Chief Building Official

City of Arvada; Arvada (CO); On-site; USD 119,000 - 162,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Arvada seeks a Chief Building Official to lead the Building Inspection Division, overseeing inspections, plan review, permitting, code enforcement and contractor licensing while guiding a team of professionals to meet safety, quality and code standards.

This leadership role collaborates with developers, residents, City leadership and community stakeholders to ensure projects comply with codes, support economic growth, manage the division budget, and advance education and outreach on

Qualifications

• ICC Building Official certification preferred; govern building code administration.
• Minimum Bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture or related field.
• Colorado driver’s license and acceptable driving record.
• Five years' experience in advanced building inspection or plans examination.
• Two years of supervisory experience in a building division.
• Strong leadership, communication and budget skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily Building Inspection Division operations including inspections and plan reviews.
• Direct permitting, code enforcement, and contractor licensing programs.
• Lead updates to International Building Codes and related ordinances.
• Coordinate with City leadership, developers, residents, and stakeholders.
• Budget planning and resource management for the division.
• Represent department in meetings and professional groups.

Skills

Leadership

Code compliance

Customer service

Budget management

Communication

Planning

Team management

Decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Architecture or related field

ICC Certified Building Official (CBO)

Colorado driver's license

Job description

The City of Arvada promotes Equal Pay for Equal Work.

Pay Range: $118,717.53-$162,328.02 Annual

Are you a collaborative leader with a passion for building safety, code compliance, and exceptional customer service? The City of Arvada is seeking an experienced Chief Building Official to lead our Building Inspection Division and help shape a safe, vibrant, and thriving community. In this leadership role, you'll oversee building inspections, plan review, permitting, code enforcement, and contractor licensing while guiding a talented team of professionals. You'll work closely with developers, contractors, residents, City leadership, and community stakeholders to ensure construction projects meet the highest standards of safety, quality, and compliance. This is an exciting opportunity to influence the future of our growing community while fostering innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence.

Essential Job Functions

• Oversees and directs daily department operations.
• Plans, implements and directs a variety of building construction licensing programs.
• Oversees the assessment of private contractor qualifications, utilizing testing and diverse reference materials for through verification.
• Responsible for the review process relating to a variety of residential and commercial permits and plans for compliance to building codes and standards.
• Coordinates and facilitates meetings with the Building Code Advisory Board as necessary, managing agendas and ensuring timely discussions on code interpretations, making recommendations to new construction techniques and material.
• Additionally, oversees hearings regarding contractor license status, including denials, suspensions, or revocations.
• Purposes, prepares, and recommends updates to the International Building Codes.
• Leads education initiatives on construction regulations by delivering presentations to civic and professional groups, promoting building safety and compliance.
• Serves as expert witness for complaints involving violations of building codes and related ordinances.
• Collaborates with a wide array of stakeholders, ranging from city staff to elected officials, ensuring effective engagement and communication across all levels.
• Delegates to assigned staff the authority, responsibility, and accountability needed to successfully complete assigned projects and work tasks.
• Plans, organizes and evaluates the functions and activities of the Building Inspection Division, including all inspections, plan reviews, and issuance of permits and certificates of occupancy for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.
• Develops division budget and oversees expenditures from funds.
• Oversees day-to day leadership activities, including effectively communicate vision and priorities, makes decisions and problem solves, delegates work, manages performance, hires, manage resources, develops others, and maintains a team culture to produce strong performance and positive employee and community member experiences.
• Travels to and attends team and organizational meetings, training, events and activities and appropriately and professionally represents the department.

Other Job Functions

• Responsible for ISO (BCEGS) accreditation process.
• Represents department on various City committees.
• May act on behalf of and assume the duties of the Director in their absence and represent the Director at meetings and other official functions when so directed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Essential Supervisory Duties

• Develops and/or participates in the development of staff work plans, measures and tracks progress towards goals, prepares and conducts timely and constructive performance appraisals.
• Makes decisions or recommendations for hiring, promotions, transfers, disciplinary action, and other personnel actions as necessary.
• Coaches, counsels and supports staff to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
• Consistently educates and advises staff on organizational rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Supports creative thinking and problem solving and encourages participatory decision making when appropriate.
• Provides training and job enrichment opportunities and encourages professional growth and development.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Expert knowledge of the theory, principles, practices and methods of building construction disciplines, codes and standards.
• Expert ability to lead others, facilitate and build collaborative working relationships across multiple disciplines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate information to support organizational objectives and interact with all levels of personnel within the City, as well as all outside influences, in a positive and cooperative manner.
• Proficient at setting goals and directing a multi-disciplinary organization.
• Solid budget management skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple and changing work requests while meeting the many needs of the customers / users.
• Proficient in utilizing software for data management, document creation, spreadsheets, presentations, and reports.
• Additionally, skilled in using digital plan review tools and systems.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Ability to strategize and consider and assess potential short-term and long-term impact of decisions.
• Ability to exercise initiative and judgment as well as make decisions within the scope of assigned authority.
• Ability to effectively communicate information, both verbally and in writing, to support organizational objectives and interact with all levels of personnel within the city in a positive and cooperative manner.
• Must be able to operate a motor vehicle.

License & Certification

International Code Council (ICC) Certified Building Official (CBO) A valid Colorado driver’s license and acceptable driving record is required.

Education

• Degree Bachelors Degree (BA, BS, BBA)
• Education Major Engineering, Architecture, or related field.
• Education Required An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Work Experience

Related Five (5) years’ experience as an advanced building inspector, plans examiner, or Deputy Building Official. Two (2) years supervisory experience in a building division environment. Work Experience Preferred ICC certified at time of hire.

Physical Demands

Minimal physical effort typically found in clerical work. Primarily sedentary, may occasionally lift and carry light objects. Walking and/or standing as needed and minimal. Hazards Minimal exposure to hazards are typically found in general office environment where there is rarely to no exposure to injury or accident

Work Environment

Exposure to routine office noise and equipment

Total Rewards Package

The City of Arvada offers a robust Total Rewards package.

Vision: We Dream Big and Deliver Mission: We are dedicated to delivering superior services to enhance the lives of everyone in our community. Values: Innovation: We excel in creativity, flexibility and the use of best practices while valuing diverse backgrounds, ideas and perspectives. Passion: We are a high performing, inclusive team inspiring each other to pursue excellence. Opportunity: We value our diversity, embrace possibilities, face challenges, persevere and take action to deliver quality results.

The City’s Core values are in every employee’s individual Performance Plan which helps us to reinforce our expectations for living and working by our Core Values. Every City employee is expected to perform his/her job to the highest professional standards. This includes upholding the City’s values with integrity and accountability, acting in a manner that is respectful and inclusive towards others, and adhering to the City’s policy on employee conduct as detailed in the personnel rules sec. 70-143.

The City is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

We have consistently received Top Workplace awards since 2012. Most recently, we received USA Today’s Top Workplaces Award.