Assistant Director

City of Alexandria, Virginia; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Alexandria is seeking an Assistant Director for Planning & Zoning to lead department-wide administrative operations, budget management, and policy development. You will supervise the Administrative Services Unit and Boards & Commissions Unit while coordinating with City leadership and community stakeholders.

In this role, you will guide organizational performance, oversee HR matters, and manage strategic priorities, ensuring accountability and high performance across the department.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in planning, public administration, business or related field.
• Five or more years of relevant planning/public administration experience with project mgmt and policy development.
• Master's degree plus 10+ years experience and supervisory responsibilities preferred.
• Excellent communication and community engagement skills.
• Experience with budget management and HR software is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead department-wide administrative operations and budget management.
• Oversee routing of development applications and posting of public materials.
• Track progress on the department's work plan and required reporting.
• Coordinate meetings and responses to City Council requests.
• Serve as senior organizational advisor to the Director and staff.
• Support staff development and employee engagement initiatives.
• Attend evening and weekend meetings as needed.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in planning, public administration, business or related field

Master's degree in planning, public administration, or related field

Tools

Adobe Suite

Microsoft Office Suite

Word

Excel

Teams

SharePoint

Job description

Department of Planning & Zoning

The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 160,000, and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest City in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. With two local historic districts, seven national register districts, and a variety of distinct neighborhoods, we proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead.

Department of Planning & Zoning

The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 160,000, and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest City in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work. With two local historic districts, seven national register districts, and a variety of distinct neighborhoods, we proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead.

An Overview

The Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z) consists of about 60 positions within five divisions: Leadership and Management Services, Land Use & Preservation Services, Neighborhood Planning & Community Development, Development Planning, and Development Engineering. The Assistant Director serves as a senior manager within the Leadership and Management Services division and reports to the P&Z Director. The position 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.

The Opportunity & Examples of Work

The Assistant Director’s work falls within the following broad categories:

• 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. Generally, work in office, with limited opportunities to telework up to one day per week.

Key priorities for the Assistant Director in the coming year will include:

• Organizational Management: 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.
• Information Management: 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.
• Budget Management: 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.
• Human Resources and Staffing: 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.

About Alexandria

Alexandria is a progressive City, continuously looking for ways to strengthen our response to critical issues of equity, climate change, affordable housing, mobility, community engagement and more. The City operates under a Council-Manager form of government, adopted in 1922. The governing body consists of a Mayor and six Council Members elected at large for three-year terms. The City Council and Planning Commission hold regular monthly meetings. The City’s organizational structure is reflected in the City’s Organizational Chart. The City employs approximately 2,865 full-time staff (excluding school employees).

About The Department

The Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z) is led by Director Paul Stoddard, with approximately 60 full-time employees across five divisions. The five divisions are: (1) Leadership and Management Services Division; (2) Land Use and Regulatory Services Division; (3) Neighborhood Planning & Community Development Division; (4) Development Planning Division and (5) Development Engineering Division.

The department works closely with communities to carry out the City Council's priorities, fostering amenity-rich, service-oriented and equity-balanced neighborhoods; protecting historic and cultural resources; and supporting diverse and creative businesses. In developing neighborhood plans, reviewing development proposals, and promoting economic vitality, P&Z continues its commitment to collaborate with all stakeholder groups to honor the character of each neighborhood and to strengthen and sustain them, and Alexandria as a whole, for now and in the future.

P&Z is responsible for developing and administering the City's Master Plan and the Zoning Ordinance, and coordinates with other City agencies to develop the Long Range Planning Interdepartmental Work Program.

Job Family, Contribution Level and Career Ladder

Job Family: Strategic Management/Leadership

Contribution Level: 5

Career Ladder: This job class is not part of a Career Ladder program

FLSA Status and Basis

FLSA Status: Exempt

FLSA Basis: Exec

EEO Category: Officials/Administrators

Minimum Requirements

Minimum & Additional 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education & Experience: 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.
• Communication & Community Engagement: 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.
• Planning & Zoning Expertise: Strong familiarity with Planning and Zoning functions, including long-range planning, development review, land use law, zoning principles, policy analysis, and permit counter operations.
• Finance & Budgetary Acumen: 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.
• Human Resources & Software Proficiency: 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.
• Project Management & Collaboration: 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.
• Professional Certification: 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).

The City of Alexandria is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its workforce. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, military status, or disability.

We are proud to welcome you to explore the City of Alexandria's excellent benefits and programs!

The benefits referenced on this site, may be changed from time to time without notice. Temporary and some part-time positions are not eligible for these benefits. For further information, please contact the Talent Acquisition Team of Human Resources at [e-mail].