The Interim Planning Director

by Scot Siegel, FAICP

There are more pathways to the director’s chair than you might expect. One way—perhaps not the easiest, but rewarding in its own right—is through an interim appointment.

I was appointed to an interim role after the city council in the community where I resided turned over and did a complete political flip. The then-interim city manager, who was appointed to reduce the workforce and dismantle some city departments, asked me to serve as the interim Planning and Building Services Director.

The position had been vacant for two years during a time of tumult. The city had missed deadlines and overspent on some key planning initiatives, and the council was constantly receiving complaints about customer service in planning and permitting. The interim manager wanted me, a local resident and planning consultant, to help right the ship. I had worked with local governments as a consultant for most of my career, but I had not been a city employee for nearly twenty years. That was the point. I was viewed as a local resident, yet also an outsider who could restore trust with the community, command respect, and create a customer service culture.

What worked?

I listened to everyone and assumed good intentions, even when councilors and the public were hostile toward staff, and when staff showed disdain for the people they were there to serve. I listened and modeled the behaviors and norms that we needed, including service, respect, teamwork, transparency, humility, and professionalism.

We spent a lot of time on team building, identifying strengths, cross-training, and putting people in roles where they could be successful. We held strategic planning retreats, provided training on project management, and organized field trips to other communities to get outside the fishbowl. We also conducted a self-assessment to understand how each person fit into the organization and how we could best work with one another. I worked closely with the city manager when council members did not respect the chain of command and disrupted staff’s work—a problem that diminished toward the end of my tenure as interim. I also empowered staff to redesign or replace systems that had not served the city well, and I collaborated with the city manager and other department heads to implement additional council goals.

What surprised you?

It surprised me how much we got done. It also surprised me when, four months into my role, the new city manager—who had taken over for the interim—asked me to apply for the permanent position, mentioning that the planning commission and council wanted to see me stay. Although I had to compete for the job and was one of 80 candidates, the city hired me. I had never expected to return to local government, and I certainly had not considered doing so through an interim position. I thought I would return to consulting, but I ended up loving the job and serving the community. I stayed in the position, which was retitled Community Development Director, for nearly 10 years before moving on to another community.

What advice would you give to someone stepping into that role for the first time?

Listen, build trust, take risks, advocate for staff, and leave the office better than you found it. Keep an open mind. I did not know that I would want to stay on, so I was not preoccupied with the idea. If you know going in that you want to stay, you might make it known; however, expect to be challenged in different ways, as every day will be a new interview.

Whether you are considering an interim role as a truly temporary position, viewing it as a pathway toward a permanent post, or are tapped for the job out of the blue—good luck, and make it count!

About the Author

Scot Siegel, FAICP, is community development director for the City of Newberg, Oregon. The idea for this article, including the interview question, is after Darin Atteberry’s “The Opportunity of the Interim Moment”, appearing in Strategic Government Resources Newsletter, March 17, 2026.