Permit Technician-Administrative Specialist

City of Sierra Madre; Sierra Madre (CA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Sierra Madre seeks a Permit Technician-Administrative Specialist for the Planning & Community Preservation Department. The successful candidate will perform a variety of administrative support duties related to permit processes, ensuring compliance with local codes and providing excellent customer service. This role requires strong organizational skills and familiarity with urban planning and business licensing in a dynamic city environment. Ideal candidates will possess relevant educational qualifications and a commitment to public service.

Qualifications

• Two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in customer service and clerical support.
• Bilingual Spanish skills are desirable but not required.

Responsibilities

• Manages permit processing, customer service, and administrative duties.
• Serves as recording secretary to the Planning Commission and prepares meeting minutes.
• Coordinates interdepartmental reviews and customer service inquiries.

Skills

Customer Service

Administrative Organization

Communication

Education

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or equivalent

College coursework in public administration, urban planning, construction management, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Permit tracking systems

Job description

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & COMMUNITY PRESERVATION TENTATIVE INTERVIEW & TEST DATE: WEEK OF JULY 7, 2025

Under general supervision, the Permit Technician-Administrative Specialist performs technical, customer service, and administrative duties to support the Planning & Community Preservation Department. The position is responsible for managing permit processing, customer service at the public counter and online, Planning Commission support, business license processing, records management, and cross-functional administrative tasks. This dual-role position provides key frontline service for residents, contractors, and interdepartmental staff, ensuring compliance with City codes and efficient administrative operations.

This position is ideal for a self-motivated professional with a high level of administrative organization, strong customer service skills, and an interest in serving the public in a small-city environment.

The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive.

Other duties may be required and assigned.

Permit Services:

• Receives, reviews, and processes permit applications, plans and associated documents from customers including but not limit to building, business, planning and public works permits
• Assesses scope of project and relevant permit requirements to provide information to customers regarding necessary permits and general code compliance of proposed projects and permit process updates.
• Answers a variety of routine to moderately complex questions; calculates and verifies valuations and fees.
• Accepts payments and issues permit as authorized.
• Routes plans to various departments for plan review; tracks and monitors plan review processes for timeliness; finalizes plan review for permit issuance; enters data and plans into a variety of tracking systems and ensures the physical location of plans are tracked.
• Notifies applicants when plans or permits are ready for delivery or issuance; provides status updates.
• Processes applications for temporary use permits, home occupations permit, and similar types of administrative zoning permits.
• Schedules inspection requests and follow-ups and prepares field files for daily inspection for building inspections.
• Prepares Certificates of Occupancy as required.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Administrative Support:

• Serves as recording secretary to the Planning Commission, including Council Chamber set-up and break-down, attends evening Planning Commission meetings, and prepares meeting minutes of the proceedings.
• Uploads documents to Municode, monitor the public comment portal, and maintain open communication with the Planning Commission regarding Planning Commission meetings.
• Performs a wide variety of routine to complex administrative duties in support of the Planning and Community Preservation Department; establishes and maintains filing systems; creates and modifies forms as necessary; prepares and proofreads a wide variety of correspondence, letters, memoranda, reports, statistical charts, and other written materials; distributes reports internally and to various governmental offices; organizes and assembles documents; files and catalogues maps, photos, and other planning exhibits and documents; verifies accuracy of information; researches discrepancies and records information.
• Run financial software budget reports for the Department’s annual department budget.
• Process state annual reports within required deadlines including: Building Standards Commission Special Revolving Fund (BSASRF) Fee Report Fund; Department of Finance Housing Unit Change, Census Bureau Report of Building and Zoning Permits issued for new privately owned housing units, Department of Conservation Fee Report, and Housing Element Annual Progress Report.
• Maintains records and prepares reports as required; prepares documents for electronic imaging.
• Monitors and coordinates office paperwork and activities, including binding bids, distributing mail, answering phones, printing flyers, and conducting a variety of special projects of a routine administrative nature.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Business License Services:

