Assistant Director - Community Services Department

Job Description:

Assistant Director - Community Services Department

Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Community Services Department seeks an Assistant Director.

The Community Services Department is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all who live, work, and visit the City of Fort Lauderdale. We achieve this by delivering responsive, community-focused programs that strengthen residents and stakeholders and promote economic growth. The department is responsible for a wide range of initiatives, through divisions and programs including:

• Housing & Community Development and Homelessness: The department leads efforts to expand affordable housing options and provide effective solutions and resources to address homelessness. We administer federal and state grant-funded programs to create and manage affordable housing and support individuals on their path to stability.

• Economic Development: The department focuses on promoting long-term prosperity and sustainable growth by supporting various industries including aviation, finance, marine, healthcare, professional services, technology, and tourism among others. We serve as a central hub for business support, retention, and expansion, fostering entrepreneurship and attracting new investments to strengthen the city's economic competitiveness.

• Public Art & Cultural Affairs: The department champions the advancement of arts and culture throughout Fort Lauderdale. This includes planning and implementing cultural programs and initiatives, such as the Public Art and Placemaking Program, to promote community identity and civic pride. We also work to showcase the city as a premier cultural destination.

• Community Enhancement & Compliance (Code Compliance): Our team ensures compliance with the City's Code of Ordinances to promote public health and safety, and the preservation of all property. We engage with residents to foster voluntary compliance and address community concerns in a timely manner. This work has a positive impact on property values and the overall quality of life.

• Customer Support: We provide exceptional customer service through the city's centralized customer service center. Our goal is to streamline and centralize the process for addressing community inquiries and service requests, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience for everyone who reaches out for assistance through multiple platforms.

• Business Tax: The department is responsible for the annual billing and collection of the Business Tax, which is required for the privilege of operating any business, profession, or occupation within the city limits. We also ensure compliance with the City’s Business Tax Ordinance.

Position Overview
The Assistant Director will direct the operations of assigned divisions, programs and areas of responsibility within the department. Under general direction of the Department Director, the employee performs complex assignments requiring extensive initiative and independent judgment to ensure that services are provided with the maximum effective use of personnel and ensuring operational functions are accomplished in accordance with applicable rules, regulations and laws.

This is a Non-classified "at-will" position and not subject to Civil Service Rules or any collective bargaining agreement.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Essential functions are the basic job duties that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. The omission of a function does not preclude management from assigning essential duties not listed herein if such duties relate to the position.

• Plans, coordinates, manages, and supervises, and oversees the activities and operations for administrative and or technical operations of the department and heads major initiatives.
• Manages the work of assigned personnel; delegates and reviews work assignments; hires, trains, and evaluates employees.
• Establishes goals, objectives, and work plans; oversees the design and development of a wide variety of programs and projects related to assigned areas.
• Recommends, oversees and administers annual budget of an assigned operation, including organization structure and staffing requirements and monitoring expenditures to ensure operation of divisions is within approved budget.
• Conducts research; studies and analyzes a variety of special projects and assignments; makes recommendations; prepares and presents reports and studies.
• Recommends, in the interest of the City, that eligible applicants be hired, and that subordinate employees be reassigned, transferred, disciplined, suspended, terminated, promoted, or commended; participates in the adjustment of grievances; participates in the administration of agreements resulting from collective bargaining negotiations; acts in a confidential capacity.
• Performs related work as required

JOB REQUIREMENTS, PREFERENCES & WORK ENVIRONMENT

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Community Development, Economic Development, or closely related field.A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience particularly in Community Development, Economic Development, and relevant functions that involve community-facing engagement, or that require administration of and compliance with federal, state, and local regulatory policies and laws (division manager level or higher is preferred).A minimum of three (3) years of experience developing and administering a department or division budget or complex funding mechanisms, including federal/state grants (e.g., for Housing/Homelessness) and local government revenue) e.g., Business Tax).Additional qualifying experience or completion of coursework at an accredited college or university in a job-related field, may substitute on a year-for-year basis for the required experience or education.A minimum of 2 years prior supervisory experience. If claiming Veteran's Preference, candidates must attach a DD214 Member 4 form, and the City of Fort Lauderdale's veteran's preference claim form ( J-204) . to the online application

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:
Experience specifically focused on homeless initiatives, including experience with Continuum of Care (CoC) models, Housing First strategies, and coordinated entry systems.Certification as a Professional Community & Economic Developer (PCED) and/or an Economic Developer (CEcD).Financial management experience assisting with budget preparation, analyzing funding requests, and overseeing the preparation of financial reports for grants (e.g., CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, and SHIP).Experience in promoting or administering public arts, culture, customer engagement, or regulatory licensing programs.
As public servants, employees may be required to work immediately before, during, and/or after an emergency. All employees must be available and able to work assigned shifts as determined by their Department Heads.

PHYSICAL STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
The position is generally sedentary. Employees sit most of the time but may walk or stand for brief periods of time.

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

HOW TO APPLY & SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Applicants who qualify will be subject to an extensive selection process and screening program, which may include, but not be limited to evaluation of training and experience; written test; interview; employment record, background check; medical examination; and drug screen. The expected duration of the selection process varies by position.

The City of Fort Lauderdale is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, inclusive employer and a Drug Free Workplace. The City of Fort Lauderdale does not discriminate based on age, citizenship status, color, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

Veterans' preference per Florida law. If claiming Veteran's Preference, candidates must attach a DD214 Member 4 form, and the City of Fort Lauderdale's veteran's preference claim form ( J-204) . to the online application.



The City of Fort Lauderdale offers a comprehensive benefits package to all regular full-time employees including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and short-term disability insurance.

Click here for an overview of employment information including our benefits package.

Say "Hello" to the City of Fort Lauderdale and Say "Goodbye" to Your Student Loan!Under the U.S. Department of Education's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, the remaining balance on your student loan may be forgiven after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time at the City of Fort Lauderdale. Click here for more information or to see if you qualify.

In addition to the competitive benefits package and salary, the City of Fort Lauderdale participates in the Florida Retirement System (FRS) which offers an investment option and a pension option and requires a 3% contribution from employees. All new City of Fort Lauderdale employees are automatically enrolled in FRS. Click here to view additional information on the Florida Retirement System.

Closing Date/Time: 11/30/2025 11:59 PM Eastern

Salary:

$112,008.83 - $213,653.64 Annually