Development Services Manager

Town of Clayton; Clayton (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

retirement pension plan

401K membership

Paid Vacation

Sick and Holiday Leave

State Health Plan

Job summary

Town of Clayton is seeking a Development Services Manager in the Community Development Department. This role leads permitting, development review, and customer service across divisions at Town Hall Clayton, NC.

The manager will coordinate with Inspections, Planning, Finance, Water Resources, Public Works, Engineering, and Fire to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant service delivery. Five years in local government development regulation are preferred.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor Degree in Planning or related major field and NC Certified Zoning Officer preferred.
• Five years of experience in local government development regulation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee development services and permitting operations.
• Lead cross-department coordination to ensure timely review and approvals.
• Monitor workflow and ensure compliance with town standards and state laws.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for the division.
• Serve as liaison between development community, applicants, residents, and staff.

Skills

Knowledge of planning & zoning

Project management

Interpersonal communication

Education

Bachelor degree in Planning or related field

Job description

* Salary Grade SG 408* * Recruitment Salary Range starting at: $72,467.00 *
** Salary offered will be determined based on directly related experience **
* Work Location is Town Hall Clayton, NC (Johnston County) *

The Town of Clayton is seeking applicants for a Development Services Manager for the Community Development Department. The Town of Clayton employs more than 340 full-time staff in areas including police, fire, and electric utilities. The Town of Clayton also offers a range of PT positions including positions in Parks & Rec, Library, and Cultural Arts.

The Town of Clayton is the fastest growing town in Johnston County, which is the fastest growing county in the State of North Carolina. The vision for the Town of Clayton includes a thriving town where growth contributes to the quality of life enjoyed by long-time residents and newcomers alike; easy access but with an atmosphere that feels smaller than it is; a system of parks and greenways that connect people and places; neighborhoods with a variety of quality living options; a town that offers opportunities for people to live, create, shop and eat; a bustling and historic downtown, and businesses that are successful, growing, and investing in the community.

The Development Services Manager serves as a key leader and central point of coordination for the Town of Clayton’s development review and permitting functions. This position works collaboratively across multiple Town departments, including but not limited to Inspections, Planning, Finance, Water Resources, Public Works, Engineering, and Fire, to ensure development-related services are coordinated, responsive, accurate, and delivered in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and Town standards.

The Development Services Manager oversees the day-to-day customer service operations of the Development Services function and provides leadership, supervision, training, and quality control for front counter staff, Development Services Coordinators, and Permit Specialists. The position is responsible for ensuring consistent and professional customer experience while facilitating communication and coordination among applicants, residents, consultants, developers, Town staff, and other stakeholders.

This position administers and coordinates a variety of development services processes, including permit in take, project routing, development review, records management, and tracking of applications and approvals. The Development Services Manager ensures compliance with State laws and regulations governing development review and permitting time lines, monitors the timely processing of permits and projects, identifies process improvements, and helps resolve issues that may affect project timelines or customer service.

The Development Services Manager also develops and maintains operational procedures, records, reports, and performance information; provides information and assistance to the public; monitors workload and service delivery; and supports continuous improvement of the Town’s development services processes. The position plays an essential role in fostering effective interdepartmental collaboration, improving efficiency and transparency, and ensuring that Clayton provides high-quality, timely, and customer-focused development services.

• Manage, monitor, supervise and develop the Development Services team which includes training, work assignments, performance evaluations, development, and disciplinary action(s).
• Manage day-to-day operations of various divisional application and permitting activities specifically as it relates to application/permit acceptance, review and approval workflow, application/permit issuance, productivity as well as fiscal monitoring and reporting.
• Ensure that applications and permits are complete, accurate, and processed in accordance with Town ordinances, Standards, policies, and applicable State laws and regulations.
• Manage and oversee the processing of applications for various project applications and permits; as well as reviews and ensures conformity and compliance to Town standards and ordinances whereby all necessary information is provided on and/or with the submitted application.
• Monitor, manage, oversee, and report on the approval workflow for various applications and permits to ensure applications and permits are processed in a timely manner and promptly issued.
• Ensure all fees for applications and permits are collected and properly applied to the correct departmental account(s).
• Lead and collaborate as needed on the implementation, maintenance, and ongoing improvement of the Town’s permitting software, databases, and related technology systems in coordination with internal departments and stakeholders as needed.
• Monitor the performance of divisional application and permitting activities on a continuing basis, taking appropriate steps to improve its efficiency and effectiveness.
• Develop and periodically review and update the division’s Standard Operating Procedures to ensure continuing currency and relevance in providing guidance to management and employees.
• Collaborate with other personnel within the division and throughout the town-wide enterprise in providing oversight and management of applications and permitting.
• Act as liaison between the development community, applicants, residents, and Town staff, assisting with developing solutions when questions or concerns arise about permitting or development review processes.
• Oversee and develop modifications to development review and inspection programs, department standard operating procedures, and other department policies and procedures as appropriate. Assists in responding to and resolving complex and sensitive complaints and issues from citizens, customers, and staff.
• Implement policies and procedures related to permit processing in conjunction with the Deputy Town Manager
• Work closely with the Deputy Town Manager on the division’s fiscal management including development and presentation of the department’s operating budget, monitoring of revenues and expenditures, development or improvement of funding mechanisms and sources, ensuring that all programs are within budget and as cost effective as possible.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of planning, zoning and building permitting.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of research and data collection.
• Knowledge of effective writing techniques.
• Knowledge of legal requirements pertaining to the review and processing of development applications and permits
• Knowledge of computer programs, which may include Microsoft Office, Excel and PowerPoint, Internet applications.
• Skilled in written and oral communication and interpersonal skills to explain rules and procedures clearly to the public.
• Skilled in creative problem-solving to gather relevant information to solve vaguely defined practical problems.
• Ability to review plans and apply provisions of the ordinances and codes to determine compliance with regulations and to apply regulations to field conditions.
• Ability to work on several projects or issues simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently or in a team environment as needed.
• Ability to attend to details while keeping big-picture goals in mind.

Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor Degree in Planning or related major field and NC Certified Zoning Officer preferred.
• Five years of experience in local government development regulation.

OR

Depending on the position, the Town may consider an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above, unless otherwise subject to any other requirements set forth in law or regulation.

When a salary range is posted, the actual salary will be based on relevant competencies, knowledge, skills & abilities, internal equity and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position. The Town of Clayton is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Hiring salary will not exceed hiring pay range unless approved by the Town Manager.

Applicants may be subject to a criminal background check. Effective October 1, 2025, in accordance with North Carolina state law, all applicants for positions that involve working with children in any capacity are required to undergo criminal history record checks conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Credit and motor checks are required for some administrative, finance and operational positions. Applicants will be required to take and pass a Pre-Employment Drug and Alcohol screen once they are verbally given a conditional offer of employment. Depending on the position, employees may be subject to random drug and alcohol screens throughout their employment. Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), and Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA).

Town of Clayton employees enjoy many benefits.

• retirement pension plan
• 401K membership
• Paid Vacation
• Sick and Holiday Leave
• State Health Plan
• various other benefits

Benefits information can be found by going directly to the Town of Clayton website at: https://www.townofclaytonnc.org/251/Benefits.

Applications may be reviewed to determine if applicants education and experience is more applicable to other vacant positions within the Town.