Permit Services Specialist

City of Pasadena; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Pasadena’s Planning and Community Development Department seeks a Permit Services Specialist to lead permit technicians and support e-permit services within the LMS. The role ensures LMS is maintained and operated efficiently and assists with Public Records Act requests in the Permit Center and Building Division.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, capable of training staff, coordinating workflows, and enforcing policies.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; associate degree preferred.
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in building permit and/or e-permit processing.
• Experience with EnerGov and Bluebeam or similar LMS is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads and guides Permit Center staff; assigns and monitors work for completeness and accuracy; trains staff on processes and safety practices.
• Resolves escalated customer issues and explains complex rules, assists with permit extensions and Certificates of Occupancy.
• Oversees workflows; analyzes and improves policies; trains staff on new processes.
• Analyzes parcel map changes; assigns addresses to new construction; reviews address changes and conducts site visits.
• Coordinates record access requests and release of information for Public Records Act and subpoenas.
• Prepares reports; attends meetings; maintains cooperative relations with the public, contractors, utilities and City staff.

Skills

Problem Solving

Customer Service

Self-Management

Oral Communication

Attention to Detail

Education

High school diploma or GED

Five years of permit/e-permit processing experience

Associate's degree preferred

Tools

EnerGov

Bluebeam

Job description

The City of Pasadena's Planning and Community Development Department is currently seeking an enthusiastic and skilled Permit Services Specialist. The Permit Services Specialist may lead the permit technicians and supports the e-permit services for the Department’s Land Management System (LMS). The position is essential in LMS management, ensuring that the LMS is maintained and operated efficiently. The position participates in the work of employees engaged in issuing permits in the Permit Center; assists the Permit Center Manager with the oversight and completion of Public Records Act and Subpoena requests for the Permit Center and Building Division, and performs related administrative duties as assigned.
The ideal candidate is detail-oriented and has the desire to provide excellent service to internal and external customers. They are comfortable working as the lead person of the permit technicians, skilled at coordinating and overseeing the work and providing training and guidance to Permit Technicians with limited supervision of the e-permitting services. They are excellent at problem-solving and are experienced with adhering to and enforcing established policies and procedures. The ideal candidate will have experience with EnerGov and Bluebeam or similar land management and plan review systems.

The major responsibilities of this position are listed below. For more detailed information, please review the job description.

1. Leads, provides work guidance and direction and participates in the work of Permit Center staff; participates in scheduling, assigning and monitoring work of other employees for completeness, accuracy and conformance with City/departmental standards; provides information, instruction and training on work processes, proper uses of equipment and safe work practices; provides input to supervisor on employee work performance and behaviors; estimates personnel, equipment and material requirements for assigned jobs; may order work materials and supplies; assists in ensuring a fair and open work environment in accordance with the City's commitment to equal employment opportunity.
2. Resolves escalated customer issues and addresses difficult/contentious customer complaints regarding the permit process; communicates complex rules, regulations and policies; assists with permit extensions; assists with the issuance of Temporary and Final Certificates of Occupancy.
3. Oversees workflow processes and procedures; performs quality assurance to verify customer service techniques are applied properly; recommends changes in policies and procedures; implements and trains employees on new processes and procedures.
4. Analyzes and identifies parcel map changes; assigns addresses to new construction sites/ suites; reviews change-of-address requests; researches address availability, conducts site visits and coordinates meetings for address assignments.
5. Coordinates records access requests and release of information in response to Public Records Act and subpoena requests.
6. Prepares and coordinates a variety of work reports and records; attends meetings; establishes and maintains cooperative working relations with the public, contractors, other utilities and City staff.

CORE COMPETENCIES
The following list represents the core competencies needed for success in this position.

Problem Solving- Ability to resolve constituent's problems independently and efficiently.
Customer Service - Attending to the needs and expectations of customers.
Self-Management- Showing personal organization, self-discipline, and dependability.
Oral Communication - Engaging effectively in dialogues.
Attention to Detail - Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Graduation from high school or GED equivalent and
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in building permit and/or e-permit processing;
• Graduation from an accredited two-year college with an Associate's degree is preferred.

SELECTION PROCESSThe selection process will consist of a training and experience evaluation, written test of analytical skills, the interview panel, department-level interviews. The probationary work period is one year this classification is assigned to the LIUNA Bargaining Unit.

VACANCY INFORMATION There is currently one vacancy in the Permitting Section of the Planning and Community Development Department.

The resulting eligibility list from this recruitment may be used to fill this vacancy and similar vacancies in other departments.

Must possess a valid California Class C driver's license and comply with the City's Motor Vehicle Safety Policy during the course of employment.

International Code Council (ICC) Permit Technician Certification is desired.