JOB TITLE: Planning Director/Deputy Health Officer/Code Enforcement Officer
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Zoning
STATUS: Full-Time, Executive Exemption
LABOR GRADE: 17
JOB SUMMARY: This position is responsible for the supervision and administration of the Planning and Zoning Department, which includes enforcing codes, regulations and laws to ensure public safety and health, and providing technical support for the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Historic District Commission and Department of Public Works.
MAJOR DUTIES:
v Administers Department operations; supervises subordinates; trains, evaluates and disciplines employees; assigns, monitors and coordinates work.
v Reviews, implements and develops the departmental budget.
Planning Director
v Reviews plans for Planning Board applications.
v Schedules the Planning Board’s consultants for review of engineering and environmental issues and requests retainers from applicants to cover the cost.
v Administers payments to consultants.
v Attends and participates in Planning Board meetings twice per month.
v Reviews plans and applications for the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
v Reviews Building Permits for Zoning Compliance.
v Attends and participates in Zoning Board meetings once per month.
v Provides consultation for developers, builders, and citizens for proposed projects.
v Answers zoning questions from general public, in person and on the phone.
v Serves as liaison with the Department of Public Works relative to private and public projects.
v Develops and administers the Building and Zoning Office budget.
v Maintains the Zoning Ordinance, Laws, and Regulations of the Town in a book for sale to the public.
v Drafts or takes other’s proposed ordinances in a form for public hearings and possible adoption by the Town’s voters.
Deputy Health Officer
v Observes all test pits for septic design.
v Reviews all septic design plans.
v Inspects septic system installations for plan compliance.
v Administers and reviews Amherst Board of Health Regulations.
v Recommends regulation changes to the Board of Health.
Code Enforcement Officer
v Investigates violations of Zoning Codes, Health Codes, Town Rules, and Regulations relative to land and building development.
v Works with Town Counsel to prepare and prosecute court cases and defend the Town against Court actions.
v Performs other duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED BY THE POSITION:
v Knowledge of New Hampshire RSA’s.
v Knowledge of the Town’s building and zoning codes and regulations.
v Knowledge of building construction and engineering principles, concepts and methods.
v Knowledge of septic design.
v Knowledge of the budgetary process.
v Skill in management and administration.
v Skill in written and oral communication.
v Skill in interpersonal relations.
v Skills in budgetary preparation and administration.
v Ability to speak knowledgeably at public meetings.
v Ability to explain problems to Town Counsel and to testify in a clear, concise manner in court.
v Ability to manage a Department and employees.
v Ability to use a computer, including assessing/building software and databases.
v Ability to respond to letters of complaint.
v Ability to understand legal processes.
v Ability to be detail oriented and accurate.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
The supervisor sets the overall objectives and resources available. The employee and supervisor, in consultation, develop the deadlines, projects and work to be done. At this level, the employee, having developed expertise in the line of work, is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment; resolving most of the conflicts which arise; coordinating the work with others as necessary and interpreting policy on own initiative in terms of established objectives. In some assignments, the employee also determines the approach to be taken and the methodology to be used. The employee keeps the supervisor informed of progress, potentially controversial matters, or far-reaching implications. Completed work is reviewed only from an overall standpoint in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness in meeting requirements or expected results.
GUIDELINES:
Guidelines are available, but are not completely applicable to the work or have gaps in specificity. The employee uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines such as agency policies, regulations, precedents and work directions for application to specific cases or problems. The employee analyzes results and recommends changes.
COMPLEXITY:
The work includes various duties involving different and unrelated processes and methods. The decision regarding what needs to be done depends upon the analysis of the subject, phase or issues involved in each assignment and the chosen course of action may have to be selected from many alternatives. The work involves conditions and elements that must be identified and analyzed to discern interrelationships.
SCOPE AND EFFECT:
The work involves establishing criteria; formulating projects; assessing program e3ffectiveness; or investigating or analyzing a variety of unusual conditions, problems or questions. The work product or service affects a wide range of agency activities, major activities of industrial concerns or the operation of other agencies.
PERSONAL CONTACTS:
The personal contacts are with individuals or groups from outside the employing agency in a moderately unstructured setting (e.g., the contacts are not established on a routine basis; the purpose and extent of each contact is different and the role and authority of each party is identified and developed during the course of the contact).
PURPOSE OF CONTACTS:
The purpose is to justify, defend, negotiate or settle matters involving significant or controversial issues. Work at this level usually involves active participation in conferences, meetings, hearings or presentations involving problems or issues of considerable consequence or importance. The persons contacted typically have diverse viewpoints, goals or objectives requiring the employee to achieve a common understanding of the problem and a satisfactory solution by convincing them, arriving at compromise or developing suitable alternatives.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The work requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking over rough, uneven or rocky surfaces, recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or similar activities; recurring lifting of moderately heavy items such as typewriters and record boxes. The work may require specific, but common, physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average agility and dexterity.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work involves moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions (e.g., working around moving parts, carts or machines, with contagious diseases or irritant chemicals). Employees may be required to use protective clothing or gear such as masks, gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves or shields.
