Deputy Director of Development Services - Planning

City of Goodyear•Goodyear, AZ

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is responsible for assisting the Development Services Director in planning, supervising, organizing, and managing the activities of the Development Services Department, including the major functions of development related to planning, engineering, plan review and permitting, building, inspections, community development, and code enforcement. This position operates with considerable independence, applying specialized subject matter expertise and decision making in accomplishing organizational and departmental goals and objectives that have long-term, organization wide application and impact. Additionally, this position oversees the activities of the entire development review process to ensure an efficient and customer service-oriented process as well as oversees, plans, directs, and manages the department activities of the Planning, Operational Excellence and Code Compliance divisions. The ideal candidate is a strategic and collaborative leader with deep planning and development expertise who can confidently oversee the Planning, Code Compliance, and Operational Excellence teams. They excel at guiding complex, cross-functional work and ensuring the development review process is predictable, high-quality, and customer-focused. They bring strong zoning knowledge, executive-level problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage citywide coordination on development projects. This candidate thrives in a fast-growing environment, uses data to drive operational improvements, and builds strong partnerships across departments to support efficient planning and scheduling of development projects in alignment with city standards. At the City of Goodyear, you will be a part of an organization that values its employees as its greatest asset. You will become part of a dedicated team of professionals that are committed to build and maintain a highly engaged workforce. You will be challenged to learn and grow in an environment that values employee development and career-building. You will thrive in a culture of innovation. We believe that successful employees are those that possess these six core values: Adaptability - Integrity - Initiative - Empathy - Optimism – Innovation. Only a limited number of the most qualified applicants meeting the City's requirements will be invited for an interview. The examination process for this position will consist of a panel interview. All communication regarding application status and interview notifications will be sent via email please monitor your junk/spam email for communication as it will come from a system generated source.

Requirements

Work requires broad knowledge in a general professional or technical field. Knowledge is normally acquired through four years of college resulting in a Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
Seven years of responsible experience in planning, organizing and directing a development team or related operation.
Valid Driver’s License
Work requires the ability to read various correspondence, technical reports and data, memorandums, and letters, policies, laws, guidelines and procedures at a college level. Evaluate technical information and statutes and arrive at valid recommendations based on the data. Comprehend and make inferences from materials written in the English language.
Work requires the ability to perform complex math calculations.
Work requires the ability to write complex correspondence, reports, memorandums, and letters, ordinances, policies; and general plan goals and objectives.
Complex - Work requires managing and monitoring work performance of a division including evaluating program/work objectives and effectiveness, establishing broad organizational goals and realigning work and staffing assignments for the department.
Moderate - Has responsibility for final approval of at least one division budget and presents the budget(s) to Senior Management. Is authorized to approve division budgeted expenditures for both staff and resources up to the amount that requires the approval of Senior Management and resources up to the amount that requires the approval of Senior Management.
Significant - The employee normally performs the duty assignments within broad parameters defined by general organizational requirements and accepted practices. End results determine effectiveness of job performance. This position independently decides how objectives are achieved and what resources are needed. Typical positions in this category are upper management to executive level jobs.
Comprehensive Application: Work requires advanced skills and knowledge in approaches and systems, which affect the design and implementation of major programs, solutions for highly complex issues, and/or processes organization-wide. Independent judgment and decision-making abilities are necessary to apply technical skills effectively.
High - Interactions at this level typically result in recommendations regarding policy development, changes in policy, and implementation of policies. Interactions at this level are typically concerned with providing communications at higher levels of organizational operations and may utilize activities such as evaluating customer satisfaction, developing cooperative associations, and allocating resources to improve work operations, work quality, overall achievement of organizational goals and objectives, and customer satisfaction.

Nice To Haves

Deep planning and development expertise
Strong zoning knowledge
Executive-level problem-solving skills
Ability to manage citywide coordination on development projects
Thrives in a fast-growing environment
Uses data to drive operational improvements
Builds strong partnerships across departments
Strategic and collaborative leader
Ability to guide complex, cross-functional work
Ensures development review process is predictable, high-quality, and customer-focused
Working understanding of the Shingo framework

Responsibilities

Partners with the Development Services Director and department leadership team to shape and execute department-wide strategy, aligning Planning, Operational Excellence, and Code Compliance priorities with organizational goals, growth demands, and community outcomes.
Provides strategic leadership and oversight of the Planning, Operational Excellence and Code Compliance divisions through division managers, setting direction, performance expectations, and resource alignment while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Serves as Zoning Administrator, interpreting and administering the Zoning Ordinance; ensuring consistent, legally sound application of regulations; and advising leadership, decision-makers, and staff on zoning determinations and policy implications.
Leads the strategic direction and performance of the development review process, ensuring coordinated, predictable, and high-quality service delivery; resolving complex or sensitive issues; and negotiating key development outcomes in alignment with City standards and long-term plans.
Engages directly with customers, developers, and key stakeholders on complex development projects and issues, providing executive-level problem solving, facilitating cross-functional coordination, and strengthening relationships to support successful project outcomes.
Advances department operational excellence and strategic plan priorities, including being accountable for leveraging system performance data to inform continuous improvement strategy maturity.
Build strong leadership relationships with the Planning, Operational Excellence, and Code Compliance managers, clarifying expectations for performance, communication, and accountability.
Become familiar with the City’s and DSD’s strategic plans, and understand how they shape division-level priorities, policy direction, and future budget planning.
Integrate into the Development Services leadership team and begin contributing to departmentwide strategic discussions and decision-making.
Begin oversight of the Code Manager’s work on the Quality Neighborhoods strategic initiative, ensuring clarity of goals and alignment with the city’s priorities.
Assess how the new Operational Excellence division and new Code Compliance staff are integrating into department operations and the city’s culture.
Develop a working understanding of the Shingo framework and how DSD is applying systems design principles to improve organizational performance.
Guide division managers in developing aligned work plans that support predictable development review and construction performance excellence.
Strengthen cross-department coordination by setting expectations for manager-driven collaboration with Fire, Engineering, Water and other key development partners.
Provide leadership oversight for improvements to the Planning & Scheduling system as well as the Continuous Improvement System.
Support the integration and cultural alignment of the Operational Excellence and Code Compliance teams by reinforcing DSD values, expectations, and cross-team collaboration.
Ensure the Quality Neighborhoods strategic initiative remains on track through manager-level accountability and executive sponsorship.
Demonstrate measurable improvements in development review predictability, timeliness, and customer experience by leading through division managers.
Serve as a key contributor in shaping next fiscal year priorities and budget recommendations by aligning strategic plan goals with resource needs and system improvements.
Ensure major Quality Neighborhoods milestones are achieved and provide strong executive support for ongoing work.
Demonstrate visible leadership in applying Shingo-aligned systems thinking to support DSD’s operational excellence priorities, helping reinforce behaviors and systems that drive long-term success.