Description
The City of Gaithersburg is seeking a community oriented, customer-focused, collaborative professional to oversee and direct the management and operation of activities and programs in the Department of Community, Neighborhood, and Housing Services (CN&HS). The CN&HS Department collaborates with community partners, other government agencies, businesses, homeowners’ associations, rental communities, and residents to advance opportunities for those in need, as well as strengthen families, neighborhoods and the entire Gaithersburg community.
The CN&HS Director provides leadership, direction, and advanced professional expertise and oversight to the Department, which includes four interdisciplinary Divisions working to preserve and increase the availability of safe affordable housing, improve access to critical services for Gaithersburg’s most vulnerable residents, create paths toward economic mobility, and enhance the livability of neighborhoods for Gaithersburg’s inhabitants. The Director reports directly to the City Manager or their designee and works closely with other members of the management team and the City's elected and appointed officials. As a member of the City’s Senior Leadership Team, the Director collaborates with the City Manager and other Department directors on strategy and policy to ensure that the City’s mission, vision, core values, and long-range goals, which are enshrined in Gaithersburg’s Strategic Plan, are then incorporated into operational activities and services.
The Director has four direct reports (Community Services Manager, Housing & Community Development Manager, Neighborhood Services Manager, and Homeless Services Manager). The Department has an FY 2026 total budget of approximately $4.95 million and employs 27.65 FTEs (24 full-time). The position can accommodate both in-person and remote work at the discretion of the City Manager. Preparation for and attendance at meetings, events, and other work outside of regular business hours is required. Please click here to view the complete classification description for the Director of Community, Neighborhood, and Housing Services position.
Job Functions
The Position
The Director of Community, Neighborhood & Housing Services oversees and manages all functions, activities, and programs in the Department's four Divisions (Community Services, Housing & Community Development, Neighborhood Services, and Homeless Services), and serves as staff liaison with and attends meetings of the Mayor and City Council, Council in the Communities, Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs, and various other related boards, commissions, and committees. The position oversees the preparation and management of the Department budget; manages multiple projects; provides guidance and/or professional review input on complicated or controversial matters; handles conflicts and navigates complex issues including those that require political sensitivity and multi-disciplinary approaches; and oversees other day to-day associated administrative functions performed by Department staff including inclusionary housing programs, emergency assistance programs, CDBG funding, rental housing inspections and licensing, and homeless outreach initiatives, in addition to providing assistance to homeowners and condominium associations, property management companies, and the general public. The Director supervises and oversees all personnel administration functions of the Department, including recruiting, hiring, training, providing direction to, and evaluating staff; establishes work priorities; and establishes and interprets departmental policies and procedures.
Priorities
- Evaluate critical operations of Community, Neighborhood, and Housing Services Department.
- Establish familiarity with recently updated Chapter 13 of the City of Gaithersburg’s Municipal Code (Landlord-Tenant Relations) and related ordinances.
- Oversee establishment and launch of a new, city-managed alternative to the Montgomery County Commission on Common Ownership Communities.
- Ensure compliance for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) award with HUD timeliness, reporting, and other program requirements.
- Assess property conditions at Wells Robertson House and DeSellum House.
- Shepherd amendments and updates to the City’s Affordable Housing regulations through the legislative approval processes.
- Work closely with Community Services staff on evaluating recently implemented processes for Community Service, Youth Enrichment, and Parent Resource Center grants.
- Advocate for greater resources from Montgomery County for homeless support services and rental assistance funding.
- Develop and maintain positive relationships with the City Manager, Department and other City staff, the Mayor and City Council, and other related boards, committees, and commissions.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Master's Degree in Public or Business Administration, Community Development, Urban Studies, Urban/Regional Planning, Human/Social Services, or closely related field.
- Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively knowledgeable and highly responsible professional experience involving responsibility for planning, organization, and implementation of major functions and programs, the majority of which shall have been acquired in a managerial capacity.
- Possession of a valid driver's license.
Desired/Preferred Qualifications
- Local government experience is desired; municipal government experience is strongly preferred.
Residency within the City of Gaithersburg is not required.
