Chief Housing Inspector

City of Raleigh North Carolina; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Raleigh seeks a Chief Housing Inspector to lead the Code Enforcement Division, enforcing housing, building, public nuisance, vehicle codes, and related standards across the City.

The role combines technical expertise, people leadership, regulatory interpretation, and community impact, working with property owners, developers, government agencies, and stakeholders to resolve complex compliance issues and protect public health, safety, and welfare.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED plus 7–9 years in code enforcement, building inspection, or related work.
• Level I NC Certification in Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical and Building Inspector.
• Valid NC Driver's License (Class C) or ability to obtain within 60 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, manage, and evaluate assigned employees; hire, discipline, or terminate as needed.
• Prioritize and assign work, oversee schedules, and approve time away.
• Provide training and development for staff.
• Address employee concerns and counsel as appropriate.
• Perform performance appraisals and liaise between employees and management.
• Conduct code compliance inspections and research functions.
• Interpret and apply Housing, Nonresidential Building, Public Nuisance, and Vehicle Codes.

Skills

Code enforcement

Building inspection

Leadership

Regulatory interpretation

Communication

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

Plan review software

IT collaboration

Stop Work order tracking

Job description

Lead the City of Raleigh’s mission to protect the safety, quality, and integrity of its built environment. The City of Raleigh's Chief Housing Inspector provides strategic leadership for the Code Enforcement Division, directing a team of professionals responsible for enforcing housing, building, public nuisance, vehicle, electrical, and related codes across the City.

This role combines technical expertise, people leadership, regulatory interpretation, and community impact. Working directly with property owners, tenants, developers, government agencies, and community stakeholders, the Chief helps resolve complex compliance issues and guides parties toward practical solutions that protect public health, safety, and welfare.

The position also plays a critical role in high-impact enforcement actions, reviewing cases for legal sufficiency and coordinating civil citations, legal referrals, abatements, administrative warrants, and matters requiring City Council action. Through on-site plan reviews, interpretation of engineered drawings, and collaboration with internal and external partners, this employee ensures that Raleigh’s buildings and properties meet established standards while supporting a safe, vibrant, and thriving community.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job‑related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

• Supervises, manages, and evaluates assigned employees and makes decisions about hiring, discipline and/or termination of employees
• Prioritizes and assigns work, develops and oversees employee work schedules and approves time away from work
• Provides and/or facilitates employee training and development
• Addresses employee concerns or problems and counsels and disciplines as appropriate
• Completes employee performance appraisals, determines or makes recommendations regarding new hire salaries and salary changes, and acts as liaison between employees and management
• Performs a wide variety of code compliance, inspection and research functions
• Provides guidance and interpretation relative to the City’s Housing Code, Nonresidential Building or Structure Code, Public Nuisance and Vehicle Codes
• Provides interpretation of the North Carolina State Building Codes (Building Plumbing and Mechanical) and National Electrical Code (NEC)
• Provides assistance with the review and interpretation of site plans and engineered drawings
• Assists homeowners and contractors to achieve code compliance with expired permits through research and site inspections
• Confers with property owners, tenants, property managers and other public officials in regard to specific code violations, possible remedies and time limitations, along with providing information relative to code compliance and standards
• Coordinates meetings with contractors and matrix groups for demolition permits around the City
• Investigates Council and citizen complaints related to code compliance and routes to the appropriate division if necessary
• Issues "Stop Work" orders when needed and follows up with inspections
• Assists in solving code related problems, during both plan review and construction stages
• Collaborates with IT on identifying broken automations and testing fixes from the software developer
• Creates software module to track "Stop Work" orders
• Serves as liaison between field staff and IT on permit related issues
• Performs related work as required

Required Education and Experience

High School diploma or G.E.D.; 7 to 9 years’ experience in code enforcement, building inspection, or related work; OR Any equivalent combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be substituted.

Required Licenses or Certifications

• Level I NC Certification in all four of the following: Plumbing Inspection, Mechanical Inspection, Electrical Inspection, Building Inspector
• Valid NC Driver's License (Class C) or ability to obtain within 60 days of hire

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Knowledge Of:

• Standard practices, methods and materials of assigned work
• Principles and practices of conflict resolution
• Filing and record-keeping principles
• Occupational hazards and applicable safety principles and practices
• Uses and properties of supplies and equipment
• Applicable federal, state and local laws, codes, regulations (based on assignment)
• Customer service principles
• Specialized equipment relevant to area of assignment
• Modern office technology
• Business math concepts

Skill In:

• Performing inspections to review compliance with applicable codes, ordinances and requirements
• Providing training and technical advice related to multi-trade code issues
• Preparing basic reports and documents
• Performing basic research, compiling and assembling data
• Providing directions to others in order to meet standards
• Providing attention to detail in assignments
• Proofreading and error correction
• Business math computations
• Organizing and maintaining records and files
• Organizing tasks, meeting deadlines and prioritizing competing demands
• Maintaining and updating data and documentation
• Comprehending reference books and manuals
• Operating assigned tools and equipment
• Interpreting and applying applicable laws, codes, regulations and standards (based on assignment)
• Providing customer service
• Utilizing a computer and relevant software applications
• Utilizing communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisors, the general public and others to sufficiently exchange or convey information and to receive work direction

AD and Other Requirements:

Work Environment and Physical Effort: Medium: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an office or similar indoor environment or in a vehicle. Employees may occasionally work on a construction site, an outdoor environment, near street environment (near moving traffic) or a confined space (Defined as [A] Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; [B] Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit; and [C] Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy).

Work Exposures: Work in this position does not require frequent environmental exposures. Employees may occasionally be exposed to individuals who are hostile or irate, extreme cold (below 32 degrees), extreme heat (above 100 degrees), fumes or airborne particles, loud noises (85+ decibels average over 8-hour working day such as heavy trucks, jack hammers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, construction).

City of Raleigh is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Accommodations for individuals with disabilities are provided upon request.