Note: This position will accept applications until October 18th, 2023. With the timing of this recruitment, the anticipated start date for the role will likely be December or January.

Do you get excited about preserving the historic, architectural, and cultural character of Denver? Are you seeking a position that will allow you to utilize your exceptional leadership skills to supervise, coach and inspire a well-established team of fun and dedicated planning professionals? Do you enjoy providing excellent customer service to guide customers through changes to designated properties and improving design review processes? If so, this may be the position for YOU!   The City and County of Denver’s Community Planning and Development Department (CPD) is seeking a highly motivated, creative, and accomplished preservation professional with expertise in design review for our Landmark Design Review Supervisor position. Landmark Preservation is a vital and integrated component of Community Planning and Development and the Planning Services team. Denver’s landmark structures and historic districts enhance the city’s unique identity, quality of life, and economic vitality. We offer excellent work/life balance, unmatched benefits, and a pension plan for life! Apply today!

Working for the City and County of Denver (CCD) is so much more than a job. It’s a chance to make a difference in your own life and in the lives of people around you. Click here to find out about all the amazing benefits and reasons to work for the city that you love!

BUILDING COMMUNITY: Denver Community Planning and Development is responsible for visionary city planning and ensuring safe, responsible, sustainable building. CPD regulates planning, zoning, development, and maintenance of private property in Denver. We’re working hard to make Denver a great place to live, work and play! Visit DenverGov.org/CPD.
As the Landmark Design Review Supervisor, you will oversee a team of preservation design review staff and their workload and will manage complex design review projects and process improvements.  This is a newly created position to oversee a well-established team.  Under the guidance of the Landmark Preservation Manager, you will inspire and coach the design review staff and will strategically develop innovations using a strong equity lens.  The design review team currently includes six members: five established preservation planners and an intake and operations staff member.  In this role, you will also advise on preservation enforcement for our Landmark/Zoning inspector, who is on a separate inspections team, and frequently collaborate with the Landmark Preservation Manager and the Landmark Planning and Regulatory Supervisor, as well as other development review and enforcement supervisors in CPD.  In addition, you will manage several complex design review projects and will oversee the development of regulatory updates for the Landmark work program. Our goal is to continually evolve our efforts around all aspects of preservation work and strengthen our already strong position as a national leader in historic preservation.  As a result, we need a forward-thinking, innovative, and well-organized leader with exceptional skills at creative problem solving and positive communications to supervise our Landmark design review team.

Schedule – Hybrid, at least three days in office per week. 9/80 flex option after completion of six-month probation.

As the Landmark Design Review Supervisor, your duties will include:

Directly supervising a team of six to eight planners, which includes: inspiring and coaching team members through challenging situations, supporting professional development and training, overseeing schedules and workloads, setting goals and evaluating performance, and recruiting and retaining staff
Sustaining and celebrating a workplace culture built on the twin pillars of meaningful work and supportive camaraderie
Frequently interacting with the Landmark Manager to set work program goals and priorities, determine resource needs to accomplish work program objectives and to inform budget decisions, and to recommend improvements in processes, procedures, and policies
Collaborating with the Landmark Manager and other supervisors to accomplish the Landmark design review work program including monitoring project intake, making assignments, balancing workloads, and coordinating with other planning and development processes
Guiding Landmark design review projects as a subject matter expert by providing leadership, creative solutions, and guidance to planners, and reviewing their work products as needed
Providing creative solutions to design problems, technical preservation recommendations, enforcement solutions, and other design review expertise
Providing guidance on preservation related matters to stakeholders such as neighborhood organizations, City Council, commissions, and regional, state, and national preservation agencies

We value diverse perspectives and encourage candidates to apply even if you don’t have all the desired skills. If you meet the minimum requirements and have a passion for the work, we encourage you to apply and to consider joining our team!

Our ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications, skills, and experience:

Experience in historic preservation planning or architecture, especially with a focus on preservation design review work, including strong familiarity with design guidelines, design compatibility, architectural styles or building materials, and enforcement efforts
Demonstrated commitment to prioritizing equity principles in preservation and in the workplace
Experience in leading, coaching, motivating, and inspiring a team
Political savvy
Strong, creative problem-solving skills
Excellent strategic communication skills
Ability to manage time and workload effectively which includes planning, organizing, and prioritizing with attention to details as well as the big picture
Reliability, dependability, and ability to maintain confidentiality
Experience that demonstrates a multi-disciplinary approach to preservation regulations and policy development
Public speaking and presentation skills