Special Project Executive
Description
This is an executive level position responsible for negotiating with developers, land use attorneys, and financiers to facilitate and expedite the development review process and real property land use, including lease agreements for the City of Cupertino, often involving complex, highly specialized or difficult real property acquisition and lease maintenance issues.
Under the administrative direction of the City Manager, the incumbent will have a key role working on development opportunities with other senior managers including the City Attorney, Assistant City Manager and City Department Heads. The incumbent will also be assigned to manage and direct the various issues resulting from the City's diversified real estate programs and will perform work of unusual difficulty and complexity.
Supervision Received and Exercised
May supervise administrative support staff, consultants, technical and professional employees as assigned.
Typical Job Functions
Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.
With general direction:
Negotiate the terms and conditions of complex and highly technical agreements and real property transactions, involving land use entitlements and zoning between the City, property owners, businesses and other agencies.
Manage and administer development agreements and all lease-related entitlements, construction, and financial components.
Manage, coordinate and monitor all City leases and related financial matters such as on-going lease payments and periodic adjustments, and other legal issues to ensure all conditions and requirements of such agreements are met.
Attend meetings of the City Council and other public meetings and advises the City Manager and presents facts, information and recommendations to them.
Provide management and staff support for the City Manager, including representing the City Manager at community and professional meetings.
Develop and administer commercial real estate development strategies and programs.
Analyze leases, agreements, options, deeds and contracts, and makes recommendations to the City Manager as to the formulation of policy and legislation requirements.
Develop and conduct economic studies, needs assessments and research analysis.
Develop qualitative and quantitative measures to evaluate program/project financial status, customer satisfaction, contractor performance, and public relations.
Supports the City Management team in evaluating and identify process or service gaps or risks by reviewing performance goals and metrics and recommends organizational process improvements or changes not limited to leadership focus and direction, staff and department resources, process and policies updates, and team building plans.
Facilitates the development of communication and partnerships to address and improve efficiency of community development service delivery, policy & process effectiveness, helps develop strong linkages between City staff and the City Manager's office and ensures consistent implementation of Council decisions/directions.
Coordinates with City Attorney’s Office on the preparation and review of required contract and/or legal documents.
May be assigned other functions or responsibilities at the discretion of the City Manager.
Qualifications
Knowledge of:
Principles and practices of civil engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, capital improvements and design-build project delivery.
Principles and practices of project management.
Principles and techniques for persuasive presentation of ideas and concepts in both oral and written formats.
Principles and practices of effective community outreach during pre-construction and construction.
Principles and practices of environmental requirements and permitting.
Principles and practices of project financing, real estate, land development and public policy.
Contract negotiation techniques and strategies.
Land Use proceedings and prevailing rental and lease charges.
City government, particularly the processes and departments involved with handling real property transactions.
Financial techniques and procedures relating to real estate and business development, industrial development and land financing.
Federal, State and local regulations dealing with economic development and redevelopment.
Principles, practices, and methods as applied to General Plans, zoning, building codes, housing, finance, and federal grants administration.
Principles and practices of effective leadership and management techniques, e.g., team building practices, problem solving and conflict resolution, project and workload planning and safety procedures and standards.
Ability to:
Negotiate difficult, highly technical and/or complicated transactions.
Draw conclusions and project consequences of decisions and recommendations.
Establish and maintain positive and effective relationships with City employees, including elected and senior officials and managers, business and community leaders, general public, contractors and other governmental representatives.
Work as team player and be willing to deliver excellent customer service to both internal and external City clients.
Strong interpersonal skills and communicate effectively both orally and in writing to consistently represent facts and situations accurately, transmit information concisely and in an effective manner, and present a balanced picture of situations.
Prepare and present highly technical and complex written and oral reports to City Manager, City Council, business community, residents and businesses, and City staff.
Work effectively in time-sensitive situations and meet deadlines; coordinate multiple projects and complex tasks simultaneously.
Remain current with contemporary land use concepts and processes.
Be an active member of the executive management team and work effectively to achieve common goals.
Understand the big picture and develop project from concept to completion.
Identify policy issues and work with staff to develop options and recommend solutions.
Analyze economic, financial and legal information.
Review and analyze important detailed and highly complex technical real property acquisition records and reports.
Review development and redevelopment proposals for compliance.
Understand the public service environment and to build trust with all of the key stakeholders.
Exercise good judgment in structuring and organizing work and setting priorities, balancing the interests of clients and readily readjusting priorities to respond to customers.
Act as spokesperson on real property matters.
Education and Experience
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in Public or Business Administration, Planning, Architecture, Engineering, Finance, or a closely related field. Five (5) years of extensive and progressively responsible experience in community development, economic development, public works, planning, real property, or finance, preferably in the public sector. At least three (3) years of management experience working with senior managers on significant and/or complex development projects is required. A Master's degree in Business or Public Administration, Economics, Finance, Planning, or a closely related field is highly desirable.
Licenses and Certifications
Possession of a valid Certificate of Registration as a Professional [Civil] Engineer or Licensed Architect in the State of California is highly desirable. Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License is required.
Working Conditions
May be required to attend Commission/Committee/Council or community events meetings outside of regular work hours.
Physical Demands
Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer. To operate a motor vehicle and to visit various City and meeting sites. Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen, and hearing and speech to communicate in person, before groups, and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard, typewriter keyboard, or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information.
Environmental Elements
Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing policies and procedures.
FLSA: Exempt
Est. 03/2023