Building Commissioner

Town of McCordsville; McCordsville (IN); On-site; USD 71,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

The Town of McCordsville is seeking a Building Commissioner to lead the Planning & Building Department, enforce building codes, review permits, and oversee staff including inspectors and a permit coordinator. The position is full-time and exempt, offering a $78,456 annual salary (DOQ) plus PERF, benefits, and paid time off.

Responsibilities include code interpretation, SOP maintenance, inter-department collaboration, inspections, plan reviews, training, and emergency on-call duties.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; associate or bachelor’s degree preferred.
• ICC residential and commercial building inspector certifications required.
• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible municipal building inspection experience; supervisory experience preferred.
• Strong ability to interpret codes, lead staff, and provide technical guidance.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day management of the Building Division and supervise Inspectors and the Permit Coordinator.
• Interpret and enforce building codes, review plans, and issue permits and COs.
• Develop SOPs, train staff, and coordinate with Planning Dept. leadership and other Town departments.
• Represent the Division in meetings with contractors, developers, and the public; ensure customer-focused service.
• Maintain knowledge of code changes and communicate updates to staff; handle on-call emergencies after hours.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Code interpretation

Inspection planning

Customer service

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate’s degree in construction management or related field

Bachelor’s degree preferred in related field

Tools

SDL permitting software

Job description

Supervisor:Director of Planning & Building

Status:Full-time, Exempt

Compensation:

• $78,456 annual salary, based upon qualifications (DOQ)
• Enrollment in Public Employee's Retirement Fund (PERF) (Town pays employee contribution)
• Health (medical, vision, dental) and Life Insurance, and Free Health Clinic
• Paid Time Off (PTO) Prorated 13.33 hours/month for first year; 160 hours after first year (anniversary date)
• 14 Paid Holidays per year
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Paid training and certifications

Purpose of Position: The Building Commissioner serves as the manager of the Town’s Building Division of the Planning & Building Department and is responsible for the administration and enforcement of building codes, permit review, and inspection services. This position supervises Building Division staff, provides technical guidance and code interpretation, performs commercial inspections and complex plan reviews, develops departmental policies and procedures, and works collaboratively with Planning and Building Department leadership and other Town departments to ensure efficient, consistent, and customer-focused development review and permitting services.

Duties and Responsibilities (including but not are not necessarily limited to):

• Compliance with the Code of Conduct and Ethics as outlined in the Employee Handbook.
• Adhere to strict confidentiality and highest ethical standards.
• Provide leadership and day-to-day management of the Town’s Building Division.
• Supervise, train, mentor, and evaluate Building Inspectors and the Permit Coordinator.
• Serve as the primary resource for Building Division staff regarding code interpretation, inspection procedures, and complex enforcement matters.
• Work collaboratively with Planning Department leadership and other Town departments to ensure efficient, consistent, and customer-focused development review, permitting, and inspection services.
• Represent the Building Division at meetings with contractors, developers, consultants, and the public as assigned.
• Maintain, manage, and update the Town’s inspection and plan review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other applicable departmental policies.
• Assist with the implementation, management, and continual improvement of the Town’s permitting and inspection software.
• Develop correspondence, reports, studies, policies, training materials, and procedures to support Building Department operations.
• Monitor division operations and recommend procedural improvements to enhance workflow, efficiency, and customer service.
• Schedule and conduct preconstruction meetings with contractors, developers, and other appropriate parties to communicate Town policies, procedures, and construction expectations.
• Perform commercial building inspections, complex inspections, and plan reviews to ensure compliance with approved plans, Town standards, State Building Code, and applicable federal regulations.
• Interpret and enforce building codes, ordinances, laws, and regulations.
• Read and interpret construction plans, specifications, engineering documents, and maps.
• Issue detailed inspection reports, permits, and Certificates of Occupancy.
• Enforce the Town’s Unsafe Building Ordinance and construction without a permit regulations.
• Maintain current knowledge of changes to applicable codes, standards, laws, and regulations, and communicate those changes to Building Division staff.
• Educate Town staff, contractors, developers, design professionals, and the public regarding applicable building codes, ordinances, policies, and procedures.
• Resolve complex code issues, inspection concerns, and customer service matters with contractors, developers, property owners, and the public.
• Answer procedural inquiries regarding permitting, inspections, code requirements, and Building Department processes.
• Serve as the Building Division’s on-call administrator for emergency situations and other urgent matters requiring response outside of normal business hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Planning & Building or the Town Manager.

