Permit Services Technician

City of Fort Lauderdale; Fort Lauderdale (FL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Fort Lauderdale is seeking a Permit Services Technician to support the Building Services Division in processing and maintaining construction permit applications and plans in line with state, county, and city codes.

Key duties include intake of applications, document review, notary service, fee calculations, and payment processing. Candidates should have strong clerical skills, customer service experience, and knowledge of permitting processes in a public sector setting.

Qualifications

• 3 years of administrative or clerical work experience.
• 1 year of experience in the construction trades or building permitting.
• 3 years of in-person or telephone customer service experience.
• Fee calculation and processing experience.

Responsibilities

• Performs intake and processing of permit applications, plans, and supporting documentation.
• Reviews for accurate, legible, and complete documentation.
• Notarizes approved documentation.
• Assists customers with obtaining the correct number of applications based on scope of work.
• Calculates and processes permit application deposits, payments, and related fees.
• Processes payments in the related electronic system.
• Balances accounts daily.
• Prepares plans for routing to disciplines specific to permit type.
• Prepares for recheck and revision and verifies approvals prior to permit issue.
• Communicates and applies payments using office software.
• Updates and registers licensed contractors with the City per guidelines.
• Maintains alphabetical file of verified contractor registrations.
• Verifies property ownership via Broward County Property Appraiser site.
• Verifies that licenses, general liability, and workers’ compensation are current.
• Files and routes permit plan reviews.
• Prepares correspondence and responds to inquiries.

Skills

Administrative experience

Customer service

Construction permitting knowledge

Fee calculation experience

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Notary Public Certification

Permit Technician Certification

Job description

The Development Services Department's Building Services Division seeks a Permit Services Technician

This full-time position assists the Permitting Section in Building Services by processing and/or maintaining construction permit applications and plans in accordance with State, County, and City Building Codes.

In accordance with Article 24 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City of Fort Lauderdale and Teamsters Local Union 769, for posting purposes this open-competitive job posting shall be considered as a simultaneous internal and external posting (it is open to both internal City employees and external applicants).

• Performs intake and processing of permit applications, plans, and supporting documentation for permitting required by the City of Fort Lauderdale
• Reviews for accurate, legible, and complete documentation with job specific supplement
• Notarizes approved documentation
• Assists customers with obtaining the correct number of applications based on the scope of work presented
• Calculates and processes permit application deposits, payments, and related fees associated with the permitting process
• Processes payments on related electronic system
• Balances accounts daily
• Prepares plans for routing to various disciplines specific to permit type
• Preps for recheck and revision and verifies approvals are completed prior to permit issue
• Communicates, advises, directs, accepts, and applies payments using a variety of office software
• Updates and registers licensed contractors with the City per established guidelines and legal obligations
• Maintains an alphabetical file of all verified contractor registration documents as required
• Verifies property ownership through Broward County's Property Appraiser site
• Verifies that contractor licenses, general liability insurance, and workman's compensation are current
• Files and routes permit plan reviews
• Prepares correspondence and answers inquiries
• Performs related work as required

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS:

1. High School Diploma or equivalent
2. Three (3) years of administrative or clerical work experience demonstrating the following:
   • 1 year of experience or more working in the construction trades or building permitting
   • 3 years of in-person or telephone customer service experience
   • 1 year experience calculating fees, costs, or payments and their processing
3. Must possess or be able to obtain Notary Public Certification
4. To claim Veterans’ Preference, candidates must attach to the application a copy of military separation papers (DD214) and service-connected disability documentation (if applicable) to meet eligibility requirements as stipulated by Florida Statues. For additional information, please refer to the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs. (link: https://floridavets.org/benefits-services/veterans-preference/)

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Permit Technician Certification
• Public Sector/Local Government Experience

As public servants, employees may be required to work immediately before, during, and/or after an emergency. All employees must be available and able to work assigned shifts as determined by their Department Heads.

PHYSICAL STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

This position is generally sedentary. Employees sit most of the time but may walk or stand for brief periods of time. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The City of Fort Lauderdale receives a high volume of applications, so not every applicant who meets the minimum qualifications will be guaranteed an interview. Candidates are selected for interviews based on how closely their education and work experience match the specific requirements of the position.

Applicants will be subject to an extensive selection and screening process, which may include, but not be limited to evaluation of training and experience; written; oral and performance-based testing; skills assessment; interview; employment check, background investigation; medical examination; and drug screen. For Public Safety positions, the process additionally includes polygraph examinations and psychological evaluations. The expected duration of the selection process varies by position.

All applicants, including current City of Fort Lauderdale employees, need to fully detail their work experience on the employment application. Applicants must ensure that all required documents submitted are in a format that is acceptable, clear, and legible. It is the applicant’s responsibility to update their online profile with accurate personal information, work history, education, and certifications each time they submit a new application. Incomplete applications may result in disqualification.

The City of Fort Lauderdale is an Equal Opportunity, Veteran’s Preference Employer and Drug Free Workplace.