Acting planning director

[Lyburnum]

My PD has resigned and I will be acting PD beginning in June. When I was first hired a few years ago I became acting PD within a month of starting due to the resignation of the previous PD. Since I was so inexperienced with working for a municipality (was a consultant before) I was cool with not being chosen as permanent PD. Now, I explicitly want to be permanent PD and if I am not hired in that position, I will begin looking for work elsewhere.

How clear should I make this intent to the people who will be doing the hiring?

We are already short staffed so my job is pretty secure. I have some leverage in that if I left, the department would really be hurting. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Joe Iliff]

I think you communicate to the higher ups your feeling that the next step in your career is a director-level position. This lets them know you'll be looking for a position at that level some time in the near-to-mid range future, including at your current place of employment. If someone else gets the planning director position, the new director will know they'll have a limited amount of time with you before you move on to where you're supposed to be. This doesn't have to hurt anyone's feelings. If they don't end up having the opportunity you need, and/or they don't need all you have to offer, then everyone can move on to a better situation.

[Dan]

I can't offer that much advice, only to say that I was in the same situation as you not too long ago. Acting PD with all the responsibilities and duties, but without the title, pay and additional benefits such as a car allowance. I asked the city manager for a raise shortly afterward, and that only got me into trouble for not being a "team player".

In this economy, even if the planning agency is short-staffed, odds are good that if you depart, your position will be frozen, and nobody will be hired to fill the vacancy, regardless of how hurting your department may be.

[The One]

I think you communicate to the higher ups your feeling that the next step in your career is a director-level position. This lets them know you'll be looking for a position at that level some time in the near-to-mid range future, including at your current place of employment. If someone else gets the planning director position, the new director will know they'll have a limited amount of time with you before you move on to where you're supposed to be. This doesn't have to hurt anyone's feelings. If they don't end up having the opportunity you need, and/or they don't need all you have to offer, then everyone can move on to a better situation.

What Joe said...rather well I might add..

[luckless pedestrian]

I agree with Joe but make sure you look starting this second because you have the title of Acting Planning Director for your resume - once you go back to being your other position, this title will not help your resume and may be a stain, because all it will show is you didn't get the job

and this is something you have to prepare for, not getting the job and not being able to leave because no jobs are available (see unemployed threads) - I think if you approach them now and they feel shaky about considering you for a permanent (because, really, it would make their life easier to just give you the job and let you find your own replacement for your current position) then that's a sign to prepare for this possible occurrence of being stuck there with a new boss that knows you wanted their job -

hopefully this will not happen to you and you will either get the job or find a PD position elsewhere quickly but I have been on the low rung of a totem pole where someone above me wanted the PD position, didn't get it (I knew she wasn't going to get it because of the signs I saw as noted in the above paragraph) - so when the new PD started, there was awkwardness that led to animosity and some back-stabbing going on that I got caught in the middle on and then ultimately had to choose a side (the PD of course, I'm not stupid) - it's not fun and learned a good lesson about the whole "acting" title -

what I learned is, they shouldn't give the acting title unless they are reasonably sure that person will be the real director - the acting title should go to the city/town manager if they aren't sure

[Joe Iliff]

What Joe said...rather well I might add..

Thank you. Where's the smilie with a tip of the cap?