Community Services Director

The City of Battle Creek (The City) provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race color religion gender sexual orientation gender identity national origin age disability genetic information marital status amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal state and local laws. The City complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including hiring placement promotion termination layoff recall transfer leaves of absence compensation and training.

The City expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race color religion gender sexual orientation national origin age genetic information disability veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic. Improper interference with the ability of the City employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.

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This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.

Performs complex professional work planning directing and participating in community development activities services and programs developing and administering the department budget attending meetings and related work as apparent or assigned. Work involves setting policies and goals under the direction of the Assistant City Manager. Departmental supervision is exercised over all personnel within the department.

• Oversees monitors and evaluates the development strategic planning and services of the Community Services Department to include the Code Compliance Community Development Inspections and Planning and Zoning Divisions including the interpretation administration and enforcement of all related ordinances.
• Supervises the preparation and administration of departmental budgets; oversees the HOME Investment Partnership Program and all Community Development Block Grant activities and programs including the consolidated and annual action plans.
• Develops and supervises work assignments schedules training and evaluation of City and contract employee performance; recruits and selects department personnel.
• Oversees staff and activities in assigned programs and projects including dangerous building actions and hearings processes housing board of appeals and code compliance.
• Oversees municipal building inspection and housing inspection programs and enforces Federal State and local laws and codes governing construction mechanical plumbing and electrical work; oversees private City contracts for City inspection services.
• Evaluates and analyzes social and physical aspects of neighborhoods and the community as a whole to best identify and facilitate partnership opportunities for organizations and institutions to build their capacity to partner effectively with residents for strategy development and systems change.
• Designs and implements resident-driven planning and decision-making processes using best practices.
• Prepares and presents comprehensive reports and presentations to diverse audiences
• Interprets administers enforces and develops local State and Federal charters ordinances resolutions laws and statutes affecting areas of responsibilities within Community Services.
• Participates and attends City Commission meetings and prepares resolutions as necessary; serves as City representative on job-related Boards/Commissions as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree with coursework in public administration organizational leadership or related field. Masters degree preferred.
• 10 years experience as departmental leader with supervision of employees.
• Minimum of 5 years experience in the development and implementation of community-driven policy practices and procedures.
• Minimum of 5 years experience understanding the application of federal state and local regulatory guidelines.

Special Requirements:

• Valid drivers license in the State of Michigan.

This work is sedentary and requires little to no exertion of force; work regularly requires sitting bending reaching hand dexterity (grasping holding keyboarding repetitive movements) reading writing eye-hand coordination seeing (near and/or far color depth field of vision) hearing using the telephone contact with government officials and the general public working overtime and working inside and alone.