As the Development Liaison or Ombudsman within the Planning and Development Services Department, you'll coordinate and facilitate complex and sensitive customer service issues relating to permitting (e.g. building, site development and subdivision plans, environmental, zoning), land use petitions (e.g. rezones, special exceptions), enforcement, and property management. In this work you'll focus on bolstering the mission of the Department to be a high performing team proud to engage and serve the public providing exceptional quality services. This work includes a high degree of public involvement and interaction with team members from departments throughout the County organization.

Job Description:

• Work with key decision-making positions (e.g. Senior Leadership, Building Official, Zoning Administrator, County Engineer, etc.) to help resolve issues and achieve desired goals through closely coordinating on decisions and following standard procedures.
• Facilitate Development Review Coordination (DRC) meetings, both internal staff meetings and external customer meetings.
• Seek opportunities to bring technical disciplines together to solve overlapping and/or related issues.
• Act as an advocate of the complete development review process, from land use to construction to occupation, seeking a streamlined and timely process that is compliant with applicable codes.
• Serve as an active member of the Planning and Development Services Department leadership team.
• Serve as the departmental liaison to develop and maintain relations with individual customers, industry representatives, customer groups, other regulatory agencies, etc.  
• Serve as a primary contact point for economic and business organization inquiries relating to the Planning and Development Services Department.
• Help host and participate in roundtable discussions to share information and obtain feedback from stakeholders.
• Advocate customer viewpoints to leadership on decisions directly affecting service-related concerns.
• Provide opportunities for consumer involvement and input on service-related issues and concerns to demonstrate commitment and responsiveness to customer needs.
• Examine causes of customer service issues and provides recommendations to implement process improvements for applications, review procedures, code revisions, etc.
• Analyze existing and proposed programs, policies, and services to ensure their equitability and responsiveness to customer needs and achieving policy outcomes.
• Develop and implement innovative programs and services targeted to specific customer needs.

Work Hours:  Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About You

Minimum Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Business, Finance, Planning, Industrial/Engineering Technology, or job-related field AND three (3) years of professional job-related experience. 
• Master’s Degree can count for one year of experience.
• OR Seven (7) years professional job-related experience in management of technical projects/programs and strategic planning may substitute for the required education.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced professional certifications in fields relating to development, construction, etc.

About Everything Else

Pay: $68,000.00 – $85,000.00 based on your experience

Benefits:

• Enjoy great benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, Flexible Spending Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Florida Retirement System (FRS) and many, many more! 
• For more information about employee benefits, please click this link or visit SCGov.net for additional information.
• Utilize our award-winning wellness program including free gyms and classes at multiple Sarasota County Government locations. 
• Enjoy 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days and 16 paid vacation days in the first year of full-time employment with increasing accrual rates with years of service. (That adds up to a possible 30 days off in your 1st year!)​​

A different blend of voices prompt better conversations, choices and results for everyone. Sarasota County – Many Voices, One Team.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) are the keys to serving, representing and understanding our community. We celebrate and value the experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, talents and strengths that make us different and are committed to creating a culture of understanding and respect where our employees realize that we are stronger together. 

Our vision is to have a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that attracts, develops, retains and engages a talented workforce broadly representative of the citizens and communities we serve. To further value creativity, innovation, collaboration and great customer service – internally and externally. 

Sarasota County Government promotes diversity and inclusion in its workforce and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender identity or expression, genetic information, religion, national origin, marital status, age or disability. A job applicant with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to participate in the application/selection process is requested to make known the need for an accommodation to Human Resources or appropriate county staff members. For assistance with the application, please call 941-861-5353.

Government employers are drug-free and tobacco-free environments, EEO/AA/ADA employers, and they prohibit discrimination in all services, programs or activities.

Sarasota County Government is a Tobacco-Free/Drug-Free Workplace.