The City of Ithaca, NY is seeking qualified applicants for
Director of Planning and Development!
Position Description: This is the principal administrative position of the Department of Planning, Building and Development. The Director of Planning and Development is responsible for planning, directing, managing and overseeing economic development, community development, environmental review, land use, code enforcement, historic preservation, neighborhood preservation, site plan review and design review programs, activities, operations and projects for the City of Ithaca. Additionally, the Director of Planning and Development serves as the Executive Director of the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency. The work is managerial and administrative in nature, and involves the initiation, direction and coordination of work through subordinate managerial, supervisory and professional staff, including staff with specialized expertise. The Director of Planning and Development advises City officials and staff with regard to the physical development of the City of Ithaca, and performs direct professional and technical work on specific planning and development projects. The work is performed under the administrative direction of the City Manager, in accordance with existing laws, regulations, objectives, professional principles, and policies formulated by the Planning and Development Board and the City Manager. Supervision is exercised over managerial, supervisory, professional, technical and clerical staff, and work is assigned and delegated through subordinate supervisors. Does related work as required.
To view the complete job description, visit: Director of Planning and Development job description.
Minimum Qualifications: Pursuant to Article 3 of New York State Public Officers Law, the holder of this position must be at least eighteen (18) years old, a United States citizen, and cannot have been convicted of a felony and either:
Note: College degrees must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education and/or U.S. Secretary of Education. If an applicant’s degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, the applicant must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found at https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. Applicants are responsible for payment of the required evaluation fee.
Director of Planning and Development!
Position Description: This is the principal administrative position of the Department of Planning, Building and Development. The Director of Planning and Development is responsible for planning, directing, managing and overseeing economic development, community development, environmental review, land use, code enforcement, historic preservation, neighborhood preservation, site plan review and design review programs, activities, operations and projects for the City of Ithaca. Additionally, the Director of Planning and Development serves as the Executive Director of the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency. The work is managerial and administrative in nature, and involves the initiation, direction and coordination of work through subordinate managerial, supervisory and professional staff, including staff with specialized expertise. The Director of Planning and Development advises City officials and staff with regard to the physical development of the City of Ithaca, and performs direct professional and technical work on specific planning and development projects. The work is performed under the administrative direction of the City Manager, in accordance with existing laws, regulations, objectives, professional principles, and policies formulated by the Planning and Development Board and the City Manager. Supervision is exercised over managerial, supervisory, professional, technical and clerical staff, and work is assigned and delegated through subordinate supervisors. Does related work as required.
To view the complete job description, visit: Director of Planning and Development job description.
Minimum Qualifications: Pursuant to Article 3 of New York State Public Officers Law, the holder of this position must be at least eighteen (18) years old, a United States citizen, and cannot have been convicted of a felony and either:
- Possession of a Master's Degree in City, Regional or Urban Planning and four (4) years of full-time paid experience, or its part-time paid equivalent, in municipal, community or regional planning, two years of which must have been in a responsible supervisory capacity; or
- Possession of a Master's Degree in Economic Development, Sociology, Economics, Urban Geography, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Policy, Government, Public Administration or a closely-related field with similar course curriculum and five (5) years of full-time paid experience, or its part-time paid equivalent, in municipal, community or regional planning, two years of which must have been in a responsible supervisory capacity; or
- Possession of a five year professional Bachelor's Degree in City, Regional or Urban planning and five (5) years of full-time paid experience, or its part-time paid equivalent, in municipal, community or regional planning, two years of which must have been in a responsible supervisory capacity; or
- An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of A, B, and C above. Please note that this means that the minimum academic requirement is either a Master’s Degree or a five-year professional Bachelor’s Degree, and the minimum experiential requirements are at least four (4) years of municipal or regional planning experience and at least two (2) years of supervisory municipal or regional planning experience.
Salary: $126,250 - $151,500/year
Appointment Status and Exam Requirement: This will be a provisional appointment pending the results of a civil service examination to be scheduled at a later date. Permanent appointment will be dependent upon the candidate's exam score.
Residency Requirements: There are no residency requirements for this position.
Benefits: Refer to the Fringe Benefits webpage and Fringe Benefits for Management Personnel.
Supplemental Information:
- Computers are available for use by appointment. To schedule an appointment, contact the Department of Human Resources/Civil Service at (607) 274-6539 or by email to hrdept@cityofithaca.org.
- The City of Ithaca values diverse perspectives and life experiences. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+, veterans, people with disabilities, and those with lived experiences.
- The City of Ithaca is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the NYS Division of Human Rights (NYS DHR) it is the policy of the City to provide reasonable accommodation when requested without causing an undue hardship. If accommodation is needed, please call (607) 274-6539 or contact us by email using hrdept@cityofithaca.org.
Application Materials Required:
- City of Ithaca application
- Copy of high and college school transcript
Applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on September 11, 2026. Submit required application materials to:
https://ithaca-portal.mycivilservice.com
City of Ithaca
Human Resources Department
108 E. Green St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 274-6539
All applications must be submitted electronically through our online application program. We do not accept paper applications, faxed applications, e-mailed applications or photocopies of applications.
Ithaca is Gorges! We would love to have you on our team!
Issued: July 29, 2026
