LAFCo Deputy Executive Officer

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer, through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play and learn. For more information about Placer County, please visit www.visitplacer.com.

The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) Deputy Executive Officer supports the LAFCo Executive Officer in overseeing programs and activities governed by the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (CKH). Key responsibilities include assisting in the development of organizational goals, policies, procedures, the annual work plan, and the agency's budget. The LAFCo Deputy Executive Officer also manages consultants, oversees service contracts, and handles Municipal Service Reviews and Sphere of Influence updates, which can lead to jurisdictional boundary changes. In this role, the Deputy Executive Officer interacts and coordinates with a wide range of public agencies—such as counties, cities, special districts, other LAFCos, and state and federal entities—on matters related to municipal services and jurisdictional boundaries.

The LAFCo Deputy Executive Officer plays a critical role in facilitating public discussions among agencies and responding to inquiries from both the public and other government organizations regarding relevant laws, regulations, and procedures. The position requires meeting with stakeholders to address technical or policy issues, building multi-agency partnerships, and encouraging collaborative problem-solving. The LAFCo Deputy Executive Officer also conducts service reviews and sphere of influence updates. Special studies and projects are scheduled, planned, and executed as part of the broader effort to ensure efficient and responsive local government organization.

Additionally, the LAFCo Deputy Executive Officer may work with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and support environmental compliance under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Training will be provided for candidates who do not have prior experience in these areas.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

Click here to view Management benefits.

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To provide highly complex staff assistance to management staff for assigned functional area of responsibility; to manage, supervise and direct the activities of a major division or a major project element of the assigned functional area of responsibility; to perform highly responsible and complex professional planning duties in the preparation and review of plans and other documents relating to land use, environmental protection, economic development,  environmental compliance, and related topics; to administer applicable local ordinances and state and federal statutes; to administer planning related grant projects and contracts; and to assist the public in understanding and complying with adopted plans and regulations.

The Principal Planner classification recognizes positions that exercise a higher level of independence and autonomy in the performance of the full-range of advanced and complex professional planning duties when overseeing the varied activities of a division or a major element of the assigned functional area of responsibility.

As assigned, receives direction from management staff for the assigned functional area of responsibility.

May exercise direct supervision over professional, technical and clerical personnel.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Manage, direct, supervise and train subordinate staff involved with current and long range planning duties.
• When assigned, manage land development activities within a defined geographic region of the County.  
• Recommend goals and objectives regarding advanced planning studies for the County General Plan including element preparation, community plan preparation, policy formulation, program implementation and public presentation of findings and recommendations. 
• Manage production of major planning documents such as the County General Plan, environmental documents and specialized plans such as community plans, ecosystem restoration plans, air and water quality plans, planning documents related to  environmental compliance plans and related topics. 
• Conduct current planning reviews of large and/or complex land development projects including subdivisions, conditional use permits, design reviews, development agreements, rezoning and General Plan amendments.  
• Review the plans of other public jurisdictions for compatibility with County plans. 
• Perform environmental analysis for current and advanced planning projects, especially those of a highly complex, visible and sensitive nature; review environmental impact reports. 
• Assist in the development, preparation and administration of the approved department, division and project annual budgets. 
• Assist the public by providing information and explaining particularly complex land use, environmental compliance, development and related regulations and procedures; meet with applicants as necessary and correspond with applicants and/or their representatives regarding project status; write staff reports; and make presentations of findings and recommendations at public hearings and to public agencies; conduct and participate in public hearings. 
• Coordinate with other County Departments and public agencies as needed; coordinate, direct and participate in interdepartmental and interagency land use development committees, Boards and Commissions.   
• Prepare, manage and monitor state and federal project grant programs.
• Administer contracts with independent contractors or consultants who provide planning or environmental planning services to the County. 
• Recommend the appointment of personnel; provide or coordinate staff training; provide standards and operating guidelines, provide timely input to performance evaluations; recommend disciplinary measures, when necessary; implement discipline procedures as directed; maintain discipline and high standards necessary for the efficient and professional operation of the assigned functional area of responsibility. 
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees and the public using principles of good customer service. 
• Perform related duties as assigned.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training
Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible experience in land use planning and development.

