JOB DESCRIPTION

To be considered, interested candidates must use or website and apply at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/roanoke

The City of Roanoke is seeking a Director of Planning, Building, and Development whose work is both technical and deeply civic. This position is simultaneously regulatory and proprietary: the department administers public codes, ordinances, and adopted plans that govern what may be built and where, while also delivering permit, inspection, and plan review services essential to the City's economic health and quality of life. The Director serves as a member of the senior leadership team, directly supporting the Mayor and City Council's vision for Roanoke's future.

The Director's role is to implement that vision faithfully through adopted plans, ordinances, and formal policy direction, and to advise the City Manager and Council when plans, codes, or procedures need to evolve. A clear and practical responsibility of this position is recognizing that individual preference does not carry the same weight as adopted plans, codes, ordinances, and the public processes through which they are established. The Director must hold that distinction with professionalism and clarity, while remaining open to the legitimate policy conversations that may warrant changing the rules through the proper process.

The successful candidate will also understand that development decisions touch real people. A permit application is rarely just paperwork: it is someone's home, business, or livelihood. Zoning decisions shape neighborhoods that residents care deeply about. And the outcomes of planning and land use decisions belong to the whole community, not just those at the table. The Director will need the skills and the temperament to navigate that reality every day.

Typical Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university with a major in public administration, urban planning, architecture, urban design, business administration, or a related field.

• Minimum of ten to twelve years of progressively responsible experience in planning, building, or development services, including considerable management and supervisory experience.

• Equivalent combinations of education and experience that demonstrate the ability to perform the essential functions of this position will be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field.

• Membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) or comparable professional certification.

• Experience leading public engagement processes for plans, code amendments, or significant regulatory initiatives.

• Demonstrated experience working with or within an economic development function, or a track record of effective collaboration with economic development partners on complex projects. Experience in economic development is considered a significant advantage.

• Experience implementing or optimizing electronic permitting and plan review systems.

• Experience presenting to elected officials, appointed boards, and diverse public audiences on planning and regulatory matters.

The City of Roanoke is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA/M/F/Disability Employer.

To elevate the performance of the organization, we are committed to respecting, celebrating, and embracing the collective mixture of differences and similarities between our employees as a rich tapestry. Our behaviors will demonstrate open communication, and we will seek opportunities to learn, recognizing and rewarding actions that promote acceptance while suspending judgment. By doing this, we will foster an inclusive, open work environment that delivers excellent service and creates a more vibrant and inviting community.

This is a job description and not an individualized position description. A job description defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but it is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.

BENEFITS

Vision, Dental, Health/Life Insurance, Long Term Disability, Extended Illness Leave, Mental Health & Well-Being Leave, Shared Leave Bank, Paid Leave, Pension, Retirement Health Savings Plan, Tuition Reimbursement, Employee Health Services, and Employee Assistance Program.