The Successful Candidate
The ideal candidate for the CN&HS Department Director position is an accomplished, empathetic, and innovative leader who is dedicated to public service and driven by a desire to make a positive impact on the community. This individual is detail-oriented, socially conscious, and a strategic thinker who can translate strategies into actionable objectives, while also possessing the practical expertise to ensure accountability, high-quality service delivery, and operational effectiveness. The ideal candidate has the capacity to work in varied environments, with a strong ability to foster interdepartmental collaboration while also cultivating and strengthening relationships with community members, nonprofit, governmental, and other regional partners. They will be able to navigate complex cultural and socio-economic landscapes and possess the ability to build rapport with diverse populations while demonstrating active listening and emotional intelligence.
An exceptional communicator and listener, the successful candidate understands the value of inclusive engagement and trust-building. They are committed to cultivating a positive departmental culture, developing their team through mentorship and coaching, and managing performance in a constructive, accountability-oriented manner. The candidate can thrive in a dynamic environment, adjusting to, and navigating, changing schedules and unpredictable, sometimes difficult, situations. With a solid understanding of community development administration and operations, the ideal candidate brings both a visionary mindset and a hands-on management style. They are grounded in values of service, integrity, and professionalism, and thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment where collaboration, creativity, and service excellence are expected and rewarded.
Additional Information
The Organization
The City of Gaithersburg is a municipality that shares local government taxing authority with Montgomery County, Maryland. The City operates under the council-manager form of government, wherein the Mayor and five City Councilmembers serve as the legislative body. The Mayor and City Council are elected at large to serve staggered four-year terms. The City Manager is appointed by the Mayor and City Council to serve as the City’s Chief Executive Officer. The City Manager is responsible for the implementation of policies and budget established by the Mayor and City Council.
The City of Gaithersburg employs 443.04 FTEs throughout ten major departments, and the City’s FY 2026 total adopted expenditure budget is $156.3 Million. The City has no debt and operates on a pay-go philosophy. As mandated by state law, Montgomery County provides schools, libraries, social services, and fire protection for the City of Gaithersburg. In addition to the Montgomery County Police, Gaithersburg residents are served by the City’s own Police Department.
The City of Gaithersburg is a great place to work. According to the City’s most recent employee engagement survey (2025), 79% of Gaithersburg employees are engaged, as compared to a national engagement level average of 31%. 95% of Gaithersburg employees agree with the statement “I am proud to work for this organization” and 96% of employees stated they work well with their immediate coworkers and team.
The City continues to enjoy remarkable community survey results, a strong indicator of critical quality of life measures. In the 2024 survey, 86% of City residents rate Gaithersburg as an excellent or good place to live. The City rated above the U.S. average in 45 of 51 service areas. Satisfaction with the overall quality of City services rated 33% above the U.S. average, and satisfaction with customer service rated 38% above the U.S. Gaithersburg consistently receives high marks for parks and recreational programs and facilities, quality of recycling, yard waste and bulk pickup collection, quality of customer service by City employees, quality of City buildings and facilities, and quality of police services. Overall, Gaithersburg ranks in the top 10% nationally for exceptional service delivery.
The Community
The City of Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a thriving, culturally diverse, and vibrant community in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, located north of the nation’s capital. Gaithersburg began as a small settlement at the juncture between two ancient Native American trails, now Frederick Avenue and Diamond Avenue. The arrival of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1873 sparked a business and agricultural expansion that made the Gaither settlement the commercial center for upper Montgomery County, and it was incorporated as the Town of Gaithersburg in 1878. A second major expansion occurred in the 1960s, when the Atomic Energy Commission headquarters (now the Department of Energy) and the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology)relocated to the vicinity, spurring residential and commercial growth that continues to this day.
The City of Gaithersburg greatly values its socioeconomic and cultural diversity. Gaithersburg was recently recognized by WalletHub as the most diverse city in the United States. The City also ranked #1 in the Small City category, which includes communities with populations under 100,000. Additionally, the City had the second-highest level of educational-attainment diversity in 2019, according to WalletHub, and the fourth-highest rate of linguistic diversity. Gaithersburg is also proud to consistently earn a perfect score on the Municipal Equality Index (MEI), which is a nationwide evaluation of 506 cities on how inclusive cities’ laws, policies, and services are of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people.
When the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) relocated to the Gaithersburg area, it brought tremendous growth in the fields of science and research. Today, NIST is the largest employer in the immediate region. Other large employers located within city limits include AstraZeneca, Leidos, Asbury Methodist Village, GeneDx, Inc., Sodexo USA, and Hughes Network Systems, LLC.
