Deputy Director of Planning

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment

Join Our Team

Permit Sonoma is the County's "one-stop shop" for all land use planning and development activities. Virtually any land development or construction that takes place in the unincorporated area of Sonoma County (outside the city limits of the nine cities) is reviewed, permitted, and inspected by Permit Sonoma. Our mission is to serve the people of Sonoma County by providing a customer-focused process to balance environmental protection and sustainable development. We balance our mission with effective resource stewardship and the development and maintenance of standards and practices that protect the public's health and safety.

To accomplish our mission, Permit Sonoma has six divisions:

• Code Enforcement – deals with violations of the County's building, zoning, and health regulations including investigations and the Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program
• Customer Service & Administration – Accounting, Department Human Resources, Customer Service Ombudsperson, Department Information Systems (DIS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS) (Mapping), and Records Counter
• Engineering & Construction – Building & Safety (Building Inspection, and Plan Check), Engineering & Water Resources, and Well & Septic
• Fire Prevention & Hazardous Materials – Fire Prevention and the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) program
• Natural Resources - compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and prepares Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs)
• Planning – Comprehensive Planning, Project Review, the County's Cannabis program, and maintaining and updating the Sonoma County General Plan

To reach our goals, Permit Sonoma works closely with various boards, commissions, and state and regional agencies, including the Airport Land Use Commission, Board of Zoning Adjustments, Design Review Committee, Director's Advisory Group, Landmarks Commission, Planning Agency, Planning Commission, and Project Review and Advisory Committee. We currently employ 183.5 full-time staff and have a fiscal year 2023-24 department budget of $67 million.
Lead the Planning Division

Our division is made up of a team of 33 highly motivated, energetic, and solution-driven professional, technical, and clerical staff who strive to provide excellent customer service to our applicants, County employees, boards, commissions, and the agencies we serve. We are a supportive and collaborative team, working together to successfully update the County's General Plan. As Deputy Director of Planning, you will oversee multiple major policy and long-range planning projects that require managing personnel, budgets, public meetings, and timelines. You will also:

• Foster and promote a workplace culture based on professionalism, collaboration, respect, accountability, and fun
• Lead an overhaul of the County's General Plan and focus teams on major current priorities such as housing, agriculture, and coastal projects
• Prepare and recommend the Divisions' budget and fee schedules
• Represent the County's best interest and maintain intergovernmental relationships in negotiations, hearings, and government-agency meetings such as weekly Planning Commission meetings and biweekly County Board of Supervisors meetings
• Embrace community engagement, including diverse sources of feedback, and establish and maintain positive working relationships with staff, public agencies, community organizations, and diverse stakeholder groups

What You Bring

As the new Deputy Director of Planning, you bring your extensive knowledge of local, state, and federal land use planning and environmental review regulations, including your outstanding breadth and depth of technical familiarity with California's general plan, housing, and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) legislation. As a successful candidate, you also have a thorough knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of land use and environmental planning; socioeconomic and environmental principles that apply to urban and rural development and conservation; state, federal, and local laws, regulations, programs, and court decisions pertaining to environmental protections; and effective public personnel administration. Considerable knowledge of citizen and public interest groups dealing with environmental matters, governmental agencies that must coordinate work with county government engaged in land use planning work, and the techniques of effective staff supervision are expected.

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate that they can quickly assess problems with a solution-oriented, customer-focused approach. They have a high level of integrity and can lead without ego and diffuse difficult situations as they arise. They are also able to work collaboratively to gain consensus; possess an independent decision-making ability regarding policy and permitting authority, and project management; and are proficient in current land use planning best practices. Additionally, our ideal candidate is empathetic, tactful, detail-oriented, and:

• Has extensive experience participating in public hearings and working with elected or appointed officials
• Possesses strong analytical skills, expert judgment, and a commonsense approach to addressing daily challenges
• Has superb organizational skills, including the ability to meet multiple competing deadlines and shift gears quickly
• Possesses high-functioning communication skills and the ability to effectively handle inquiries and maintain collaborative working relationships
• Is a team player who is passionate about effective resource stewardship and the development and maintenance of standards and practices that protect the public's health and safety

While the position’s hours are typically Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and work is performed in an office environment, depending upon operational needs, the Deputy Director of Planning must be willing to occasionally work in the field, attend public outreach and engagement meetings that are held in the evening, and work during emergencies and other critical events as an integral member of the County's Emergency Operations Center (EOC). After the probationary period, this position may telework one day per week.
Bring Your Commitment to Public Services to the County of Sonoma

The County of Sonoma is the place to live, grow, and build your career legacy. Encompassing over one million acres of land and water, rich with agriculture, campsites, lakes, parks, and open spaces, Sonoma County offers a rare and compelling array of scenic, recreational, and geographic characteristics. When you join the County of Sonoma, you'll have the freedom to explore the beauty of our county - its picturesque coastline, majestic redwoods, historic towns, fine dining, award-winning wineries, and a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities.

Working at the County of Sonoma offers the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better your community. For additional information about the beauty of our community and the valuable services and support that the County provides, please visit sonomacounty.ca.gov and sonomacountyconnections.org.

Permit Sonoma is currently recruiting to fill a Deputy Director of Planning position. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service title of this position is Deputy Director-Planning.

• Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CG
HR Technician: RR