Director of Planning
City of Peekskill
Peekskill, NY
Position: Full Time
Salary: 2023 Salary Range: $98,000 – $140,000
The City of Peekskill is seeking a Director of Planning to lead and implement the City’s vision and strategy for Planning and Development. This is a challenging and rewarding position that engages in long-term planning for City development and handles the City’s many existing and proposed public and private projects, with a team that currently consists of seven staff members. Peekskill is a diverse City with highly engaged constituents who demand a talented and competent Planning Department. The ideal candidate has a proven record of taking the reins in an organization, understanding the priorities, developing a focused work strategy, and delivering results that reflect the importance of transparency, communication, and teamwork. The successful candidate values their constituencies, their leadership, and their team members. Later this year, a consultant will be hired to write a focused Comprehensive Plan for the City’s corridors and downtown areas. This is a top goal of the Common Council. The new Planning Director will complete this plan, and apply for additional funds to manage the preparation of a full city-wide Comprehensive Plan and full zoning update. Public and private projects that are being funded by the City’s $10 million
Downtown Revitalization Initiative (“DRI”) grant are well underway but require the Director to move them toward successful completion. Subsequent City projects must complement and continue the direction of the DRI. The Director is responsible for applying for and managing grants including the Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”) Program, and overseeing grants for the construction of public infrastructure, streetscape, parks, and other projects. The Director advises the Common Council on land use and development issues, including potential zoning changes. The Director oversees the Planning Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Historic and Landmarks Preservation Board, the Artist Certificate Committee, as well as numerous advisory committees that are focused on particular projects. The City is a top destination for new residents from New York City, yet still has a strong core of residents who come from many generations in Peekskill. Peekskill is exciting because it is dedicated to maintaining its core identity while it evolves into a twenty-first-century city. Public Art, environmental awareness, sustainable development, historic preservation, and maintaining excellent service are the primary goals of the City. It is imperative that the new Director be competent in and focused on all of these areas. Peekskill is home to over 25,000 people with an incredibly diverse demographic profile. It is a densely populated city of four square miles on the Hudson River at the gateway to the Hudson Highlands. The City is looking for someone who can navigate the opportunities ahead and enhance the quality of life for its residents, businesses, and visitors. A successful candidate will be someone who can generate innovative and nuanced solutions to complex challenges, provide strategic vision, anticipate challenges, and assess the effectiveness of our work. There are no residency requirements to participate in the application process, but preference in appointment may be given to qualified candidates that have been City of Peekskill residents for at least 30 days before the effective date of appointment. The City of Peekskill is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Application Deadline:
SEPTEMBER 4, 2023 JOB SUMMARY Direct and administer the policies, procedures, and regulations for a multi-functional department of Planning, Zoning, Community Development Block Grant Program, Historic Preservation, Capital Projects Construction Management, City Newsletter, Press Releases, and Media Relations. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
• Implement and administer the City’s short-term and long-term development plans and goals. Maintain current assessment of City growth management needs and policies. Develop and recommend strategies and policies on growth management and land use control policies.
• Serve as advisor to the City Manager and Senior Staff on matters related to departmental responsibilities. Prepare memorandums, resolutions, and local laws for Common Council review and action. Coordinate with the City Manager and Senior Staff on all policy issues.
• Prepare, administer, and monitor the annual department fiscal budget.
• Review contracts and preparation of Requests for Proposals related to departmental responsibilities.
• Oversee the City’s grant programs. Provide direction to staff in the research, application, and implementation of all City-wide grants.
• Oversee construction management activities for all City-Wide Capital Improvement Projects.
Responsible for the coordination of all special projects MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (As adopted by the Westchester County Human Resources Department) Possession of high school or equivalency diploma and three (3) years of experience where the primary function of the position was performing clerical work, one
(1) year of which must have included the use of computer applications to perform clerical functions. MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY JOB DUTIES include but are not limited to, the following.
• Develop, implement, and administer the City’s (Department’s) short-term and long-term plans and goals. These short/long-term goals are operationalized into monthly and annual work plans.
• Oversee and manage the Department operations, including various divisions/sectors assigned to the Department.
• Oversee the management and supervision of all employees assigned to the Department, including administering the City and Department rules, policies, and procedures.
• Oversee the Human Resources (personnel) function at the department level. Ensure that assigned employees are properly orientated and trained thereby ensuring that the City’s organizational philosophy is understood and properly carried out within the Department.
• Ensure that the performance of assigned employees is monitored through written evaluations.
• Ensure that assigned employees have acceptable attendance records and that such attendance is monitored monthly.
• Oversee the preparation of the Department’s annual budget and properly administer and carry out the approved Department budget.
• Serve as an advisor to the City Manager and Senior Staff on matters related to Departmental operation. Coordinate with the City Manager on all policy issues related to the Department. Prepare memorandums, resolutions, and related items for review by the City Manager.
• Ensure that the goals and objectives established annually by the City Manager are accomplished in a timely and professional manner. This shall include the actual performance of selected goals while assessing and monitoring the performance of other assigned goals.
• Ensure that there exists ongoing communication with the City Manager and within the City organization. This includes creating a flow of information within the Department as well as within all City Departments. In addition, information must flow from the Department to various external entities. Ensure that the City’s communication policy is carried out internally and externally.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES Directly supervises the Planner(s), Zoning Coordinator, and Program Coordinator. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the City’s policies, procedures, and applicable laws. Responsibilities include: making hiring recommendations; make final hiring decisions; planning, scheduling, and assigning work; instructing and training staff in proper work methods; reviewing and approving work; conducting performance evaluations; recommending salary adjustments and promotions; and making recommendations regarding unsatisfactory employees.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: (As adopted by the Westchester County Human Resources Department) Either (a) a Bachelor’s Degree* in City, Urban, or Regional Planning, Engineering (Civil, Environmental, Traffic, or similar), Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or Geography and four (4) years of experience in the field of state, city or municipal planning, one (1) year of which must have been in a supervisory capacity; or (b) a *Master’s degree in a field as in (a) above and three (3) years of experience as stated in (a) including the one (1) year of supervisory experience; or (c) a Bachelor’s Degree*, AICP certification through the American Institute of Certified Planners, and one (1) year of supervisory experience in the field of state, city or municipal planning; or (d) a satisfactory equivalent combination of the foregoing training and experience.
• NOTE: Education beyond the secondary level must be from an institution recognized or accredited by the Board of Regents of the New York State Education Department as a post-secondary degree-granting institution.
PHYSICAL 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 essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger or grasp, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The physical requirements of this position also require the ability to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or regularly to move objects.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is not subject to substantial exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
EMPLOYER’S DISCLAIMER:
• All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
• This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee holding this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties as required by the applicable Department Head/supervisor and/or City Manager.
• This job description is intended for the internal use by the City of Peekskill and does not replace the job specification that has been adopted by the Westchester County Human Resources Department.
• This job description does not create a contract of employment, express or implied. Job Type: Full-time Pay: $98,000.00 – $140,000.00 per year COVID-19 considerations: Vaccination encouraged, mask wearing, social distancing, temperature checks. People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply Ability to commute/relocate:
• Peekskill, NY 10566: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required) Work Location: In person
