Deputy Director, Land Development & City Growth

Deputy Director for Land Development 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.

If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our Deputy Director for Land Development position within the Department of Planning & Zoning. Overview The Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z) consists of 59.5 positions within five divisions, including the Leadership and Management Services division, the Land Use Services division, the Neighborhood Planning & Community Development division, the Development Planning division and the Development Engineering division. The Deputy Director for Land Development is a senior management role and reports to the P&Z Director.

The position has lead responsibilities for overseeing development review functions and facilitating steady real estate investment that advances the community’s economic development, housing, and environmental goals. The Opportunity & Examples of Work Oversees the City’s One Start program (https://www.alexandriava.gov/planning-and-zoning/alexandria-one-start). Actively monitors all stages of the City’s Development Pipeline, including entitlements, final engineering, permitting, and construction to facilitate the delivery of at least $550 Million in new assessed value annually and 1,600 new housing units.

Entitlements and engineering are managed by Planning & Zoning; while permitting and construction are managed by Code Administration and T&ES. This includes quarterly reporting of the development pipeline to internal and external stakeholders. Works across departments and with development stakeholders to implement process improvements for development review.

Short term goals include reducing the typical time from application to start of construction for projects requiring entitlements from 24 months to 18 months and by-right projects to 12 months. Potential process improvements over the next 12 months include: Implementing Administrative Site Plan process per Virginia Code section 15.2-2259 Implementing AI Pilot for plan review Standardizing comment/response forms to facilitate resolution of identified issues Annual update of standard conditions, construction standards, and other design specs Transitioning to shared review for streetscape, curbside management, and parking with T&ES Reviews development proposals at a high level for alignment with Council priorities. On an as-needed basis, works with review staff and applicants to resolve development conditions to meet public and private needs.

Promotes a culture of adaptation and change that continues to improve practices and procedures. Encourages staff to suggest ways of improving practices and helps design pilot efforts to allow early testing and refinement with stakeholders. Provides general supervision for the Development Planning Division Chief and the Development Engineering Division Chief.

Works with division chiefs to keep standard operating procedures updated on a regular basis. These two divisions combined have approximately 20 employees. Coordinate with Division Chiefs, Project Managers, and Applicants as needed to resolve policy and design issues Review development conditions for conformance with City policy and legal authority Supports community engagement by making information about development applications broadly accessible.

Serves as the Acting Director on an as-needed basis in coordination with the Deputy Director for Neighborhood Planning & Community Development and the Assistant Director. Supports development and tracking of the annual operating budget. Contributes to the development and tracking of short and long-range work programs.

Regularly attend evening and weekend meetings, approximately 4 meetings per month. Represents P&Z on current planning matters 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.

Related work as required. 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 so much 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). The Planning Commission consists of 7 members and holds a Public Hearing once a month in the evening, generally on the first Tuesday of the month. Most land use cases that are reviewed by the Planning Commission are then forwarded to the City Council for a second Public Hearing.

In most cases, the Planning Commission’s recommendations are advisory and the City Council acts on the recommendations forwarded to them. A copy of the Planning Commission’s FY 2025 Annual Report outlines the number of land use applications processed with examples described during the period of FY 2025 (July 2024 through June 2025). The Department The Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z) is led by Director Paul Stoddard, with 58 full-time employees across five divisions.

It currently has one Deputy Director and one Assistant Director. P&Z’s vision emphasizes collaborating with communities to carry out City Council priorities, fostering equitable, amenity-rich neighborhoods; protecting historic and cultural resources; and supporting diverse businesses. P&Z is responsible for developing and administering the City\'s Master Plan, the Zoning Ordinance, and coordinating with other City agencies to develop the Long Range Planning Interdepartmental Work Program.

The five P&Z divisions are: Leadership and Management Services; Land Use and Regulatory Services; Neighborhood Planning & Community Development; Development; and Development Engineering. The Deputy Director for Land Development oversees the Development Planning Division and Development Engineering Division. https://www.alexandriava.gov/boards-and-commissions/planning-commission The Position The Deputy Director for Land Development, within P&Z, provides responsible administrative and technical assistance to the P&Z Director by coordinating and executing the daily operations of the department and the two divisions responsible for development review in the City. The Deputy Director for Land Development also is responsible for process/policy improvements and for tracking and reporting on work program elements related to development.

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices of city planning; thorough knowledge of land use controls and of zoning and subdivision codes and their interpretation; thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration and of the limits of feasible public action; ability to analyze and systematically compile technical and statistical information and to prepare technical reports; ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with employees, officials, other agencies, other jurisdictions, community organizations and the general public; ability to effectively supervise staff; ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Job Family, Contribution Level and Career Ladder Job Family: Strategic Management/Leadership Contribution Level: 6 Career Ladder: This job class is not part of a Career Ladder program Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) This class specifications provides a generalized representation of positions in this class. It is not intended to reflect essential functions pursuant to ADA, nor is it intended to list every specific function and tasks of this class title.

A job class may also have a medical standard associated with specific physical or mental requirements that must be met. Minimum Qualifications Minimum: Master\'s Degree; at least eight years’ experience at the division chief or comparable managerial level, either in a supervisory or project management role or both and at least five years in a supervisory role; has been the lead on complex development projects involving multiple staff, agencies, and interests; considerable experience writing about, analyzing, and presenting on planning issues. Master\'s Degree; at least 10 years’ experience, including five years supervisory.

High level of expertise in one or more planning-related topics (e.g., design, housing, economic development); membership/participation and/or accreditation in a planning professional organization; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Application Process Interested candidates are required to submit an application through the City’s online recruitment system. Required Documents: Resume Cover Letter Two (2) Professional Writing Samples Applications that do not include all required materials may not be considered. #J-18808-Ljbffr