Position Profile
Job Description
Supplemental Questions

Located 13 miles southeast of Seattle, the City of Newcastle is seeking a Community Development Director for this peaceful residential community known for offering its 13,310 residents the convenience of metropolitan living with the comfort and community of a small town. Money Magazine has repeatedly named Newcastle as "100 Best Places to Live."

The City of Newcastle strives to be one of the best small towns in the country. City staff are an experienced, progressive group who work to provide a high level of service and foster a sense of community for the broad diversity of people who choose to call Newcastle home.  The Community Development Department enjoys high staff morale, based on a developed sense of camaraderie and teamwork.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a small-town setting with limited staffing and multiple, sometimes competing, responsibilities. They will be responsive to the community’s high expectations for quality design, preservation of community character, enforcement of adopted codes, and effective growth management strategies. The position requires a pragmatic individual who can balance community demands against the practical needs of developers, property owners, and business owners. The individual should be a strong mentor and leader, able to inspire a shared vision with his or her staff, and collectively develop and/or build upon a strong vision for the Community. Finally, the ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills in writing and public presentations, and exhibit diplomacy and tact in public and private conversations.

 

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in planning, public administration, or a closely-related field. Master's degree in planning, public administration or a closely-related field is preferred.

 

• Six (6) years of applicable experience in local government community development, including two (2) years of mid-management and supervisory experience.

 

WHY APPLY:

 

• Grow in an organization with a friendly and collaborative staff, supportive management, a visionary and respectful planning commission, a supportive mayor and council, and a high work ethic among individual employees.

 

• Enjoy working in a leadership role, but also in the trenches. As a small department, there are needs in both areas.

 

• Engage in downtown redevelopment with a City that has adopted the needed codes and provisions for a successful downtown and is ready for someone who can move this effort to the next level.

For more information: View the full position profile on gmphr.com. First review on July 5, 2022.

For questions about this position, please contact:

Andrew Neiditz
GMP Consultants 
aneiditz@gmphr.com
(253) 732-8081