Assistant Director of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement

Office of Public Response; San Jose, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 191,000 - 308,000; Full time

Job summary

City of San José is seeking an Assistant Director of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement to lead the department’s operational strategy and ensure safe, sustainable growth for one of California’s most dynamic communities.

The role requires strategic vision, operational acumen, and a track record of managing complex urban development, regulatory processes, and service delivery improvements within a large government organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business administration, public administration, or related discipline.
• A Master’s degree is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and strategic management for the PBCE department.
• Oversee department operations and administration.
• Manage budget and fiscal performance.
• Oversee human resources administration.
• Lead performance management, accountability and reporting.
• Represent the department and engage with stakeholders.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Collaboration

Results-oriented

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or public administration

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

THE OPPORTUNITY

The City of San José invites strategic, collaborative, and results-oriented leaders to shape the future of one of California’s most dynamic and innovative communities as its next Assistant Director of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement. This is a rare opportunity to lead at the intersection of growth, housing, economic development, public service, and community vitality in the nation’s heart of innovation. Working alongside an accomplished department leadership team and engaged community, the Assistant Director will help advance transformative development initiatives, modernize service delivery, strengthen organizational performance, and navigate the complex planning and regulatory landscape of a rapidly evolving city. The ideal leader will bring strategic perspective, operational acumen, and a passion for building a more sustainable, vibrant, and inclusive San José—while helping position the City for its next chapter of growth and opportunity.

THE CITY OF SAN JOSÉ

Known as the “Capital of Silicon Valley,” the City of San José plays a vital economic and cultural role in anchoring the world’s leading innovation region. Encompassing approximately 181 square miles at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay, San José is Northern California’s largest city and the 13th largest city in the nation. With nearly one million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world, including major tech headquarters like Cisco, Adobe, Zoom, Samsung, and eBay, as well as start-ups and advanced manufacturing. The City of San José has twice been named “The Most Innovative Large City in America” by the Center for Digital Government.

San José’s quality of life is unsurpassed. Surrounded by the Diablo and Santa Cruz mountain ranges and enjoying an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, residents have easy access to the beaches along the California coast, including Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Carmel; Yosemite and Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada; local and Napa Valley wine country; and the rich cultural and recreational life of the entire Bay region. For more information about the unparalleled quality of life in San José, please visit Why San Jose?

THE PLANNING, BUILDING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT

The City of San Jose’s Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement (PBCE) serves to ensure the orderly and safe development of private properties, compliance with all applicable building, zoning, and quality of life ordinances and regulations, and to promote healthy and safe community standards. This is accomplished by assisting and guiding land use and development to promote long-term goals and objectives that render safe, beneficial, and more sustainable communities; providing administration and compliance of building codes to ensure the construction of buildings, homes, and structures meets intended safety and structural requirements; and investigating and resolving citizen complaints of municipal code violations on private property to promote, maintain, and improve quality of life issues that better allow for safe and harmonious conditions in all neighborhoods.

PBCE is a $80.2 million, 307-position department whose work touches every neighborhood in the nation’s tenth-largest city. Its budget is funded largely through multi-level fee structures, cost recovery models, and variable, development-driven revenue sources that must be strategically balanced across the organization.

THE POSITION

Under the administrative direction of the Director, the Assistant Director serves as the principal operational executive of the department and a member of its executive leadership team. The Deputy Directors for Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement continue to report directly to the Director on technical and policy matters; the Assistant Director oversees the department-wide operations and administrative functions that support all three divisions. Some key responsibilities include executive leadership and strategic management; department operations and administration; budget and fiscal management; human resources administration; performance management, accountability and reporting; and department representation and stakeholder engagement.

The Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement (PBCE) is seeking an accomplished, operationally focused executive to serve as Assistant Director, the department’s second-ranking executive and principal operational leader. The position also requires working knowledge of, or familiarity with, land use planning, development services, and/or building and code enforcement functions, enabling them to effectively support and lead the department’s diverse service areas.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The Assistant Director salary range is currently $190,517.34 – $307,769.02 which includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. Placement within this range will be dependent upon the qualifications and experience of the individual selected. The salary is supplemented by an attractive benefits package. For detailed benefit information, interested candidates are encouraged to review the detailed recruitment brochure or by visiting Executive Management Benefits or Health Benefits.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business administration, public administration, or a discipline related to the department’s operations. A Master’s degree is preferred.

Experience: Seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in the department’s functional area or a closely related field including five (5) years of experience supervising managers and other professional staff, managing programs, services, or operations within a complex public or private organization.