is the Coun- ty’s only designated Urban Growth Area outside of incorporated Port Townsend. While Public Works is the lead in the sewer project, the Department of Community Development will be a critical partner for shepherding subsequent permit applications for affordable housing, commercial development and employment opportunities, to enable the region to reach its full potential and provide opportunities for the people who live there. J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y , W A ♦ D I R E C T O R O F C O M M U N I T Y D E V E L O P M E N T 4 2. Development Regulatory Reform is a priority for the Jefferson County Commissioners and commu- nity. The objective is that regulations be stream- lined, and permit processes and timelines be pre- dictable and optimized to provide permit decisions in a straightforward way for applicants. Regulatory Reform work by the Department of Community Development in coordination with the Department of Public Health’s Environmental Health Division has already accomplished significant improve- ments, and the work is continuing. Currently, work is underway to simplify procedures under the Shoreline Master Program, including improving septic system permitting and also subdivision and property segregation. Working with staff, the new Director will have the opportunity to complete these improvements and set the table for the next set of improvements. 3. Jefferson County has forged close working re- lations with the City of Port Townsend, the Port of Port Townsend, and the local PUD through an In- tergovernmental Collaborative Group. The ICG is working with our local Economic Development Council to prepare a shared Economic Develop- ment Framework to align our respective efforts in economic development. The same organizations are also working on strengthening funding and oversight of the EDC as a key partner. With those in place, it sets the stage for the DCD Director and the department to play an active role in community developments. 4. This year the County is on track to complete installation of a powerful new software permitting system, Tyler EnerGov. This offers an exciting op- portunity to further tune and streamline permit work flows, and strengthen coordination with sep- tic and water permitting administered in the neigh- boring Department of Public Health’s Environmen- tal Health Division. Another important end product of this change is to facilitate online permit applica- tions and processing. 5. The Director will have an opportunity to contin- ue and further shape organization development within the department to support staff and en- hance the Department’s customer service culture. Harnessing the ability of staff, while implementing regulatory reforms and the new EnerGov permit system, provides the Director and the department a unique opportunity to increase service levels to customers and decrease permit timelines. IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE Education & Experience: This position requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in urban, regional or environment planning, community development, public administration, or a closely related field. Candidates must have a minimum of five (5) years progressively responsible experience in a senior- level planning or public administration position, with at least one (1) year as a director or manager. A Master's degree in a related field, and AICP cer- tification is preferred and/or a Chief Building Offi- cial certificate. Any combination of experience and education which provides the applicant with the level of required knowledge and abilities may be considered. Candidates must possess a valid Washington State Driver License or obtain one within 30 days of employment. Necessary Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: The ideal candidate will use a strong “help the customer succeed” approach to shape the culture of the department while implementing the County’s progressive development and environmental regu- lations. Strong leadership, staff development and people skills, coupled with political savvy and a commitment to public engagement, will be attrib- utes for the preferred candidate. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker, and have a track record of success in community de- velopment and economic development. The ability to recognize that economic development in rural areas may appear to be small, but that a small de- velopment change can have big effects in a rural area seeking economic sustainability is a plus. Candidates should possess a good knowledge of Washington State’s legal framework for planning, permitting and enforcement including the Growth Management Act and SEPA, and be familiar with the ICC codes as well as the methodology of fire code review. J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y , W A ♦ D I R E C T O R O F C O M M U N I T Y D E V E L O P M E N T 5 © 2021 Prothman. All Rights Reserved. Respecting and reflecting the diversity of commu- nity opinion in the planning and community devel- opment process will come easily for the lead can- didate. Candidates should also have skill in men- toring and empowering staff to help them grow professionally. Knowledge and experience in Lean principles and process improvement will be a plus. While presenting calm, confident leadership, the best candidate will not presume to “know all the answers” and will include department staff in ap- propriate level decision making. Customer service culture will be a “bed rock” value of the selected person and the department they will lead. The successful candidate will have integrity, be a strong advocate for the department and its mis- sion, and will know when to step up to be “the leader in the room” or step back to encourage oth- ers, depending on the situation. The candidate will be a team player on the County’s Senior Man- agement Team and with other County depart- ments, and will be able to work well with other ju- risdictions. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS ➢ 83,669 - $112,444 DOQ ➢ Full Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescriptions ➢ 11 Paid Holidays ➢ Up to 3 Floating Holidays according to tenure ➢ Personal Time Off (PTO) in place of vacation and sick leave ➢ Washington State PERS retirement ➢ Optional Deferred Compensation Plan ➢ Optional Flexible Spending Account Employee Assistance Program Please visit www.co.jefferson.wa.us Jefferson County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply by May 23, 2021 (first review, open until filled). Applications, supplemental questions, resumes and cover letters will only be accepted electronically. To apply online, go to www.prothman.com and click on "Open Recruitments", select “Jefferson County, WA – Director of Community Develop- ment”, and click “Apply Now”, or click here. Resumes, cover letters and supplemental questions can be uploaded once you have logged in. www.prothman.com 371 NE Gilman Blvd., Ste 350 Issaquah, WA 98027 206.368.0050