• Serves as the City’s primary contact for business license processing and renewal.
• Reviews business license applications for completeness and compliance with municipal code requirements.
• Coordinates interdepartmental review of new business applications (e.g., zoning clearance, public safety review).
• Issues business licenses, tracks renewals, and maintains the business license database.
• Process over the counter and online Business Licenses.
• Process annual business license renewals.
• Prepares business license reports for internal and public use.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Customer Service:

• Provides appropriate information regarding zoning, subdivision plans, and building ordinances, public records, procedures, and requirements to the public including homeowners, developers, contractors, engineers, and architects, in person over the counter, online and telephone; assists the public in the application process for building, land use, and engineering permits and other developmental processes.
• Researches a variety of data using internal and external databases in order to assist customers and staff in permit processing.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Basic principles of construction permitting, land use planning, and business licensing.
• City of Sierra Madre Municipal Code and relevant permitting procedures
• Functions and objectives of Federal, State and other local law planning agencies
• Principles of budget preparation and administration
• Pertinent Federal, State and local laws and ordinances that pertain to planning and housing legislation
• Office procedures, records management, and effective customer service techniques.
• Business software, including Microsoft Office and permit tracking systems (e.g., Excel, Word, Outlook, and permit/license databases).
• Methods of effective report preparation and presentation
• Recent developments and practices in urban planning

Ability to:

• Communicate clearly and professionally in person, by phone, and in writing with subordinates, media representatives, peers, city department heads, and the general public.
• Comprehend a variety of reference books and manuals including city code manual, policies and procedures, and State codes.
• Interpret and apply City policies, procedures, and regulations related to permits and business licenses.
• Maintain accurate records and handle multiple tasks efficiently with attention to detail.
• Work independently and collaboratively in a small team environment.
• Handle challenging public interactions with patience and professionalism.

General Abilities:

• Exercise good judgment, and sensitivity in response to changing situations and needs
• Knowledge of understanding the techniques of preparing plans, maps, graphs, and charts
• Statistical, algebraic or geometric knowledge and ability to apply such knowledge in practical situations as applied to the calculation of fees and review of plans
• Record keeping and practices; office procedures and methods; skill in word processing, database, spreadsheet, and presentation software programs
• Basic zoning and planning concepts and codes
• Basic understanding of maps and plans
• Assess customer needs and make recommendations
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, fellow employees, and the public
• Work in a standard office environment with sit, stand and walk;
• Exposure to outdoors in limited manner; travel to different sites and locations

Education/Training/Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or equivalent required.
• College coursework in public administration, urban planning, construction management, or related field is desirable.
• Two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in customer service and clerical support in building or construction; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Experience in a public agency is desirable.

Bilingual Spanish skills are desirable but not required.

Licenses; Certificates; Special Requirements:

Must possess a current American Red Cross certificate in First Aid/CPR/AEDfor Schools and the Community or obtain within three months of employment as well as a valid Class C California driver’s license and the ability to maintain insurability under the City’s Vehicle Usage Policy.

Permit Technician certification from the International Code Council (ICC) within twelve months of employment.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this class, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, and hear, both in person and by telephone; use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate standard office equipment; and reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, or crouch to access or place records or files; lift and carry records and documents, typically weighing less than 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Mental Demands:

While performing the duties of this class, the employee is regularly required to use oral and written communication skills; read and interpret data, information and documents; analyze and solve problems; observe and interpret data and situations; use math and mathematical reasoning; perform highly detailed work under changing, intensive deadlines, on multiple concurrent tasks; work with constant interruptions; and interact with City officials, citizens groups, employees, management, and others encountered in the course of work; occasionally subject to conflicts.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The employee primarily works in an office setting but works in the field in traveling to different city facilities and events. In the office setting, the noise level is moderately quiet. In field settings, the employee could be exposed to loud noise during sporting and recreational activities and be under variable weather conditions at different sites and events. Driving may be required to visit city facilities, and community and public meetings.

Disaster Service Workers

All City of Sierra Madre employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Sierra Madre is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, the City of Sierra Madre will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.