Gaithersburg is the third-largest city in Maryland and one of the state’s fastest-growing communities. The City is a major international location for biotech companies and boasts award-winning schools, neighborhoods, and commercial developments. Its respect for its heritage, demonstrated by the revitalization efforts in the Olde Towne residential and commercial district, coupled with thoughtful planning for new communities and a commitment to cultural and recreational activities, has earned the City national acclaim.
Thoughtful, innovative planning defines the Gaithersburg community and can be seen in a wide variety of neighborhoods, which brings diversity to the housing options for residents. The Kentlands, celebrating its 31st anniversary, is one of the first “New Urbanist” neighborhoods built in the United States and was designed to be a walkable, mixed-use community. It occupies land that was once the farmstead of Otis Kent, just as much of modern Gaithersburg is built on historic farmland. The newest development, Downtown Crown, has brought additional mixed-use with a thriving area of restaurants, retail, and residential that complements the adjacent and established Rio/Washingtonian area. Even with this growth, Gaithersburg’s rural roots still influence the soul of the City, which has retained its small-town commitments to character, customer service, and collaboration as it has grown.
Gaithersburg is consistently recognized for its high quality of life. In 2016, 24/7 Wall Street ranked Gaithersburg among the top 25 places in America to live, citing the community’s high median household income and extensive entertainment and recreational opportunities. In 2018, Livability.com placed Gaithersburg among the top 10 Best Cities for STEM Workers. Additionally, the City has earned Tree City USA status since 1990 and has been awarded the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 23 consecutive years and the GFOA’s Excellence in Financial Reporting Award every year since 1978.
The City’s many special events and recreational opportunities make it a great place to work and live. Since 2010, the City has hosted the Gaithersburg Book Festival. Other large regional events include SummerFest, Oktoberfest, and the ever-popular Winter Lights Festival. Gaithersburg is known for its entrepreneurial and startup business environment as new technology companies arrive each year to take advantage of the City’s excellent location and dynamic workforce.
Gaithersburg is accessible via many modes of transportation, allowing easy access to the Washington, D.C. area and the greater Mid-Atlantic region. The City is bisected by the 12-lane I-270 freeway connecting Gaithersburg to the Washington Beltway to points west, and Gaithersburg is the western terminus of the Inter-County Connector linking I-270 to I-95. The Metro system’s Red Line has its northern terminus just beyond the City’s southern border, and the City is also served by a robust bus transit system and the Maryland Association of Rail Commuters (MARC) train, with two stops in Gaithersburg carrying rail commuters to and from Washington, D.C. The City is within an hour’s drive of all three major airports in the Baltimore/Washington region.
Because of its proximity to the nation’s capital and major global industries, the City plays host to many international and domestic visitors. Gaithersburg enjoys one of the highest-educated labor pools in the country. In fact, Maryland ranks fourth in percentage of the population with a bachelor’s degree and second in the percentage with a graduate or professional degree.
Compensation
The anticipated hiring range is $167,00 to $187,000, depending on qualifications, with an excellent benefits package.
How To Apply
Interested candidates must complete and submit a brief online application and are required to attach the following supporting documents to the online application upon submission:
- Current Resume
- Letter of Interest
- List of References (at least 4 to include a manager [current/former], a subordinate, and a colleague). Please note: References will not be contacted without permission from the applicant.
Other supporting documents may be attached but are not required.
First review of applications will begin by March 6, 2026. The position will remain open until filled; recruitment will close without notice when a sufficient number of qualified applications are identified or all hiring decisions have been made.
For more information about the position, contact Assistant City Manager Tom Lonergan-Seeger at 240.805.1093 or Tom.Lonergan-Seeger@gaithersburgmd.gov. Questions regarding the online application process may be directed to the Department of Human Resources at 301.258.6327 or hr@gaithersburgmd.gov. For demographic and other information about the City of Gaithersburg, please click here.
Department Directors are in the unclassified service and not included within the City’s merit system. The successful candidate will be subject to a background investigation. Direct deposit of paychecks is a condition of employment for all City of Gaithersburg employees.
The City has established an alcohol-free, drug-free, and smoke-free workplace which applies to any person employed by, conducting business with, or applying for a position with the City. Each employee, as a condition of their employment, may be required to participate in pre-employment and reasonable suspicion testing. Employees classified as safety sensitive are also subject to immediate post-accident and random testing.
