Vacation Rental Program Manager I/II

The County of San Luis Obispo Planning & Building Department is hiring a Program Manager to oversee the daily operations, strategic development, and long-term effectiveness of the County’s Vacation Rental Monitoring & Compliance Program. This position is responsible for ensuring that vacation rentals operate in compliance with all applicable ordinances, zoning requirements, and permit conditions. The Program Manager leads program planning, coordinates cross-departmental enforcement efforts, manages vendor/technology solutions, and serves as the primary point of contact for stakeholders, including property owners, industry partners, elected officials, community members, and internal departments. This position is a full-time position and is anticipated to start after January 1, 2026.

Typical Tasks and Representative Duties

Program Leadership & Administration

• Design and deliver recurring educational training for vacation rental stakeholders (e.g., property owners, rental agencies, renters, and community members) to promote understanding of program requirements, operational responsibilities, and applicable enforcement measures. Ensure property owners receive clear, consistent guidance on compliance expectations.

• Perform a variety of professional level activities in the planning, organizing and administering of operations in support of designated programs or related automation systems of an assigned division or department; participate in or lead the development, organization and implementation of policies and programs and ensure activities comply with established rules, regulations, ordinances, and procedures.

• Develop, implement, and maintain policies, procedures, and workflows that guide consistent and effective enforcement of vacation rental regulations.

• Manage program budget, contracts, and external vendor relationships (e.g., data-scraping/monitoring platforms).

• Track performance metrics and produce reports for executive leadership, the Board of Supervisors, and community stakeholders.

• Provide high-level subject-matter expertise on vacation rental regulations, zoning rules, and code compliance practices.

• Provide technical information, assistance or direction in the administration of department or program activities, needs and issues; assist in the formulation, development, implementation, and interpretation of policies, procedures and programs; researches, analyzes and interprets laws, codes, rules, regulations, data from automated systems, and pending legislation; provide recommendations to ensure compliance with local, State and federal requirements as appropriate.

• Provide leadership and administrative oversight in the review, analysis, development, and implementation of designated programs or related automation systems; research and analyze a variety of regulations for County and other governmental programs to ensure compliance in program activities; analyze program operations to identify and implement recommendations concerning trends and policy changes.

• Oversee monitoring of online rental platforms and local advertising to identify unpermitted, non-compliant, or problematic vacation rentals.

• Ensure timely review of permit applications, renewals, and compliance documents.

• Direct enforcement actions, including Notices of Violation, administrative citations, and referrals to the code enforcement unit for further action.

• Ensure accurate recordkeeping and data integrity across permitting and enforcement systems.

• Coordinate activities to ensure operational and organizational effectiveness; collaborate with others to ensure cross-functional projects align with departmental and County-wide goals; monitor, develop and provide training, evaluate and implement program related recommendations.

• Provide program related consultation and recommendations to administrators, staff and the public; respond to inquiries, resolve issues and conflicts and provide detailed and technical information concerning related standards, practices, laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures.

• Serve as the program’s primary liaison with community groups, homeowner associations, industry representatives, and other government agencies.

• Respond to resident complaints, coordinate investigations, and ensure transparent communication.

• Coordinate, facilitate, and participate in a variety of meetings; serve on committees and review boards; communicate with staff and various outside agencies to exchange information, coordinate activities and resolve issues; enlist the support of diverse agencies and community organizations and individuals as appropriate

• Facilitate interdepartmental coordination with Planning, Building, Code Enforcement, Sheriff’s Office, County Counsel, Treasurer-Tax Collector, and others.

• Build a culture of accountability, fairness, and customer-service-oriented monitoring and enforcement.

• Analyze trends in vacation rental operations, emerging enforcement challenges, and community impacts.

• Recommend and implement policy changes, ordinance updates, or fee structure adjustments to improve program efficiency and compliance.

• Lead implementation of new technologies or process improvements.

This recruitment may be used to fill future permanent, substitute, limited term, and temporary positions, both full-time and part-time throughout the County.

Minimum Qualifications

A combination of education, training, and experience resulting in the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. An example of qualifying education and experience includes:

Program Manager I: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in a program related field. In addition, two years performing supervisory, administrative, analytical or fiscal work in a program related field.

Program Manager II: One year of experience equivalent to Program Manager I.

Licenses and Certificates

A valid CALIFORNIA driver’s license will be required at the time of appointment and must be maintained throughout employment.

Salary : $77,022 - $109,200