Building & Development Review Services Customer Operations Manager

Pinellastaxcollector; Clearwater (FL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Florida Retirement System

Deferred compensation programs

Wellness centers

Job summary

Building & Development Review Services in Clearwater, FL seeks a Customer Operations Manager to lead the permit specialists team within the Building Division. Responsibilities include supervising day-to-day operations, coordinating with upper management on policy, and ensuring superior customer service in permit processing, intake through issuance, plus public records management.

The role requires strong supervisory skills, municipal permitting knowledge, and the ability to manage high-volume

Qualifications

• Six or more years in technical, professional, customer service and administrative roles in a municipal permitting environment or related field.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a key customer contact for permit processing questions and escalated issues; coordinates with staff to resolve.
• Models exceptional customer service, emphasizing courtesy, responsiveness, and follow-through.
• Coaches staff and supervisors and addresses service deficiencies promptly.
• Manages customer service via walk-ins, emails, calls, and chats with accurate information and timely updates.
• Tracks concerns through resolution and informs customers of next steps and contacts.
• Monitors response times and feedback; recommends improvements to service delivery and permit processing.
• Oversees high-volume permit processing from intake to issuance and public records management.
• Manages quarterly reporting on compliance with multimodal fee assignments.
• Responsible for hiring, staff development, and assisting in policy development for the division.

Skills

Customer Service approaches

Municipal permitting operations

Public administration concepts

Budget and accounting basics

Leadership and supervision

Communication skills

Computer proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree

Supervisory training/experience

Tools

Accela

Tyler

Job description

Building & Development Review Services Customer Operations Manager

Location: 440 Court St. Clearwater, FL

Schedule: 8 am to 5 pm, Monday thru Friday

This is a highly responsible customer service driven role that involves administrative, technical, and supervisory work managing the permit specialists team, a section within the Building Division of BDRS. The manager will lead and coordinate the day-to-day operations of the section, work with upper-level management on critical issues and organizational policies and make important procedural and operational recommendations to management to ensure the highest level of customer service and maximum management efficiency. This role oversees the overall management of permit processing, from initiation/intake through issuance as well as customer service calls and webpage chats and public records management for the building division.

Work is performed under general supervision of upper-level management with considerable independent judgment and initiative exercised in carrying out the daily operations of the section.

What Would You Do?

• Serves as a key customer contact for permit processing questions, complex concerns, and escalated issues; coordinates with appropriate staff and departments to achieve timely resolution.
• Promotes and personally models exceptional customer service daily, emphasizing courtesy, responsiveness, clear communication, accountability, and follow-through.
• Establishes and reinforces customer service expectations; coaches staff and supervisors and addresses service deficiencies promptly.
• Manages customer service provided through walk‑ins, emails, telephone calls, and website chats, ensuring customers receive accurate, consistent information and timely updates.
• Tracks customer concerns and escalated issues through resolution, keeping customers informed of next steps, responsible contacts, and anticipated timeframes.
• Monitors response times, customer feedback, and recurring concerns; recommends and implements improvements to service delivery and permit processing.
• Promotes practical solutions and flexibility within applicable requirements and promptly elevates issues requiring management decisions.
• Manages high-volume permit processing, including intake, completeness review, distribution, fee assignment, and issuance.
• Manages quarterly reporting on compliance with multimodal fee assignment.
• Manages Building Division public records requests.
• Provides recommendations, and reports on a variety of operational related functions;
• Manages, supports, and guides team staff in project development;
• Assists with the development of general policies in consultation with the Division Director, for maximum utilization of manpower and technology services;
• Assists in the submission of the operating budget for the division;
• Establishes goals and objectives for subordinate supervisors within the specific section;
• Participates in the hiring and selection of staff;
• Researches citizen concerns via various sources and documents, dispatches, and responds;
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

What Do You Need To Have?

Six (6) years of progressively responsible technical, professional, customer service and administrative functions in a fast paced municipal permitting environment (or equivalent), business administration, project management, building ,engineering, environmental management, accounting, or a related field that includes formal supervisory training, one (1) year of team leadership or one (1) year of supervisory experience; or a Bachelor’s degree and three (3) years of experience as described above; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience.

• Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of Customer Service approaches and techniques
• Knowledge of a municipal permitting operation including strong computer proficiency with a permitting platform (e.g. – Accela, Tyler, etc)
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures of public and business administration, as applied in a large organization;
• Knowledge of budget and accounting principles, practices, and procedures, as applied in a large organization;
• Skill in advanced leadership techniques and practices to evaluate and determine organizational goals and objectives, maximizing effectiveness of organizational work units through staff selection and assignments;
• Ability to communicate effectively, both written and orally, and to make effective presentations to a variety of groups;
• Ability to interact effectively, establishing good working relationships with staff, other County organizations, agencies, state officials, consultants, contractors, and the public;
• Ability to apply computer applications and software;
• Ability to plan, supervise, and coordinate technical and administrative programs;
• Ability to plan and direct the work of a large staff of professional and support employees and maintain effective working relationships with the staff, other departments, and the public;
• Ability to address civic organizations or other public or private groups on subjects relative to section projects.

Our benefits rank among the top in the area!

• Looking for a strong retirement? We have you covered as members of the Florida Retirement System (FRS) with investment and pension options.
• We have deferred compensation programs and wellness centers to name a few perks. Check out these and more!

Want To Learn More?

Please review the full classification description with the Physical/Mental Demands and Working Conditions at the below link.

Section Manager 1, E26