Permit Center Manager - DCA Public Services

Charleston County Government; North Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 68,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

Charleston County Government in North Charleston seeks an experienced Permitting Center Manager reporting to the Deputy County Administrator for Engineering and Public Services. The role oversees permitting, zoning, land development, building code enforcement, and related programs from intake to occupancy.

Responsibilities include guiding applicants through ordinances, supervising permit center staff, managing budgets, producing dashboards, and coordinating with Public Works.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Public or Business Administration, Construction Management, Planning, Project Management, Building and Applied Arts or related field.
• Eight (8) years or more of related experience and/or training, preferably in a supervisory role.
• Valid South Carolina Driver’s License.
• Experience with permitting software such as Energov/EPL is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads and manages the Permit Center and permitting processes for zoning, land development, building construction, and business licensing from start to occupancy.
• Guides applicants based on County ordinances and Building Codes.
• Oversees daily Permit Center operations, staff coordination, and response to officials and the public.
• Audits finances, budgets, and reporting for the Permit Center.
• Maintains knowledge of applicable ordinances and evolving permitting regulations.

Skills

Project management

Supervisory experience

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public/Business Admin or related field

Tools

Energov/EPL

Job description

Reporting to the Deputy County Administrator for Engineering and Public Services, this position will manage the administrative flow of data involving permitting operations and code compliance, ensuring efficient and high-quality results related to zoning, land development, building construction code enforcement and other matters.

HIRING SALARY: $68.140 - $89,252 (Estimated Annual Salary)

OPEN UNTIL FILLED, APPLICATION REVIEW BEGINS IMMEDIATELY

Examples of Duties:

• Leads and manages the Permit Center, which includes but is not limited to, overseeing the permitting and approval processes of multiple divisions related to zoning and land development regulations, building construction, and business licensing from the beginning of a project through the Certificate of Occupancy and Certificate of Construction Completion processes and the stormwater and Public Works Encroachment regulations.
• Provides application submittal guidance based on County ordinances, including the Zoning and Land Development Regulations Ordinance (ZLDR), Building Code Ordinance, Flood Ordinance, Stormwater Regulations and any other applicable County ordinance.
• Oversees the daily operations and activities of the Permit Center including but not limited to routing and review of applications; collaboration amongst staff; resolution of conflicts; response to requests from elected and appointed officials, the public, DCAs, and department leadership.
• The Software administrator/trainer, auditing and balancing accounts. Responsible for monthly credit card deposit transmittals and bank reconciliation for all departments in the Permit Center. Prepares the Permit Center annual budget and directs expenditure of division funds.
• Manages general administrative activities including agreements, reports, dashboards, correspondence, and related material.
• Provides regular briefings and updates to the DCA and the department leadership regarding operations, issues and resolution and response timelines.
• Collaborates with other divisions, departments, and organizations that may present alternate perspectives to enhance customer service.
• Develops and maintains a high level of knowledge of all applicable County ordinances as well as current and changing legislation related to permitting.
• Improves processes, practices, and policies by evaluating all aspects of the Center’s performance, streamlining processes, improving workflow and increasing transparency.
• Serves as primary spokesperson for the Permit Center. Represents the County to community groups, task forces, committees, and agencies as needed. Provides a high level of customer service to internal and external customers.
• Coordinates between applicants and Public Works to facilitate encroachment and stormwater permitting. Provides essential guidance on process, standard requirements, and applicable fees.
• Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills. Presents complex issues verbally and in writing to elected and appointed officials, the development community, stakeholders, and the public. Proactively communicates and demonstrates a solution-oriented approach.
• Oversee all physical and logistical aspects of the Permit Center, ensuring data is consistently and accurately entered into the permit management system, technology and assets are maintained and functional, and information resources for applicants are available and updated.
• Selects, supervises, counsels, trains, and evaluates the assigned reception staff. Develop and evaluate individual and group performance goals.
• Develops and maintains reports on plan review and permits timelines, activities, hours, and other key metrics to track plan review and permit statistics and performance.
• Plan and evaluate the activities of the Permit Center and its plan review and permitting process, and proactively recommend changes to processes that increase efficiency, effectiveness, or aid customer service and satisfaction.
• Consults with departments involved in development and construction activities on short and long- range planning of operations, budget, staff projections, goals, policies, procedures, and practices.
• Follows and actively supports the County’s vision, mission, and values.
• Understands the various plan review tracking (i.e. subdivisions, site plan review, SFR’s, clearing/grubbing, etc.)
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree (BA/BS) in Public or Business Administration, Construction Management, Planning, Project Management, Building and Applied Arts or related field; and eight (8) years or more of related experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience preferably in a supervisory role.
• Valid South Carolina Driver’s License.
• Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Windows, Outlook, Excel, Access and Word or similar software and previous experience working in a permitting software system (Energov/EPL experience preferred).

Preferred Qualifications:

• American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) or Building Official Certification.

Other Necessary Requirements:

• In the event of major storms or other emergency situations, this position may be subject to 24-hour shifts or any other emergency schedule that is necessary to meet the County’s needs.
• May require evenings, weekends, and holidays as scheduled.