The Community Development Department’s mission is to assist residents, businesses, and other stakeholders in improving and developing properties in a manner consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and adopted community standards. The Department provides services including long-range and current planning, building, electrical, and fire plan review and inspection, land use entitlements, civil plan review, building code and land use enforcement, and geographic information systems (GIS).

Position Summary:
The Community Development Director operates under the general direction of the City Manager and serves as a member of the City’s executive leadership team. The Director is responsible for the overall leadership, administration, and strategic direction of the Community Development Department, including planning, permitting, inspections, code enforcement, and related regulatory functions.

This position provides policy guidance and professional expertise to the City Manager, elected officials, boards, and commissions on land use, development regulations, and growth management matters. The Director oversees departmental operations, budgets, and personnel; ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws; and works collaboratively with other City departments and external agencies to support orderly development, infrastructure coordination, and community planning initiatives.

Essential Functions: Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Direct and oversee the City’s community development functions, including planning, permitting, inspections, code enforcement, and related regulatory services.
• Provide strategic leadership and policy direction for land use planning and development consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and adopted regulations.
• Administer planning, building, and construction inspection services, either directly or through contracted services.
• Lead, supervise, and evaluate department staff, including hiring, performance management, discipline, and termination, in accordance with City policies, procedures, and applicable labor agreements; recommend personnel actions to the City Manager as appropriate.
• Develop, manage, and administer the departmental budget, including reviewing and approving priorities, allocations of funds, staffing, materials, and work plans.
• Participates as a member of the City Leadership Team and is responsible for developing policies and objectives.
• Serve as the City’s designated State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Responsible Official; administer SEPA in accordance with adopted City policies, procedures, and delegated authority.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including requirements tied to grant funding, from application through audit.
• Oversee preparation and review of land use plans, development proposals, staff reports, and recommendations for the Planning Commission, Hearing Examiner, City Council, and other decision-making bodies, consistent with delegated authority.
• Administer, interpret, and enforce City ordinances and regulations related to land use and development, including zoning, subdivisions, critical areas, shoreline management, building and construction codes, stormwater regulations, and SEPA, as authorized by law and City policies.
• Manage and implement updates to the Comprehensive Plan; recommend amendments to land use policies, zoning, and development regulations as needed.
• Coordinate community development activities with other City departments to support integrated planning, infrastructure coordination, and service delivery.
• Represent the City in interactions with local, regional, state, and federal agencies and organizations, including Snohomish County, Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC), Snohomish County Tomorrow (SCT), regional transit agencies, and the Washington State Department of Commerce.
• Monitors and evaluates legislative and policy developments affecting departmental functions; advises the City Manager, City Council on policy options and implementation strategies.
• Prepare and present ordinances, resolutions, reports, and other materials to the City Council; attend City Council, and other meetings as required.
• Serves as the primary staff liaison to the Planning Commission, coordinating agendas, preparing staff reports, resolutions, and presentation materials, and attending evening or after-hours meetings as required.
• Advise the City Manager, elected officials, boards and commissions, department directors, and the public on land use policy, regulatory matters, and community development issues.
• Fosters an inclusive, respectful workplace culture and ensures departmental practices support equitable service delivery to the community.
• Exercises authority consistent with City policies, ordinances, and delegated authority from the City Manager and governing body.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties, essential functions and qualifications contained in this job description reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions, the level of knowledge, and scope of the responsibility typically required of the job. It should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences, to equalize peak work periods, or to otherwise balance the workload.

