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Marshalltown, IA (27,591). The City of Marshalltown seeks applications from resourceful, talented, and motivated professionals to join its high-functioning management team as the Director of Housing and Community Development. Marshalltown is located in the heart of Iowa and is the County Seat of Marshall County. It is the 16th largest city in the state and is just a 45-minute drive to either Des Moines, the state capitol, or Ames, home of Iowa State University.
The Director of Housing and Community Development is a critically important position in the management structure of the City of Marshalltown. This highly responsible position oversees several important governmental functions for the City, including planning, zoning administration, code enforcement, building and rental housing inspection, parking enforcement, HUD Section 8 Program, and various state and federal grant programs, including the HUD Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program, brownfield remediation programs, and others. The position, which reports to the City Administrator, has regular contact with the members of the City Council and frequent interaction with the members of the public.
The Community
Marshalltown truly provides its residents the best of all worlds… a charming, friendly, and safe community with world-class employers, an outstanding array of dining, shopping, and entertainment options, while being just a short drive to much larger metropolitan areas that offer just about any urban amenity that one might desire.
Marshalltown enjoys a robust and stable local economy anchored by some foundational, long-term employers, including Emerson Company (a global software, technology, and engineering company); Lennox International (an international provider of innovative climate control systems); Marshalltown Company (providing a wide range of construction and building materials); and JBS Swift & Co. (an international company that processes, prepares, and distributes meat and poultry products).
In addition to these marquee employers, Marshalltown is home to a large cadre of small to medium-sized manufacturing, distribution, and logistics companies that help to diversify the local employment base. The City also has an active and growing retail sector as Marshalltown serves as a regional center of commerce for the surrounding small communities and rural areas.
Marshalltown is also home to the Iowa Veterans Home, which spans 150 acres and serves over 500 veterans with a staff of 900. It is one of the largest Veterans Homes in the country. The community is also proud of Marshalltown Community College, with an annual enrollment of 2,000 students, and UnityPoint Health—Marshalltown Hospital, a comprehensive medical center operating out of a new hospital campus in Marshalltown.
In addition to the community's outstanding economic base and excellent health care facilities and services, Marshalltown’s quality of life is further enhanced by an excellent public school system, an exceptional public
park system, tremendous recreational facilities and programs, a nationally recognized public library, and a beautiful, vibrant, and historic downtown district.
The Municipal Government
The City of Marshalltown is governed by an 8-member elected body consisting of the Mayor and 7 Council Members, four elected by wards and three elected at-large. The Mayor is a non-voting member of the Council and is also elected at-large. The City has an annual budget totaling $105,243,000 and 165 full-time employees across nine operating departments.
The City of Marshalltown fully complements traditional municipal services to the community, including Police, Fire, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Housing and Community Development, Finance, Human Resources, City Clerk, and Public Library. The City Administrator, appointed by the Mayor and City Council, oversees the city's day-to-day activities, and supervises all department directors.
The Director of Housing and Community Development
The Director oversees all of the Housing and Community Development Department operations and activities enumerated in the second paragraph of this document. Including the Director, the department has eight (8) full-time employees and an annual operating budget of $1.1 million. The current staff of the Department includes the City Planner, Housing Administrator, Rental Housing Inspector, Code Enforcement Officer, Parking/Code Enforcement Officer, the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program Coordinator, and an Office Manager. Contract employees provide building inspection services.
The successful applicant must possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills. The Director must also have strong supervision abilities and demonstrate sound independent judgment in carrying out the policies of the City of Marshalltown. The Director must be able to build and maintain harmonious and productive working relationships with the City Administrator, departmental employees, other municipal department heads, elected and appointment officials, and the many customers and stakeholders of the Housing and Community Development Department, including builders, developers, landlords, tenants, business owners, state and federal officials, real estate professionals, news media, and the general public.
The City is looking for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in urban planning, public administration, business administration, geography, or some other relevant field of study. A master's degree is preferred but not required. Applicants should have at least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience, preferably in a municipal government environment. Experience overseeing activities and programs involving community development, planning, housing, grant procurement, or code enforcement is highly desirable.
The ideal candidate for the position will possess most of the following skills, abilities, and personal attributes:
- Experience identifying, obtaining, and administering grants from state and federal sources.
- Understanding of various housing-related issues and the ability to develop and administer programs to address those issues.
- A solid understanding of the core principles associated with urban planning and land development matters.
- Ability to interpret and apply complex rules and regulations involving land development, zoning, property maintenance, and many other land use rules, regulations, and requirements.
- Experience with redevelopment matters, particularly concerning central business district revitalization.
- Ability to deal effectively with residents and property owners who might be confrontational or angry due to the City’s efforts to enforce various land use rules and regulations.
- Experience with developing and administering a departmental operating budget.
- A general understanding of various HUD housing programs and activities, such as Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Rent Assistance Program, and the reporting requirements associated with those federal programs.
- Ability to apply creative and innovative solutions to addressing problems and challenges.
- Ability to work with various community organizations, developers, engineers, and planners on economic development initiatives.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Compensation and How to Apply
This position's annual starting salary range is $108,665 – $148,142, depending on the successful applicant’s qualifications and experience. The City of Marshalltown provides its management employees with an outstanding fringe benefits package. Residency within the corporate limits of Marshalltown is encouraged but not required.
To apply for the position, please submit a cover letter, resume, and five (5) work-related references to the attention of Mark R. Peterson, MGT Approved Independent Executive Recruiter, by September 23, 2024. All applications must be submitted electronically. Please direct all questions to Mr. Peterson at (309) 825-5091.
The City of Marshalltown is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Application Deadline: September 23, 2024
Posted: 2024-08-19
To apply for this job please visit www.govhrusa.com.
