Deputy Director of Planning

From its earliest days, the City of Rancho Cucamonga was dubbed the "City with a Plan" and over the past forty years, we have been creating a world-class community. In late 2021, the City adopted an updated General Plan that clarified the vision for the City's next chapter and an idea that has been simmering for over a decade: that the city can grow, providing new housing and economic opportunities and position itself for the next generation economy, while maintaining its wonderful single-family neighborhoods by focusing new growth onto key corridors and into key nodes.

The Planning Department plays a central role in advancing the City Council’s goals related to land use, urban design, and the long-term quality and sustainability of the built environment. As a senior leader within the department, the Deputy Director of Planning will help translate these goals into actionable policy, high-quality development outcomes, and places that matter.

Our work goes beyond managing individual development applications. We focus on creating places, not just projects—taking a holistic view of how buildings, streets, public spaces, infrastructure, and natural systems come together to shape daily life. The Deputy Director will help guide this approach, balancing technical requirements, design quality, community values, and economic vitality in both infill and redevelopment contexts.

The department leads complex long-range planning efforts addressing housing, transportation, economic development, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience. The Deputy Director plays a key role in shaping and implementing these initiatives, using data, policy analysis, and professional judgment to help guide decision-makers and ensure equitable and resilient growth.

This position supports the Planning Director in managing daily operations of the Planning Department, mentor staff, oversee complex planning initiatives, and ensuring high-quality customer service to residents, employers, developers, and partner agencies. The Deputy Director also helps guide policy development that shapes the community’s future.

Key Responsibilities:

• Execute the Planning Division’s operations, staffing, and work program
• Oversee development review and entitlement processes, balancing efficiency, design quality, and community outcomes
• Navigate politically sensitive and technically complex development proposals with professionalism and sound judgment
• Mentor and develop professional planning staff and future leaders within the organization
• Lead and manage complex planning initiatives, including zoning code updates, housing implementation, and infill development projects
• Serve as an advisor to appointed bodies and elected officials on land use policy, development trends, and planning strategy
• Represent the department on behalf of the Planning Director as needed, ensuring continuity in leadership and decision-making

We are seeking a planning leader who combines strategic vision with practical execution—someone who can guide day-to-day operations while keeping a clear focus on long-term outcomes. The ideal candidate brings a proven ability to shape and implement land use policies that create meaningful, livable places, along with the skill to clearly frame complex planning issues for policy makers and the public. This role calls for experience navigating the challenges of infill development, redevelopment, and community-scale change with professionalism and creativity. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership presence, the ability to step confidently into a director-level role when needed, and sound judgment in politically nuanced environments. Above all, we are looking for a collaborative, solutions-oriented professional with a deep commitment to public service and ethical planning practice.

This position might be perfect for you if:

• You are comfortable operating at both the strategic and operational levels of a planning organization
• You have experience navigating infill development, redevelopment, and community-scale change
• You thrive in politically nuanced environments and bring sound judgment and professionalism to sensitive issues
• You enjoy mentoring staff and building strong, collaborative teams
• You are motivated by meaningful work that has a lasting impact on a community’s future
• You want to be part of a supportive, high-performing team that values learning, initiative, and shared success

Department Perks:

• We budget for renewals for professional certifications (AICP, CNU-A, etc.) for our staff.
• We invest in your continued education and budget for conferences, educational courses and continuing professional certifications.
• Where possible, we offer the flexibility of a hybrid schedule option so you can occasionally work from home.

Education and/ or Experience:

Graduation from college with a Bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning, public administration, or a related field, is required. A Master’s degree in Planning, Public Policy, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field is highly desirable. Six or more years of increasingly responsible professional planning and zoning experience, including employee supervision, project management, community participation, and related work.  Professional certification by the American Institute of Certified Planners is highly desirable.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of theories and principles of urban and environmental planning; organization and management of current planning, advanced planning, historic preservation, and zoning services; land use, physical design, demographic, environmental, and social/economic and statistical analysis techniques; State planning laws, Subdivision Map Act, California and National Environmental Quality Acts; principles of employee motivation and leadership; customer service practices; principles and practices of supervision, training, and evaluation; budgeting practices; contract administration practices; research and surveying methods; ability to plan, organize, direct and coordinate the work of professional and technical personnel; select, supervise, train and evaluate staff; identify and respond to Planning Commission, City Council, and staff issues, concerns and needs; analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals; research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods, procedures and techniques; formulate work plans; prepare clear and concise administrative reports and make effective presentations at community, management and official levels; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with staff, management, developers, consultants, and other parties on behalf of the City; operate computer hardware and use word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software.

Licenses, Certificates; Special Requirements:

A valid Class C California driver's license and the ability to maintain insurability under the City's Vehicle Insurance Policy.   

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this class, the employee is constantly required to sit and frequently stand, walk, talk, and hear, both in person and by telephone; use hands or fingers to handle, touch, or operate standard office equipment; and reach with hands and arms. The employee occasionally reaches items above or below desk level, and lifts and carries records and documents, typically weighing less than 20 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

MENTAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this class, the employee is regularly required to use oral and written communication skills; read and interpret complex data; thoroughly analyze and solve problems; exercise sound judgment in the absence of specific guidelines; use math and mathematical reasoning; establish priorities and work on multiple assignments and projects concurrently; meet intense and changing deadlines given continual interruptions; and interact appropriately with staff, management, City officials, Commissions, developers, consultants, and others encountered in the course of work.

WORKING CONDITIONS 

The employee works in both office and field settings. The noise level is usually quiet to moderately quiet within the office and at public counter. There is limited exposure to dust, fumes, or odors, or similar hazards. Occasional driving is required to attend meetings at development sites, and City and County facilities. The employee may be required to work on weekends to attend various programs and events and during the evenings in order to attend City Council, Planning Commission and Design Review Committee meetings.  

Applications must be complete and demonstrate that the minimum qualifications are met. All statements made on the application are subject to investigation and verification.  Resumes may be attached to completed application form as supplemental information and will not be accepted in lieu of an official application form. Applications will be screened and the most qualified candidates who best match the needs of the City will be invited to compete further in the examination process.  All candidates will be notified of their application status by email throughout the recruitment process. Candidates invited to compete in the examination process, who successfully pass the examination process, will be place on an eligibility list. The candidate on the eligibility list who most closely meets the requirements of the City may be selected to receive a final offer. The City may conclude that none of the candidates, even those who meet the minimum qualifications, are appropriate for the position.
 
Successful candidates shall be required to:

• Pass a reference and background verification. References will not be contacted until a mutual interest has been established, and
• Provide proof of a valid California driver's license and be insurable; and
• Degree Verification; and
• Pass a pre-employment medical exam