Town-Related Competencies:

To perform this job successfully, all employees working in the Town should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Ability to manage difficult or emotional citizen situations, responds promptly to citizen needs, solicits resident feedback to improve service, and responds to requests for service and assistance.
• Follows Town and Department policies and procedures, completes administrative tasks correctly and on time, supports organization’s goals and values, and respects diversity.
• Follows instructions, responds to management direction, takes responsibilities for own actions, keeps commitments, and completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternative plan.

Job-Related Competencies:

To perform this job successfully, employees in this position should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Assess own strengths and weaknesses, pursue training and development opportunities, strive to continuously build knowledge and skills, and share expertise with others.
• Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner, gathers and analyzes information effectively, develops practical solutions, works well independently and collaboratively, and exercises sound judgement when addressing difficult or emotional situations.
• Communicates effectively both verbally and in writing by speaking clearly and professionally, listening actively, maintaining composure, preparing clear and informative correspondence, explaining code requirements in plain language, and interpreting applicable codes and regulations.
• Exercises sound judgment and makes objective, well-reasoned decisions within established policies, procedures, and regulatory guidelines.
• Provides exceptional customer service by interacting professionally with citizens, business owners, property owners, contractors, developers, petitioners, and fellow employees.
• Demonstrates a thorough understanding of field inspection procedures and provides technical guidance and support to inspection staff.
• Demonstrates the ability to interpret construction drawings and specifications; possesses knowledge of applicable building codes; and an ability to prepare accurate, concise, and well- written reports.
• Possesses extensive knowledge of construction principles, practices, and procedures.
• Must be able to solve practical problems with tact and diplomacy, while dealing with a diverse range of individuals and situations.

Other Skills and Abilities: Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, is required. The successful candidate must be proficient in the use of computers, tablets, smartphones, and common business software applications. The Town utilizes SDL permitting software; the ability to quickly learn and effectively use this software is required.

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

While performing the essential functions of this position, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, use hands to operate office equipment and tools, reach with hands and arms, and communicate effectively by speaking and hearing. The employee may occasionally climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl while conducting field inspections. The employee must frequently lift or move items weighing up to 25 pounds.

The work environment is representative of a combination of office and field settings.Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

• Performs duties in both office and field environments.
• Frequently works outdoors and is exposed to varying weather conditions while conducting inspections.
• May occasionally be exposed to construction equipment, moving mechanical parts, uneven terrain, and other conditions commonly associated with active construction sites.
• Noise levels range from moderate in office settings to loud on construction sites.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required when conducting field inspections or visiting construction sites.

Education: High school diploma or GED is required.Associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in construction management, building technology, engineering, public administration, or a related field is preferred.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in municipal building inspection, commercial construction inspection, or a closely related field. Supervisory experience is preferred.

Certifications: International Code Council (ICC) residential and commercial building inspector certifications are required.

Continuing Education Requirements: Requires ICC certifications must be maintained throughout employment. This position requires completion of continuing education units (CEUs) necessary to maintain certification. Additional certifications and professional development may be required as part of annual performance goals

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position directly supervises the Town’s building inspector positions and Permit Coordinator. Responsibilities include assigning work, providing technical guidance and training, conducting performance evaluations, addressing personnel matters, and fostering a collaborative and customer-focused work environment. The Building Commissioner may represent the Town before boards, commissions, and public meetings as assigned. Additional supervisory responsibilities may be assigned as the division continues to grow.

The Town of McCordsville is an Equal Opportunity Employer.