Deputy Director of Development Services- Current Planning- Zoning & Design Review

About the role

The Deputy Director of Development Services oversees a complex and high-impact portfolio, including Zoning & Design Review. This role shapes city-shaping decisions daily, ensuring they are coherent, aligned with broader policy direction, and consider economic development, neighborhood stability, and equity.

Responsibilities

• Zoning change case management, Historic preservation, form-based codes, and downtown design
• Zoning plan review, urban forestry, and zoning appeals
• Platting and annexation / ETJ coordination

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Urban Planning/Design, Public Administration, Urban Geography, Civil Engineering, or a closely related field
• Six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in city planning, development services, or a closely related municipal function, including broad exposure to zoning/entitlements, land use regulation, and development review
• Four (4) years of management or administrative leadership experience, including supervising professional staff and coordinating multi-function work programs
• Valid Texas driver’s license (or ability to obtain upon hire)

Preferred / Highly Desirable Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Planning, Regional Planning, Urban Design or planning related degree strongly preferred
• A demonstrated record of leading or influencing zoning and land use policy in a high-growth environment, including ordinance interpretation, case management, and code modernization
• Experience overseeing or partnering closely with urban design, downtown design standards, form-based tools, conservation districts, or historic preservation programs where public process and defensibility are paramount
• Working knowledge of subdivision/platting and annexation/ETJ coordination, including collaborative workflows with engineering, transportation, utilities, and capital planning partners
• A history of success improving customer experience and service-level performance (cycle time, predictability, transparency) while maintaining decision quality and public trust
• Evidence of strong people leadership—developing staff capability, building a leadership bench, implementing training/cross-training, and strengthening accountability in a high-volume environment
• Professional credentials such as AICP and/or CNU