The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) is seeking a highly qualified and experienced senior leader for the position of Director of the Department of Community Planning and Services (DCPS).
This position is an excellent opportunity to help guide the work of an influential organization serving a diverse, dynamic, and growing region. COG is an independent, nonprofit association that brings area leaders together to address major regional issues in the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia and plan for the future. Highly trusted and respected in the region’s political, business, and media circles, COG is also known as a national leader among regional councils. The Director of DCPS works directly with a network of public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic leaders, who are deeply committed to the success of the region.
The Director assists COG member jurisdictions in advancing the following four pillars of the region’s growth strategy: Prosperity, Accessibility, Livability and Sustainability – as described in the Region Forward Vision document adopted by COG and its members. In this overarching role, the Director will provide high-level, professional leadership for COG’s policy and technical work specifically in areas of regional economic development planning and analysis, land use planning; regional demographic forecasting, housing and homelessness, public health; and foster care/child welfare. The Director will guide the work of a team of professional planners who are experienced subject matter experts in each of these fields, and manage the preparation of relevant policy reports, data products, and technical studies. The Director will also oversee the staffing and leadership of an extensive range of committees that seek to advance the broader mission of COG, with members composed of elected officials, senior local and state government staff, and key regional partner organizations.
The DCPS Director reports to COG’s Deputy Executive Director for Regional Planning and works closely with the COG’s Executive Director. Specific responsibilities for this position include:
- To develop a regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and have the region designated by the US Economic Development Administration (EDA), as an Economic Development District (EDD). The DCPS Director will lead this effort and implement a work plan to develop the CEDS and achieve the EDD designation.
- To align and leverage ongoing activities in land use planning, demographic forecasting, housing and homelessness, public health, human services, and foster care/child welfare areas to support the regional economic development strategy in a way that provides new opportunities for economic development funding, responding to and recovering from economic shocks and displacement, and attracting more federal funding and technical assistance.
- Work to build consensus on ongoing DCPS programs, projects and issues with elected officials, senior government staff, business leaders, and non-profit, advocacy and civic organizations to advance the mission and priorities of COG.
- Support the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director in the identification of emerging trends, issues and opportunities.
- Lead departmental staff in supporting key COG policy and technical committees, including the Region Forward Coalition; Human Services Policy Committee; Planning Directors Technical Advisory Committee; Housing Directors Advisory Committee, Health Officials Committee, Homeless Services Coordinating Committee, Cooperative Forecasting Data Subcommittee, and Foster Care and Child Welfare Directors committees.
- Provide strategic and technical guidance to departmental staff and oversee COG’s work activities in Regional Planning, Economic Analysis, and Cooperative Forecasting Programs, including staff preparation of updates to the growth forecasts, annual Commercial Construction Indicators and Multi-family Residential Construction reports, and monthly Regional Economic Monitoring System (REMS) report.
- Collaborate and co-lead with COG’s Department of Transportation Planning (DTP) staff in developing the region’s Cooperative Forecasts that forecasts future land use and identify opportunities to better coordinate the interaction of land use planning and transportation investments.
- Building on the adopted COG Housing Targets, support the Housing program efforts to increase the supply of strategically located affordable housing, including work with COG’s Housing Affordability Planning Program (HAPP) grant awards. Provide strategic, subject matter and administrative guidance/oversight to the Housing Manager in implementing the work activities of special grant funded activities including the Community Solutions grant and the US HUD’s Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing grants.
- Support the Health Officials Committee (HOC), Human Services Policy Committee (HSPC) and Region Forward Coalition (RFC) in defining long-term livability and associated health goals for the region. Coordinate with COG’s Department of Homeland Security and Public Safety (DHSPS) staff on regional emergency preparedness and response for public health issues.
- Maintain and enhance partnerships with regional agencies such as WMATA, the Urban Land Institute (ULI), and the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). Work with DTP in coordinating TPB’s Transportation and Land use Connections grant and ULI’s Technical Assistance Panel grants. Develop and enhance ties with academic and regional research organizations.
- Coordinate response to media inquiries concerning issues and trends in all work activities and organize regional workshops and conferences.
- Prepare annual DCPS work program and budget and monitor overall DCPS finances. Prepare grant applications and other documents to support DCPS programs, projects, and committees.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
This position requires extensive experience in and broad knowledge of regional economic development, planning, land use, affordable housing, and public health. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in strategic thinking and delivering results through consensus building rooted in strong analytic and problem-solving skills. The candidate will have significant experience in organizing, analyzing, presenting data, reaching conclusions, and developing recommendations; comfort in dealing with complexity; strong interpersonal and collaboration skills; strong ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of individuals; excellent planning, organizational, multi-task and time management skills. Must be motivated and results-oriented and committed to COG’s mission and regional goals. Knowledge of issues and trends in metropolitan Washington is essential.
Experience in developing and implementing strategies at a regional level that relates to economic development, land use planning, housing and public health; maintaining partnerships with local, state, and federal government staff, elected officials, and regional stakeholder organizations to advance goals in economic growth, equity, affordable housing, public health, and child welfare. This position also requires excellent writing, research, and verbal communication skills, including an ability to facilitate technical and policy meetings and workshops. Initiative, responsibility, good professional judgment, people skills, and the ability to work in a team setting are necessary for effectively performing these duties. Requires ability to work independently as well as build consensus, respond to multiple requests, and interact with a variety of audiences. Must also possess the desire to continue to grow professionally. Knowledge of MS Office Suite is essential. Strong database and GIS skills are highly desired.
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