Development Services Director Job Fayetteville area,Arkansas USA,Government

Position: DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR 2026

The City of Fayetteville is committed to attracting, engaging and rewarding a multi-generational workforce. By offering a total rewards package including competitive compensation and benefits plans and a purposeful work life, the City is an employer of choice focused on serving our community.

Essential

Job Duties

Salary:
Commensurate with qualifications and experience, consistent with the City’s adopted pay plan.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Note:

All City of Fayetteville supervisory positions require employees to demonstrate leadership competencies by exhibiting appropriate role modeling, and setting proper examples. In addition, all City of Fayetteville positions require the employee to provide good customer service to both internal and external customers, maintain positive and effective working relationships with other City employees (especially members, of their own team), and have regular and reliable attendance that is non-disruptive.

Other essential duties of this position include the following:

Perform supervisory responsibilities which may include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the City's policies and applicable laws.

Administer and supervise the divisions of City Planning and Building Safety as a full-service permitting, development, and code compliance department. Administer and supervise the Planning and Building Safety divisions alongside related business license, code compliance, and other services. Primary program and division responsibilities include: development review, administration and interpretation of zoning/development ordinances; protection of the health, safety, and welfare of citizens as it relates to buildings in the city;

and enforcement of adopted ordinances.

Development Review Process – Responsible for defining and refining the development review process utilized by staff, the Planning Commission, and the City Council to review and approve zoning/development items. Own the applicant’s experience of development review from application through certificate of occupancy. Set and publish review timelines and report performance against them. Coordinate the staff review process and resolve conflicts between applicants and staff.

Convene all reviewing departments to resolve issues that cross departmental and divisional areas of responsibility. Coordinate a comprehensive and on-going review and update of zoning and development regulations. Develop and implement policies and procedures that make development services effective, efficient, and predictable.

Build working relationships with developers, builders, design professionals, business owners, and neighborhood groups. Seek their feedback regularly and use it to improve processes and ordinances.

Help applicants find code-compliant paths to approval and recommend ordinance amendments when existing regulations impede outcomes supported by adopted City plans.

Code Administration – Consult with City Planning on the final interpretation, administration and enforcement of the planning and zoning ordinances of the City. Report to the City Council on all matters pertaining to zoning, development, sign regulations, and planning code enforcement. Ensure staffing of the Planning Commission and its subcommittees, Board of Adjustment, and the Historic District and Black Heritage Commissions.

Attend City Council meetings and provide recommendations to the Mayor and Council on policy/ordinance items during Council and Committee meetings, relative to Planning, and Building Safety divisions, and…