Training: Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban, regional or environmental planning, or a related field.

NOTE: Applicants receiving their degree outside the United States must submit proof of accreditation by a recognized evaluation agency.

Required License or Certificate: 
May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of land use planning and development.
• Principles and practices of environmental planning and administration of environmental policies.
• Principles and practices of grant project management and contract administration.
• All applicable local ordinances and state and federal statutes.
• state and federal grant programs.
• Operation, policies and procedures of the assigned functional area of responsibility.
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluations.
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Arithmetic, basic statistics and mathematical calculations. 
• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.
• Planning related applications software.

Ability to:

• On a continuous basis sit at desk for long periods of time; intermittently stand at counter for long periods of time; twist and reach office equipment; write and/or use keyboard to communicate through written means; and occasionally lift moderate weight.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job.  Intermittently analyze work papers, reports and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe planning activities and problem solve when appropriate; understand, interpret and explain applicable ordinances and statutes and assigned functional area of responsibility policies and procedures; visually differentiate between colors on land use maps.
• Manage complex, lengthy, highly public and visible element(s) of the assigned functional area of responsibility's work program.
• Manage, direct, supervise, train, assign, review and evaluate the work of assigned subordinate staff.
• Manage and monitor state and Federal grant programs.
• Compile, analyze and evaluate technical, statistical and economic information of a difficult and complex nature; read and interpret maps and legal property descriptions; read and interpret applicable laws and regulations.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Obtain information through interview and dialogue, and deal fairly and courteously with the public; work effectively with interruption.
• Analyze situations quickly and objectively and determine proper course of action.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)
Applicants are required to complete a Supplemental Questionnaire,which serves as the examination for this recruitment.

• Evaluation: We use a pre-determined formula to score your responses related to education, training, and professional experience.

Accuracy: Please ensure your application and questionnaire thoroughly reflect your background, as these scores determine your ranking on the eligible list.

Pre-Hire Requirements

Candidates must complete the following requirements before their start date if an offer is extended:

• DOJ Criminal Background Clearance: Successfully complete a fingerprint-based background check through the California Department of Justice.
• Medical Evaluation: Pass a pre-employment physical, which may include drug screening and/or a psychological evaluation.
• Oath of Office: Subscribe to the constitutional oath or affirmation as required for all public employees by the California Constitution.
• Employment Eligibility Verification: Provide original documents that establish both identity and the legal right to work in the United States, as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Position-Specific Requirements

In addition to the above, some positions may require one or more of the following:

• Age Verification: Provide documentation verifying that you meet the minimum legal age requirements for this position.
• Background Check: Some positions require a background investigation. This may include a credit check, voice stress analysis, polygraph, and/or proof of bonding.
• Law Enforcement: Applicants for law enforcement functions must complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process.
• Medi-Cal Access/Licensing: Applicants with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification.

Failure to clear all requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

Substitute Lists

The eligible list from this recruitment may be used to fill vacancies in similar roles or lower-level positions within the same career series (e.g., journey-level vs. entry-level).

• Interviews: If contacted to interview for a similar role, the hiring department will provide the specific job details before the interview.
• No Risk: Choosing not to interview for a different classification will not affect your standing on the original list for which you applied.

Public Agency Eligible List
If you are a current or recent employee of another public agency, you may qualify for an expedited application process. Visit our Employees of Other Public Agencies page to view eligibility requirements, download required forms, and submit an application.

Placer County is an equal opportunity employer committed to a workplace free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. All applicants and employees receive fair and equal consideration in every stage of employment. Employment decisions are based on job‑related qualifications and are not influenced by any protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. Refer to our Equal Employment Opportunity Program and Policy Statement (PDF) for detailed information.

Applicants who need an accommodation during the recruitment or examination process should contact Human Resources at least five working days before the scheduled exam.

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Preciosa Ayala-Burkhardt, Administrative Technician, at payala@placer.ca.gov or (530) 886-4637.