Minimum Requirements:
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in urban or regional planning, public administration, community development, business administration, or a related field.
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible public sector experience in community development, planning, or a closely related field, including three (3) years of experience in a senior leadership or management role with direct supervisory responsibility.
• A master’s degree in a related field may substitute for up to two (2) years of the required experience.
• Additional relevant professional experience, including but not limited to certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), may be substituted for up to two (2) years of the required education, on a case-by-case basis, as determined by the City Manager or designee.
• Valid Washington State driver’s license (or be able to attain at time of appointment) and a driving record acceptable to the City's insurance carrier.
• Verification of identity and United States work authorization as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Thorough knowledge of community development principles and practices, including comprehensive planning, land use regulation, development review, permitting, inspections, code enforcement, and urban design.
• Advanced understanding of applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing land use and development, including the Growth Management Act (GMA), State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), Shoreline Management Act, critical areas regulations, and building and construction codes.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of public administration, including budgeting, organizational management, policy development, and performance management within a municipal environment.
• Ability to provide executive-level leadership and strategic direction to a multidisciplinary department, including planning, permitting, inspections, and regulatory functions.
• Ability to interpret, apply, and administer complex laws, codes, ordinances, and policies in a consistent, fair, and defensible manner.
• Ability to analyze complex planning, development, and regulatory issues; develop sound policy recommendations; and resolve conflicts involving diverse stakeholder interests.
• Skill in preparing, reviewing, and presenting clear, concise, and well-supported staff reports, ordinances, resolutions, and policy recommendations to the City Manager, Planning Commission, Hearing Examiner, City Council, and the public.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally, both orally and in writing, with elected officials, boards and commissions, staff, applicants, developers, other agencies, and community members.
• Ability to represent the City effectively in intergovernmental, regional, and public forums.
• Skill in managing departmental budgets, allocating resources, establishing priorities, and ensuring accountability for results.
• Ability to lead, supervise, and evaluate professional, technical, and administrative staff; foster collaboration; and maintain a productive and respectful work environment.
• Ability to plan, organize, and manage multiple projects and priorities in a complex regulatory and political environment.
• Ability and commitment to engage in continuing professional and general education to remain current on emerging issues, best practices, and regulatory changes impacting community development.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:
Work is performed primarily in a professional office environment, with regular interaction with elected officials, boards and commissions, staff, applicants, and the public. The position requires attendance at evening meetings, public hearings, and occasional weekend events, as well as travel to meetings, trainings, and conferences.

The work also includes periodic site visits to development and construction locations, which may involve exposure to varying weather conditions, uneven terrain, construction activity, heavy equipment, and vehicular traffic. During site visits, the incumbent must be able to safely navigate construction environments and comply with applicable safety requirements.

This position requires sufficient flexibility to respond to time-sensitive issues, emergencies, or critical projects as needed. Physical demands are generally limited to those typical of an office environment, with occasional standing, walking, and movement during meetings and site visits. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Supervision Received:
General supervision is provided by the City Manager or designee.

Supervision Exercised:
The position exercises direct and indirect supervision over professional, technical, and administrative staff assigned to the Planning, Inspection, Permitting, and Code Compliance functions, including a department administrative support position.

Compensation:
Annual salary range: $175,368 - $215,572.

Benefits:
Offered to regular City of Mountlake Terrace employees:
• Eight (8) hours of paid vacation per month. This accrual increases over time.
• Eighty (80) hours of annual management leave.
• Twelve (12) days of annual sick leave accrual.
• Twelve (12) paid holidays per year, including one personal or “floating holiday.”
• Employer-paid medical, dental, vision and employee group life insurance (three times annual salary up to $250,000). The City pays 90% of any insurance premium for dependents. Medical/dental/vision coverage begins the 1st day of the month after start date.
• Participation in the State of Washington PERS retirement system.
• The opportunity to participate in a Section 125 “Flex” plan.
• The opportunity to participate in two Section 457 Deferred Compensation programs.

The city does not participate in Social Security. Instead, employees are enrolled in the Municipal Employees Benefit Trust (MEBT) program. MEBT is an IRS Section 401(a) defined contribution savings program into which employees make before-tax contributions at the same rate as if they were in Social Security (a rate of 6.2% of gross earnings). The city will match the employee contribution at a rate of 80% (or 4.96% of gross salary) just as if enrolled in Social Security. One advantage of this program is employees are able to invest these funds in a variety of investments, which may offer a higher return than Social Security. On the other hand, the MEBT program is subject to an employee-vesting schedule of 20% per year for each of the first five years of employment.

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the City and the employee and is subject to change by the City as the needs of the City and the requirements of the job change.

The City of Mountlake Terrace is an equal opportunity employer.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workforce and community