Deputy Community Development Director/City Engineer

The Opportunity 
ldeally located in one of California’s leading wine countries and minutes from the Central Coast, Paso Robles is an outstanding location to advance your career. The City is searching for a Deputy Community Development Director/City Engineer, this opportunity is at the intersection of exciting professional challenges and an unbeatable quality of life.

About Paso Robles 
El Paso de Robles, or "The Pass of the Oaks," is located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, in San Luis Obispo County. Paso Robles, surrounded by scenic rolling oak woodlands, is one of California’s premier wine regions, and is only 27 miles from the beautiful beaches of the Central Coast. This thriving community of over 30,000 actively engaged residents possesses the benefits of a suburban-rural community while retaining a small-town feel. With over 200 wineries nearby and a bustling downtown with a variety of excellent restaurants and specialty retail, Paso Robles is fast becoming one of the most desirable places to live, work, and play.
 
Paso Robles has a long history of agriculture and hospitality resulting in a strong work ethic and an enjoyable quality of life. Once hailed as the “Almond Capital of the World”, Paso Robles is now known for top quality food, wine, beer, distilled spirits, and an annual calendar filled with events that celebrate everything from wine to pioneers to classic cars. Paso Robles has been honored by the national media, including Country Living’s “10 Best Small Towns in America”; Travel and Leisure Magazine’s “Best Small Towns to Retire to in America”; the Today Show’s “Top Summer Destination for 2021”; a New York Times “Must Visit Region”; Sunset Magazine’s “Best Travel Spots for 2021”; and Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s “Wine Region of the Year”.
 
The City understands the importance of business development and works hard to attract commerce in a diverse array of industries. The economic outlook for Paso Robles continues to be strong. The housing market is robust and offers a variety of housing choices including new neighborhoods, houses with acreage, infill, and charming Victorian homes, with a median home price of about $634,500. Paso Robles also has excellent schools, both public and private. Approximately half an hour away is the nationally ranked Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, and within the City of Paso Robles is Cuesta College, North County Campus.

City Government 
The City was incorporated in 1889 as a general law City that operates under the Council-Manager form of government with a general population of 31,176 as of January 1, 2022. The governing body consists of a five-member City Council, with four members elected by district and the Mayor elected at-large. The voters also elect the City Treasurer at-large. The City Manager, appointed by the City Council, is the Chief Executive Officer, and is empowered to appoint all non-elected employees, except for the City Attorney.
 
The City has a total annual budget of $173 million for fiscal year 2023/2024, and a total of 295.44 FTEs across the departments of: Administrative Services, City Manager’s Office, Community Development, Community Services, Fire and Emergency Services, Police, Public Works, and Utilities. The Community Development Department, including the City Engineering, Planning, and Building Divisions, has a total of 22.86 budgeted FTEs, 4.43 of which report to the Deputy Community Development Director/City Engineer.


Reporting to the Community Development Director, the Deputy Community Development Director/City Engineer is a key member of the City’s staff and is responsible for the overall leadership and performance of the City Engineering Division. This position will coordinate directly with applicants, homeowners and the general public. Excellent communication skills, tact and soft skills are key to this position. The Deputy Community Development Director/City Engineer for Paso Robles:
 

• Plans, coordinates, and oversees the daily operations and activities of the Engineering Division, including the traffic/intelligent transportation system engineering, storm drainage engineering, water distribution engineering, and wastewater engineering.
• Works closely with the Utilities Department to ensure development plans that are consistent with all City utility requirements.
• Develops and implements immediate and long-range plans and establishes division goals and objectives.
• Serves as a liaison between city officials, city departments, department personnel, local businesses, engineers, developers, the school board, home builders, contractors, utility companies, and other related agencies, boards, commissions, or groups regarding engineering issues.
• Provides leadership and works effectively with staff and other stakeholders to cultivate a productive, collaborative, customer-service oriented work environment reflecting the City’s mission, plans, objectives, and values.
• Prepares plan checks and conditions of approval for planning entitlement projects.
• Attends Planning Commission and City Council meetings.
• Supervises and evaluates assigned professional, technical, and administrative personnel.
• Manages employee concerns and problems, directs the work of staff, counsels employees, recommends disciplinary action, and completes effective and comprehensive employee performance evaluations.
• Reviews and updates subdivision plans and regulations, technology plans, goals, equipment needs, construction plans, and site development permits.
• Assists in compiling and administering the department budget; conducts short and long-term departmental planning.
• Interacts with the public and community groups in response to complex complaints, requests for information, and conflict resolution; develops and participates in activities and programs with community partners.
• Prepares, reviews, and completes various reports, including City Council agenda reports and division-related documentation and correspondence.
• Monitors changes in laws, regulations, and technology that may affect division operations; implements changes to policies and procedures as necessary.
• Attends meetings, conferences, workshops, and training sessions and reviews publications and materials to become and remain current on principles, practices, and new developments in municipal engineering.
• Develops and standardizes procedures and methods to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of division maintenance and operations programs, policies, and procedures.

Challenges & Opportunities 
The Deputy Community Development Director/City Engineer for Paso Robles will have the opportunity to lead the delivery of significant projects and help prepare the City for a period of transformational growth. Some noteworthy challenges/opportunities for the selected candidate include:
 

• With over 5,000 homes, along with significant retail and industrial development, Paso Robles is planned to grow more in the next 10 years than it has in the last 100 years. With this growth will come opportunities to deliver infrastructure projects that will transform the community.
• The role's stature requires the Deputy Community Development Director/City Engineer to interact with developers and the community to maintain strong relationships and resolve inevitable conflict when it arises.
• The City is leveraging its underutilized municipal airport to create an FAA licensed spaceport, one of only 14 in the nation and only the second in California. While this is a notable development, the venture is anticipated to launch a tech and aerospace industry in the vicinity.
• The City of Paso Robles has a master plan to produce tertiary-quality recycled water and distribute it to east Paso Robles where it may be safely used to irrigate City parks, golf courses, and vineyards. This will reduce the need to pump groundwater from the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin and further improve the sustainability of the City's various water supplies. With the treatment plant completed, construction is well underway for the distribution system.

Ideal Candidate 
The most successful candidates for the Deputy Community Development Director/City Engineer position will have the following attributes:
 

• Effective communication skills, with the ability to translate and present complex concepts to governing bodies and community groups.
• A proven ability to educate and motivate, both inside the organization and out in the community.
• Developed leadership skills that can harness the contributions of the team to fulfill the City Council’s goals and the vision established in the City’s General Plan.
• Excellent time and project management skills.
• Experience in negotiations, and able to ensure outcomes align with the values and needs of the community.

Qualifications
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying, although licensure is a strict requirement. A typical way to obtain the required education and experience is:
 
Education: Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university with major course work in a related field.

Experience: Seven years of increasingly responsible experience in a related field, including a minimum of three years in a managerial role.
 
Licensure: Must possess a California Professional Civil Engineer license.