Planning Division Manager

Riverside County, CA

$125K — $199K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in planning, environmental science, public administration or related field.
  • Five years of planning experience in current, advanced or environmental planning.
  • One year of supervisory experience is required.
  • Strong understanding of State laws and local ordinances related to planning and development.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher).

Responsibilities

  • Provide leadership and oversight for the Planning Department's Administration Division.
  • Administer the division's budget and grant funding opportunities.
  • Oversee procurement activities and manage departmental assets.
  • Prepare and review reports, presentations, contracts, and other correspondence.
  • Direct compilation of budget data and control expenditures.

Benefits

  • Flexible medical and dental insurance options.
  • Vision coverage provided at no cost to employees and eligible dependents.
  • Participation in California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) with multiple tiers.
  • Eligibility for performance recognition incentives based on leadership roles.
Full Job Description
Salary : $125,596.11 - $199,383.33 Annually
Location : Riverside
Job Type: Regular
Job Number: 26-74813-01
Department: TLMA Planning
Division: Administration
Opening Date: 08/03/2026
Closing Date: 8/17/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

For questions regarding this position, please contact the Recruiter listed in the Supplemental Information section.

The Planning Division Manager is an advanced level manager classification and reports to the Planning Director. Under general direction, plans, organizes and coordinates the activities of the Administration Division within the Planning Department.

Key Responsibilities
• Provide leadership and oversight for the Planning Department's Administration Division, ensuring efficient and effective delivery of administrative support services.
• Administer the division's budget.
• Administer grant funding opportunities, ensuring compliance with grant requirements, reporting obligations, and funding objectives.
• Oversee procurement activities, including the management of departmental assets.
• Prepare and review reports, presentations, contracts, grant applications, and other correspondence.
• Manage and monitor contracts.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Ideal Candidate
Competitive candidates will demonstrate:
• Background or strong understanding of State laws, guidelines, and local ordinances pertaining to planning, construction and general development.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher).
• Strong writing and editing skills to prepare presentations, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), contracts, grants, reports, and studies.
• The ability to conduct independent research, perform analysis, and evaluate complex technical documentation related to planning.
• Candidates with education and experience in California, including familiarity with state regulations, are preferred.

The Planning Division Manager is distinguished from the Planning Director as the latter serves as a single position classification within the Transportation and Land Management Agency and has the responsibility to direct a comprehensive regional land use and long-term general Planning Program for Riverside County.

This class has been deemed eligible for the Performance Recognition Plan as set forth under Article 3, Section 311 of the County Management Resolution. Program eligibility requires employees to be in a leadership position, manage other employees or programs, and have significant influence on the achievement of organizational objectives.

Meet the Team!
The Planning Department is responsible for Riverside County's General Plan, a comprehensive long-range plan intended to guide the growth and development of unincorporated areas within the County. This department formulates growth management plans and zoning for the County.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Direct compilation of budget data and control of expenditures; assist with grant writing, tracking and reporting; provide support in contract service coordination and invoicing.
• Coordinate the work of the division in assigned department; work cooperatively with other departments of the County, and public and private agencies to accomplish desired goals and objectives; coordinate projects and initiatives with interdepartmental stakeholders.
• Direct, train and review the work of professional, sub-professional/technical, and clerical division staff in the performance of full scope planning-related administrative work, which includes technical and operational procedures, and department policy; direct and review the work of subordinate employees for accuracy, completeness and overall technical competency and adherence to compliance policies and procedures.
• Establish division policies and procedures; interpret applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to operational activities; evaluate proposed or adopted legislation and recommend changes to policy and procedures to ensure compliance; determine the potential or actual impact on the community.
• Represent the department at meetings, conferences and seminars, and on operational matters; present to the County Board of Supervisors on behalf of the department as needed.
Planning Department
• Manage the Department's Short Term Rental Program (STR) including online application processing and other programmatic processes; develop enhancements to meet operational demands for the Program.
• Provide support for the Department's Deposit Based Fee (DBF) processing including case assessment, invoicing, collection, and balance review.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in planning, environmental science, public administration, public policy or a related field to the assignment.

Experience: Five years of planning experience in one of the following disciplines: current, advanced, or environmental planning, which included responsibility for operational activities, project coordination and execution, administration, budget, or regulatory compliance.

One year of supervisory experience, in any assignment, is required. (A master's degree in planning, environmental science, public administration, or a related field to the assignment may substitute for up to one year of the non-supervisory experience.)

Other Requirements:
License/Certificate: Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required. This position involves travel to various locations throughout the county to attend off-site meetings.

Knowledge of: Principles and practices of planning, land use and environmental compliance; pertinent state and federal standards, laws and regulations; environmental laws, rules and regulations; principles and techniques of modern management, organization, budgeting, and personnel management; contract negotiation techniques; project/program coordination.

Ability to: Plan, organize, direct, evaluate, and coordinate the work of professional, technical and clerical staff; analyze complex, technical and administrative problems and adopt an effective course of action; supervise the conduct of comprehensive studies and preparation of reports including recommendations; make effective presentations to, and participate in a variety of meetings and conferences with, other governmental agencies and the public; negotiate service contracts and agreements; interpret and administer contracts, agreements, training programs, and operating policies interpret and apply legislative mandates to assigned program(s)/project(s); establish and maintain cooperative relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Who May Apply:

This recruitment is open to all applicants.
Application Status
How to confirm your application was received or check on the status of your application, log-in to , click on your name in the upper right corner, and click on "Applications & Status."

Sign Up for Job AlertsGo to , click on "Careers," click on "County Job Openings," and click on "Subscribe to Job Alerts" icon.
General Information
If you have any questions regarding this posting, please contact Vanessa Diaz Beaird at or (951) 955-9112. Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to general inquiries.
APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouse's death certificate, a letter of spouse's disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veteran's Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here:
Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at:
Proof of Education
If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services () or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ().
Work Authorization Requirement
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.
BENEFIT PROGRAM: MCU
MEDICAL/DENTAL INSURANCE: A Flexible Benefit Credit is provided on a monthly basis as governed by the Management Resolution or applicable bargaining unit. Vision coverage is provided through Vision Service Plan (VSP) at no cost to employee or eligible dependents.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).
  • Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.
  • Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.
  • Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023, the employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.

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