The City of Gaithersburg offers its full-time employees a broad range of benefits to enhance their personal and professional lives. Employees are eligible on their first day of employment (unless otherwise specified). We provide employees with competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and an environment that supports a healthy work/life balance.
Health Benefits
- Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage – employer pays 85% of premium in each tier
- Multi-tiered coverage options (single, single + spouse, single + child, single + children, family)
- Retirement Health Savings contribution (for non-participants in medical or dental plans)
Medical Insurance
- CIGNA HealthCare Open Access Plan
- Prescription Drug Plan
- Wellness Initiatives
Dental Insurance
- Sun Life Indemnity Plan
- Use a dentist of choice or participating dentist for increased savings
- Basic or Enhanced Plans offered
Vision Insurance
- National Vision Administrators
- Use a provider of choice or participating provider for increased savings
RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLANS
- Eligible for immediate enrollment in all plans upon hire
- 401A - Employer contribution equivalent to 8% of employee's annual base salary; fully vested after 5 years
- 401K – Employer 3% matching contribution on the first 5% of employee's annual base salary contributed by the employee; fully vested after 5 years
- 401A Supplemental – Additional 5% employer contribution to eligible employees in the Public Works and Police Departments who have physically demanding jobs on a consistent basis; fully vested after 10 years
- 457-deferred compensation plan and Roth IRA (employee contributions only)
PAID LEAVE
- Vacation (12 – 24 days accrued annually; accrual rate based on years of service)
- Sick Leave (13 days accrued annually; unlimited accrual)
- Personal Leave (28 hours granted annually)
- Family Care Leave (up to 8 weeks in rolling 12-month period for eligible employees) to care for newborn/newly adopted/newly placed child or family member
- Holidays (11 holidays observed each year)
- Volunteer Service (12 hours granted annually)
- Jury duty, bereavement leave, military leave (as needed)
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Tools to assist with paying down student loan debt and managing student loans
- Employer paid Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
- Long-Term Disability & Workers' Compensation Insurance
- Multilingual Stipend ($2,080 per year for eligible employees, paid biweekly)
- Language Learning Program (through Babbel)
- Housing Stipend (Up to $3,600 per year for eligible employees)
- Tuition Assistance (Up to $5,250 per year eligible after 1 year of service)
- Healthy Lifestyle Incentives
- Employee Assistance Program
- First-Time Homebuyer Assistance
- Ongoing Training/Personal Development Programs
- Credit Union
- Recreation & Leisure Opportunities & Discounts
- Direct Deposit (required)
Click on the link below to view general information about the benefits available.
Summary Of Employee Benefits (pdf)
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Preferred First And Last Name
02
Current or most recent job title.
03
Current or most recent employer (please include Street Address, City, State and Zip Code).
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Do you have a Master's Degree in public or business administration, community development, urban studies, urban and regional planning, human/social services, or other closely related field?
05
How many years of relevant progressively responsible professional experience involving responsibility for planning, organization, and implementation of major functions and programs do you have? (If none, enter 0.)
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How many years of local government experience do you have? (If none, enter 0.)
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How many years of experience do you have working in a municipal government? (If none, enter 0.)
08
What is the population of your current or most recent local government employer? (Enter N/A if no local government experience.)
09
Please list the functions and/or services you have overseen relevant to the departmental operations described in the job posting (community/social services, neighborhood services/code administration, homeless services, housing and community development). (If none, enter 0.)
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Have you ever served as the Director of a Department overseeing any of the functions/services/operations listed in the job posting?
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If yes, please indicate the Department and how many years you served as a Department Director.
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Do you have experience working directly with elected officials?
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Briefly describe your experience working collaboratively with resident groups and other community-based organizations and leading robust community engagement strategies.
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How many years have you directly supervised staff? (If none, enter 0.)
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How many staff do you currently supervise (direct reports and their reports)? (If none, enter 0.)
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Please list any relevant certifications, licenses, or professional development experiences you have. (If none, enter 0.)
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How did you first learn about this employment opportunity?
- City of Gaithersburg Website
- Job Interest Card Notification
- Indeed
- LinkedIn
- GovernmentJobs.com
- Maryland Municipal League Website
- Engaging Local Government Leaders Website
- Other Website
- Social Media
- Friend or Relative
- I am currently a City employee
- Other
- Required Question
