Building Official - City of Bartow, FL

Cities, Inc.; Bartow (FL); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Bartow seeks an experienced Building Official to balance technical construction expertise with exceptional customer service while leading permitting and inspection services for a growing Central Florida community.

Reporting to the Assistant City Manager, the Building Official will supervise the Building Department, coordinate with other departments, ensure code compliance, and promote efficient, citizen‑oriented service as the city moves to a full‑service in‑house model.

Qualifications

• Minimum four years of higher education in construction, engineering, architecture, building technology, or a related field.
• Ten or more years of professional public experience in Building Inspection/Design/Construction or related field; or up to five years of post-secondary construction education plus 10 years experience.
• Five years of supervisory experience in a senior capacity.
• Licensing as Building Code Administrator under Florida DBPR within six months of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Direct and supervise the Building Department, including permitting and inspection services.
• Lead a transition from contracted services to a full-service in-house model.
• Provide customer-focused leadership and promote continuous service improvement.

Skills

Building leadership

Public service

Code compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in construction/engineering or related field

Job description

Are you an experienced Building Official who can balance technical construction expertise with exceptional customer service while leading permitting and inspection services for a growing Central Florida community? If so, apply to become the City of Bartow's next Building Official!

We’re looking for a Building Official who:

• Has extensive knowledge of building construction, permitting, and inspection standards
• Is customer-focused with strong technical building construction and code compliance knowledge
• Is an approachable leader with outstanding interpersonal skills
• Understands the value that building permitting and inspection services play in supporting safe development, economic growth, and quality of life for the community

Bartow is a city of roughly 22,000 residents and serves as the county seat of Polk County. Known as the "City of Oaks and Azaleas", Bartow combines the charm of a historic town with the resources of a regional government hub. The City is home to numerous county, state, and federal offices, including the Florida Department of Transportation's District One headquarters. Located at the crossroads of US-98, State Route 60, and US-17, Bartow is less than an hour from both Tampa and Orlando International Airports and the Port of Tampa.

Reporting to the Assistant City Manager - Community Development & Neighborhood Services, the Building Official performs managerial, administrative, and supervisory work directing the City’s Building Department, including complex professional and administrative work in planning, organizing, permitting, and inspection services. The Building Department has historically provided Building

Official services through a contracted service model and is transitioning to a full-service in-house model.

The City of Bartow seeks a progressive, customer-focused Building Official who combines strong technical building construction and code compliance knowledge with approachable leadership and outstanding interpersonal skills. The Building Official should possess extensive knowledge of construction, permitting, and inspection standards while maintaining a solutions-oriented approach to customer service. The City seeks an open, honest professional who communicates clearly, delegates effectively, leads by example, embraces Best Management Practices, develops efficient work processes, and promotes continuous service improvement.

Required qualifications include:

• Minimum of four years of higher education in construction, engineering, architecture, building technology, or a related field
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible professional public experience in Building Inspection, Design, Construction, or a related field; alternatively, up to five years of post-secondary construction education combined with work experience totaling 10 years
• Five years of supervisory experience in a senior capacity
• Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation mandated licensing as Building Code Administrators within six months following appointment at the time of appointment. Candidates who do not possess the Florida Building Code Administration license are encouraged to review the educational and experience requirements at: https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/building-code-administrators-and-inspectors/
• Possession of, or ability to obtain and maintain, a valid Florida Driver's License
• An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered

Preferred qualifications include:

• Additional certifications related to Building Code Inspector, Plans Examiner, Roofing Inspector, Residential Plans Examiner, Modular Plans Examiner, Construction Management, or related areas
• Experience presenting before boards and commissions

The salary range for this position is $104,636 - $180,024 depending on experience and qualifications, coupled with an array of traditional municipal benefits.

For more information on this position, contact:

Doug Thomas, Executive Vice President, Recruitment & Leadership Development

Strategic Government Resources

[e-mail]

863-860-9314