Director, Physical Planning and Sustainable Development (GMG/SEG 4)

Summary

Under the general direction of the Chief Executive Officer, the Director, Physical Planning and Sustainable Development is responsible for providing strategic technical leadership to ensure that the local authority achieves its goals/objectives in urban/town planning in a sustainable manner. To do this, the Director, in collaboration with the team, will translate related policies to develop various plans and programs to design/layout communities or other designated spaces to enhance the quality of life and experience of users/local inhabitants. Additionally, the Director will act as an expert adviser on urban planning/design matters and will lead in providing technical guidance on city planning design layout and related matters by collaborating with technical expertise within and outside the Local Authority to ensure that proposed plans/designs of council and development plans submitted for approval accord with local and national laws and the requirements of the Local Authority. 💰 salary range $6,333,301 to $8,517,586 JMD per annum, plus any applicable allowance(s) attached to the post.

Responsibilities

• Technical/Professional:

  • • Leads in the provision of technical advice on physical/urban planning, including the development of rural towns and town centers.
  • • Produces an overall integrated physical development plan/framework for the approval of council and use of council in its deliberations related to council business.
  • • Collaborates with the Chief Engineer and other officers to develop a sustainable development plan/framework.
  • • Guides the design and development of plans and related maps/diagrams for community development – including upgrading of existing recreational spaces such as parks, cultural/heritage sites, etc.
  • • Interprets and implements the policies of the Local Authority to facilitate the operations of the physical planning division.
  • • Maintains Operational Policies and procedures to support the work of the division. Conducts ongoing reviews to ensure they are kept in line with changes in the profession as well as the local and international industry.
  • • Leads the development or creation of integrated public spaces promoting appropriate uses and design layout that enhances the experiences of citizens.
  • • Ensures the research of physical planning models, sustainable development models, and their relation to development applications.
  • • Mainstreams sustainable development principles into rural development, spatial planning, and disaster risk management.
  • • Provides advice and reviews on development applications.
  • • Directs the local planning physical processes and prepares policy frameworks for approval of council.
  • • Collaborates with other technical officers at the Authority in designing local planning policies and programs.
  • • Advises Council on the integration/intersection of its physical planning proposals with central government (or private sector) development plans and makes recommendations for synergistic relations, areas of collaboration/mutual benefits.
  • • Ensures compliance with the regulatory requirements for physical planning.
  • • Liaises with the parent ministry for direction and communicates with the CEO/Council on pertinent matters.
  • • Promotes the use of GIS systems and technologies to improve accuracy in designs, estimates, and projections.
  • • Takes lead in ensuring that the physical planning division provides the relevant data and information to the CEO/Strategic planner to develop the requisite strategic and corporate plans and monitoring mechanisms of the authority.
  • • Ensures that all Branch/unit work plans are developed and used as a guide to manage Branch/unit and individual work targets.
  • • Develops the Branch budget, provides budget input to inform the overall technical and infrastructure budget of the authority.
  • • Participates in the preparation of technical papers, Cabinet Submissions, and other relevant documentation from the Division.
  • • Designs systems to collect and maintain Branch records so that access can be easily had to inform decisions or otherwise.
  • • Participates in site visits.
  • • Collaborates with the CEO to ensure that systems put in place to promote and deliver customer service are maintained.
  • • Ensures that research is done to assess the sustainability and environmental impact of all works/projects.
  • • Fosters an open communication environment and builds rapport with staff and actors in the external environment so that data/information can be received to put the CEO and Council on notice on emerging issues.
  • • Carries out environmental scans, maintains currency with sustainable development issues (including climate change, natural hazards, environmental conservation and transportation), and identifies emerging issues for policy action.
  • • Leads Branch divisions on sustainable development and ensures that research is done in the design and execution of projects.
  • • Keeps abreast of international best practices in civil engineering and its impact on city and community development and related science with a view to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the breadth and in achieving objectives.

• Human Resources:

  • • Establishes and maintains a system that fosters a culture of teamwork, employee empowerment, and commitment to the vision, mission, and goals of the local authority.
  • • Provides effective leadership and guidance through planning, delegation, communication, mentoring, coaching, and discipline.
  • • Ensures the provision of appropriate physical resources to enable staff to undertake their duties.
  • • Recommends transfers, secondment, and leave of direct reports.
  • • Monitors the performance of staff and ensures timely review of performance and intervention.
  • • Takes lead in facilitating organizational change and encourages and supports staff in the transitions.
  • • Develops individual work plans.
  • • Ensures that the work plans for staff in the division are developed and delivered to the human resource unit.
  • • Monitors and reviews the performance of direct reports and ensures that this is also done for the division as a whole.

• Other:

  • • Performs all other related duties and functions as may be required from time to time.

Required Skills

• Core:

  • • Highly developed professional disposition.
  • • Good oral communication.
  • • Good written communication.
  • • Customer/citizen-focused orientation.
  • • Teamwork & Cooperation.
  • • Unquestioned integrity.
  • • Developed interpersonal skills.
  • • Ability to build rapport with team/stakeholders to harness collective solutions.
  • • Possess innovativeness in resolving disputes.
  • • Possess the relevant skills to use and manipulate relevant ICT hardware and software.

• Technical:

  • • Expert knowledge of development planning.
  • • Appreciation of civil engineering.
  • • Working knowledge of financial management principles and practices.
  • • Good knowledge of the regulatory controls and approval processes for building development/approval.
  • • Good appreciation of the operations of the machinery of local authorities.
  • • Good knowledge of relevant legislation, e.g., Town and Planning Act.
  • • Well-developed skills in stakeholder engagement.
  • • Adequate knowledge of the prevailing social, economic, political, and environmental issues.
  • • Excellent human relations.
  • • Good problem-solving.

Qualifications

• • A Master's Degree in physical planning, geography, or equivalent qualification.
• • Three (3) years of progressive work experience, two (2) of which should be at the managerial level in the private or public sector, with demonstrated understanding of Physical Planning and Sustainable Development.
• • Training in Leadership and Change Management would be an asset.
OR
• • A Bachelor's Degree in physical planning, geography, or equivalent qualification.
• • Five (5) years of progressive work experience, three (3) of which should be at the managerial level in the private or public sector, with demonstrated understanding of Physical Planning and Sustainable Development.

Additional Information and Instructions

• Special Conditions Associated with the Job:

  • • The work of the Director of Planning is demanding. It carries a high degree of stress in managing the physical planning issues of the local authority.
  • • Some amount of travel to conduct site visits in environmentally unfriendly environments and exposure to the elements.
  • • The working environment is fast-paced with ongoing interactions with critical stakeholders and meeting tight deadlines, which will result in high degrees of pressure.

Applications must be submitted no later than June 6, 2025, to: Secretary Local Government Services Office of the Services Commissions Ministry of Finance and the Public Service Complex 2nd Floor, G Block 30 National Heroes Circle Kingston 4 Please note: Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

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