SUPERVISORY AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY:
Department heads at this level have final responsibility and authority for the accomplishment of objectives, utilization of resources and personnel administration decisions within a major jurisdictional subdivision. They are accountable for the effective and efficient management of work to achieve goals and objectives. They usually receive guidance in the form of approval/denial on matters of policy, service levels and goals or objectives from higher authorities.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
DEPARTMENT: Planning and Zoning
STATUS: Full-Time, Executive Exemption
LABOR GRADE: 17
JOB SUMMARY: This position is responsible for the supervision and administration of the Planning and Zoning Department, which includes enforcing codes, regulations and laws to ensure public safety and health, and providing technical support for the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Historic District Commission and Department of Public Works.
MAJOR DUTIES:
v Administers Department operations; supervises subordinates; trains, evaluates and disciplines employees; assigns, monitors and coordinates work.
v Reviews, implements and develops the departmental budget.
Planning Director
v Reviews plans for Planning Board applications.
v Schedules the Planning Board’s consultants for review of engineering and environmental issues and requests retainers from applicants to cover the cost.
v Administers payments to consultants.
v Attends and participates in Planning Board meetings twice per month.
v Reviews plans and applications for the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
v Reviews Building Permits for Zoning Compliance.
v Attends and participates in Zoning Board meetings once per month.
v Provides consultation for developers, builders, and citizens for proposed projects.
v Answers zoning questions from general public, in person and on the phone.
v Serves as liaison with the Department of Public Works relative to private and public projects.
v Develops and administers the Building and Zoning Office budget.
v Maintains the Zoning Ordinance, Laws, and Regulations of the Town in a book for sale to the public.
v Drafts or takes other’s proposed ordinances in a form for public hearings and possible adoption by the Town’s voters.
Deputy Health Officer
v Observes all test pits for septic design.
v Reviews all septic design plans.
v Inspects septic system installations for plan compliance.
v Administers and reviews Amherst Board of Health Regulations.
v Recommends regulation changes to the Board of Health.
Code Enforcement Officer
v Investigates violations of Zoning Codes, Health Codes, Town Rules, and Regulations relative to land and building development.
v Works with Town Counsel to prepare and prosecute court cases and defend the Town against Court actions.
v Performs other duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED BY THE POSITION:
v Knowledge of New Hampshire RSA’s.
v Knowledge of the Town’s building and zoning codes and regulations.
v Knowledge of building construction and engineering principles, concepts and methods.
v Knowledge of septic design.
v Knowledge of the budgetary process.
v Skill in management and administration.
v Skill in written and oral communication.
v Skill in interpersonal relations.
v Skills in budgetary preparation and administration.
v Ability to speak knowledgeably at public meetings.
v Ability to explain problems to Town Counsel and to testify in a clear, concise manner in court.
v Ability to manage a Department and employees.
v Ability to use a computer, including assessing/building software and databases.
v Ability to respond to letters of complaint.
v Ability to understand legal processes.
v Ability to be detail oriented and accurate.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
The supervisor sets the overall objectives and resources available. The employee and supervisor, in consultation, develop the deadlines, projects and work to be done. At this level, the employee, having developed expertise in the line of work, is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment; resolving most of the conflicts which arise; coordinating the work with others as necessary and interpreting policy on own initiative in terms of established objectives. In some assignments, the employee also determines the approach to be taken and the methodology to be used. The employee keeps the supervisor informed of progress, potentially controversial matters, or far-reaching implications. Completed work is reviewed only from an overall standpoint in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness in meeting requirements or expected results.
GUIDELINES:
Guidelines are available, but are not completely applicable to the work or have gaps in specificity. The employee uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines such as agency policies, regulations, precedents and work directions for application to specific cases or problems. The employee analyzes results and recommends changes.
COMPLEXITY:
The work includes various duties involving different and unrelated processes and methods. The decision regarding what needs to be done depends upon the analysis of the subject, phase or issues involved in each assignment and the chosen course of action may have to be selected from many alternatives. The work involves conditions and elements that must be identified and analyzed to discern interrelationships.
SCOPE AND EFFECT:
The work involves establishing criteria; formulating projects; assessing program e3ffectiveness; or investigating or analyzing a variety of unusual conditions, problems or questions. The work product or service affects a wide range of agency activities, major activities of industrial concerns or the operation of other agencies.
PERSONAL CONTACTS:
The personal contacts are with individuals or groups from outside the employing agency in a moderately unstructured setting (e.g., the contacts are not established on a routine basis; the purpose and extent of each contact is different and the role and authority of each party is identified and developed during the course of the contact).
PURPOSE OF CONTACTS:
The purpose is to justify, defend, negotiate or settle matters involving significant or controversial issues. Work at this level usually involves active participation in conferences, meetings, hearings or presentations involving problems or issues of considerable consequence or importance. The persons contacted typically have diverse viewpoints, goals or objectives requiring the employee to achieve a common understanding of the problem and a satisfactory solution by convincing them, arriving at compromise or developing suitable alternatives.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The work requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking over rough, uneven or rocky surfaces, recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or similar activities; recurring lifting of moderately heavy items such as typewriters and record boxes. The work may require specific, but common, physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average agility and dexterity.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work involves moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions (e.g., working around moving parts, carts or machines, with contagious diseases or irritant chemicals). Employees may be required to use protective clothing or gear such as masks, gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves or shields.
SUPERVISORY AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY:
Department heads at this level have final responsibility and authority for the accomplishment of objectives, utilization of resources and personnel administration decisions within a major jurisdictional subdivision. They are accountable for the effective and efficient management of work to achieve goals and objectives. They usually receive guidance in the form of approval/denial on matters of policy, service levels and goals or objectives from higher authorities.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
No Current Postings
