Assistant Director

City of Alexandria•Alexandria, VA

23h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Assistant Director serves as a senior manager within the Leadership and Management Services division of the Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z). This role is responsible for leading and overseeing department-wide administrative operations, organizational management, personnel and human resource matters, budget and fiscal management, organizational effectiveness, and procedural matters. The Assistant Director plays a central role in strengthening the Department's internal operations, supporting a positive and high-performing workplace, improving responsiveness and accountability, and ensuring that administrative resources effectively support P&Z's evolving work. The Assistant Director provides senior-level organizational and management support to the Director, establishes systems for timely follow-through on departmental priorities and requests, and undertakes special project and policy responsibilities as appropriate. The Assistant Director supports effective interactions with City Council, the Planning Commission, the City Manager’s Office, other City Departments, and community stakeholders by preparing for meetings in advance and ensuring follow-up items are tracked and resolved. The position oversees two units within Leadership and Management Services: the Administrative Services Unit and Boards and Commissions Unit.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in planning, public administration, business or a related field
Five or more years of relevant experience in planning and/or public administration with an emphasis on project management and policy development.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in planning, public administration, or a related field.
At least 10 years of experience, including 5 years with supervisory and leadership responsibilities.
Exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Highly motivated with a proven ability to engage, support, and work effectively with a highly diverse group of people, staff, and communities.
Strong familiarity with Planning and Zoning functions, including long-range planning, development review, land use law, zoning principles, policy analysis, and permit counter operations.
Extensive experience preparing, managing, and executing an operating budget, including personnel and non-personnel expenditures, alongside demonstrated proficiency with specialized budget and finance software programs.
Experience managing human resources functions – including recruiting, professional development, coaching, progressive discipline, and HR software.
High efficiency and extensive experience with Adobe Suite, Microsoft Office Suite (advanced Word and Excel), Teams, and SharePoint.
Proven track record as a project manager with progressively responsible program management experience, and a demonstrated ability to develop programs that encourage and foster a collaborative work environment.
One or more of the following certifications preferred: American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Certified Public Finance Officers, Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), Project Management Professional (PMP).

Responsibilities

Provide leadership and oversight for department-wide administrative operations, personnel and human resource activities, budget and fiscal management, procurement, technology and other internal business functions.
Provide general supervision for the Administrative Services Unit Manager, including providing clear priorities, updating standard procedures as appropriate, and ensuring timely follow-through.
Provide oversite for the routing of development applications and posting of public meeting materials.
Provide general supervision for the Boards and Commissions Unit Manager to ensure procedures, notice, public hearings and other essential activities are completed in conformance with laws, regulations, policies, and good management practices.
Strengthen organizational performance and accountability by working with P&Z Senior Staff to track progress against the Department’s Annual work plan, prepare quarterly department reports, and coordinate required monthly and annual reporting.
Coordinate recurring meetings, including weekly Senior Staff meetings, monthly P&Z all-staff meetings, and monthly Development Coordinating Committee (DCC) meetings.
Coordinate timely responses to City Council and City Manager requests.
Coordinates departmental participation in City-wide training, employee development initiatives, and community events as appropriate.
Serve as a senior organizational advisor within P&Z by providing guidance on organizational management, personnel matters, budget and resource decisions, operational improvements, and project management, as appropriate.
Help increase employee engagement by creating a shared awareness of Alexandria’s policies and priorities regarding growth, development, and planning; organizing staff retreats to stay informed and aware of emerging issues; supporting professional development; and expanding tools for employee recognition.
Perform other duties and lead special initiatives as assigned.
Regularly attend evening and weekend meetings, up to 4 meetings per month.
Represents P&Z before interdepartmental groups, the City Council, commissions, committees, the community and regional entities.
Lead development and drafting of quarterly reports on key metrics aligned with the strategic plan to improve transparency and accountability.
Ensure high-profile projects have clear ownership and milestone schedules.
Strengthen organizational effectiveness by updating or developing standard procedures for core processes.
Lead the department-wide transition to a new SharePoint platform, including migrating files from legacy server drives and network systems.
Establish the SharePoint site as a central hub for communication, announcements, and access to tools and resources, improving information accessibility and collaboration across the department.
Coordinate and curate a monthly speaker session for department meetings to support staff engagement and knowledge sharing.
Actively monitor and guide the Department’s budget to ensure alignment with strategic priorities and approved allocations.
Support key investments in personnel and operational needs, including staff compensation adjustments, technology upgrades (e.g., laptops, mobile devices), software licenses, and professional development opportunities, while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Advance human resource priorities in partnership with the Director, managers, and the Department of Human Resources.
Support the timely recruitment and hiring of vacant positions.
Ensure position descriptions are up to date to improve clarity of expectations and organizational alignment.
Promote opportunities for professional development and growth department wide.