Permit Specialist

City of Burlington NC; Burlington (NC); On-site; USD 34,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Burlington NC is seeking a Clerical & Technical Support professional for the Inspections Division in Burlington, NC. The role provides customer service, answers calls, writes permits, and assists inspectors by collecting information needed for permits.

The position requires a high school diploma or GED and substantial office experience, with strong communication, organizational, and multitasking abilities to manage records, schedules, and supplier needs in a busy municipal setting.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required with substantial office/public-facing experience.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills are essential.
• Experience with clerical tasks and customer service is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide customer service to the public and answer the phone.
• Write permits and assist inspectors with permit information.
• Record requests for inspections and the results of inspections.
• Issue, sign, and notarize permits for building, electrical, mechanical, demolition, house moving, and plumbing.
• Greet walk-in customers and direct inquiries to appropriate departments.
• Maintain inspector files and manage travel, logs, and expenses.
• Procure and manage office supplies and ensure adequate stock.
• Coordinate scheduling of inspector time slots and review commercial plans for inspections.
• Perform general office support, including typing and filing.
• Apply knowledge of city ordinances and regulations governing inspections.
• Communicate clearly with staff and the public to ensure efficient service.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Office equipment

Job description

About us: The Inspections Division handles inspections of construction projects within the City and is responsible for enforcing the NC State Building Codes.

What you will do: An employee in this class is responsible for providing customer service to the general public, answering the phone, writing permits, and assisting the inspectors in Inspection Division in collecting information required for permits. The employee provides clerical and technical support for the department, taking and recording requests for inspections and recording results of the inspection.

Clerical & Technical Support

• Provide clerical and technical assistance in managing inspection requests and recording inspection results.
• Issue, sign, and notarize various forms and permits, including those for building, electrical, mechanical, demolition, house moving, and plumbing projects.

Public Relations & Customer Service

• Serve as the primary point of contact for public inquiries, answering questions regarding inspections, procedures, and general concerns.
• Greet walk-in customers, offering assistance, answering questions, and providing directions to other departments as needed.
• Handle calls, transferring them to the appropriate department and escalating precedent-setting issues to higher-level management.

Administrative Coordination

• Maintain and organize inspector files, forms, and documentation, ensuring easy access and retrieval.
• Manage travel reservations, logs, and expense reports for inspectors, ensuring proper records are kept.
• Procure and manage office supplies, ensuring adequate stock for daily operations.

Planning & Scheduling

• Coordinate and assign time slots for inspectors, providing them with necessary information for reviews.
• Collect and review commercial plans for inspections, ensuring compliance with requirements.

General Office Support

• Perform typing, filing, and other administrative tasks as required to support the inspection team.

Administrative Expertise

• Extensive understanding of administrative procedures and the ability to apply them effectively in daily operations.
• Solid knowledge of ordinances, rules, and regulations governing inspections, ensuring compliance and adherence.
• Familiarity with modern office operations, emphasizing efficient customer service and public engagement.

Communication & Organizational Skills

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly and concisely interact with the public and staff.
• Proficient in creating and maintaining accurate records, reports, and files to support a customer-focused environment.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills, ensuring high levels of accuracy in all tasks.

Technical Proficiency

• Experienced in operating a variety of office machinery, including calculators, computer terminals, typewriters, cash registers, and other related equipment.
• Adaptable and able to multi-task effectively in a fast-paced work environment.

Interpersonal Skills

• Skilled in building and maintaining effective working relationships with city employees and the general public.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED Equivalency and considerable office work experience involving heavy public contact; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Work in this class is described as sedentary.
• An employee must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of reaching, standing, walking, lifting, fingering, talking, hearing and repetitive motions.
• Employee regularly operates a variety of machinery and equipment, including telephones, computers, calculators, copiers, facsimile machines, and other office related equipment.
• Work necessitates visual acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of work assigned in preparing and analyzing figures, accounting, transcription, computer terminal viewing and extensive reading.
• Working conditions include inside environmental conditions.

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

Inclement Weather Classification

Non-Essential