Assistant Planning Director

The Town of Apex; Apex (NC); On-site; USD 115,000 - 141,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Good benefits

NC401(k) retirement

LGERS participation

Paid time off

Job summary

The Town of Apex is seeking an Assistant Planning Director to lead either Current or Long Range Planning, drive the department's strategic direction, and serve as acting director in their absence.

The role requires a Bachelor’s Degree and at least 10 years in public sector planning, including 7 years in a managerial role, with an AICP certification. The posting signals a compelling salary range and strong benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and 10+ years in public sector planning, including 7+ years in management.
• AICP Certification is required.

Responsibilities

• Directs the Current or Long Range Planning sections and oversees department operations.
• Manages budget, finance, and personnel for the Planning Department.
• Acts as Planning Director in the Director’s absence and supports Planning Board meetings.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Public sector planning

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

AICP Certification

Job description

TOWN OF APEX
invites applications for the position of:
Assistant Planning Director

EXPECTED HIRING RANGE: $114,832 - 140,627
WORK LOCATION: 322 N Mason Street, 322 N. Mason St, Apex, NC 27502 USA
SCHEDULE:Monday- Friday, 8am-5pm
POSTING CLOSING DATE:October 26th, 2026

*** Please note the startdate for this role to be January 19, 2027***

Step into a high-impact leadership role as Assistant Planning Director, where you’ll shape the community’s future by driving visionary Current or Long Range Planning initiatives and elevating the department’s strategic direction. As the trusted second-in-command, you’ll command essential operations, lead critical administrative functions, and take the helm as acting director - making this the perfect opportunity for a dynamic planning professional ready to influence growth at the highest level.

HOW YOU’LL MAKE AN IMPACT:

The Assistant Planning Director oversees anddirects either the Current Planning or Long Range Planning section of thePlanning Department by providing direction and oversight to achieve planningand development-related strategic goals. The Assistant Planning Director isresponsible for the routine administrative tasks of the department includingbudget, finance, personnel, and other procedural documentation. The AssistantPlanning Director shall be responsible for Planning Department operations inthe absence of the Planning Director.
This position reports to the Planning Director andhas supervisoryresponsibilities.

HOW YOUWILL CONTRIBUTE:

• Supervises senior Current Planning or Long Range Planning section staff; performs performance development and review evaluations; delegates assignments and tasks to staff; provides guidance and support to staff; coordinates staff duties with other departments.
• Frequently conducts staff meetings with employees in the Current Planning, Long Range Planning, and/or Zoning Compliance sections to keep them abreast of information as well as project updates.
• Meets frequently with subordinate supervisors to solve more complex problems and provides guidance to all Planning staff in the absence of the Planning Director.
  Consults with section managers on routine or minor personnel actions and makes personnel selection decisions with approval of Planning Director.
  Prepares job postings for vacancies; performs interviews with applicants; completes candidate selection forms for new hires; and supports new hires’ onboarding and initial training.
• Engages in considerable personal contact with citizens concerning complaints, assists staff with investigations, and decides or recommends actions; prepares citizen communication materials as needed.
• Researches and prepares planning elements necessary for decisions by management or boards regarding land use and zoning issues.
• Reviews Town Code of Ordinances and Unified Development Ordinance and makes recommendations for changes to the Planning Director, Assistant Town Manager, Town Manager, and Town Council.
• Consults and coordinates with other municipalities, governmental agencies, citizen, professional, and regulatory groups for policies and fee schedules; receives reports from Current Planning section on the development of ordinance amendments; receives reports from Long Range Planning section on the development of regional plans or area plans.
  
• Participates in workshops, meetings, and public hearings to explain planning proposals; answers citizen questions concerning plans and problems; makes various presentations of staff recommendations and possible scenarios; coordinates the preparation of or prepares computerized presentations, charts, maps, graphs, and other illustrative materials for presentation to elected officials, appointed boards, and citizens.
• Serves as staff to Town Council and the Planning Board; serves as staff to other committees, commissions, and task forces when needed.
• Prepares, reviews, and administers departmental budget.
• Plans, organizes, and monitors a variety of contracted work; coordinates with staff overseeing contractors.
• Serves in the absence of the Planning Director providing supervision to the department; attending Directors meetings; authorizing budgetary expenses; serving as the lead staff at the Planning Board meetings; and interpreting the UDO as needed.

WHAT SETSYOU UP FOR SUCCESS:

Position requires a Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 10 years ofexperience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, with aminimum of 7 years of experience in a managerial position within public sectorplanning, including considerable supervisory experience. An AICPCertification is required.

GET TOKNOW APEX:

Known as "The Peak of Good Living",the Town of Apex is a rapidly growing Wake County municipality with a currentpopulation of more than 84,000 and has been ranked as one of Money Magazine'sBest Place to Live in America. Our current workforce is comprised of over740 full-time employees and over 125 part-time/seasonal staff. Our HumanResources Department - with the support and confidence of Town leadership - iscommitted to providing best-in-class HR programs for our employees, with amission to create a culture of empowerment and accountability that maximizesindividual and organizational potential. We offer a generous benefit package andhave a highly competitive compensation program. More than that, the Townis an awesome place to work, as evidenced by the high job satisfaction ratingreceived in the last employee opinion survey conducted with our employees.

BENEFITSTHAT SUPPORT YOU:

Not only is the Town "The Peak of Good Living", but it'salso a great place to work! We strive to "reach the peak" of being anemployer of choice by providing competitive salaries and excellent benefits,including:

• Free or low-cost medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees
• 5% contributions to the NC401(k) retirement plans (no matching required)
• Participation in the Local Government Employees' Retirement System (LGERS)
• Traditional sick and vacation leave
• 80 hours Peak Paid Time Off per year
• $1,200 Peak Lifestyle Benefit to pay for health and wellness activities (after completion of probation)

KEEP INMIND:

Providing a safe work environment for ouremployees is a top priority, therefore all new hires must successfully completea pre-employment drug test,post-offer functional testing (if required byposition),background verifications including references, criminal recordand driver's license check prior to employment.Some positions may also require SBI fingerprinting as part of the background screening process.

The Town of Apex provides equal employment opportunities(EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regardtoage, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, politicalaffiliation or marital status, veteran status, or genetic information.