Deputy Department Director - Property Maintenance and Code Enforcement

Join the City of Richmond!

Are you ready to join the City of Richmond? This is an exciting time to be part of our team! We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice, we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

Description

Supervisory-level position, with a high level of independence, judgement, and discretion; responsible for development and implementation of policies, programs, and regulations across City agencies regarding compliance and enforcement of the provisions of the Uniform Statewide Building Code and International Property Maintenance Code to protect public health, safety, and welfare. Individuals in this position class provide strategic leadership to ensure goals, policies, and performance expectations of the Mayor and City Council are achieved in an effective and efficient manner. The incumbent oversees approximately thirty-five (35) employees within the Division of Property Maintenance and Code Enforcement within the Department of Planning and Development Review, reports directly to the department Director, and may be assigned to serve as Director in his/her absence.

Duties Include But Are Not Limited To

• Researching, directing, and managing initiatives, regulations, programs, and related agency and interdepartmental policies related to the Uniform Statewide Building Code and International Property Maintenance Code, as adopted by City Ordinance
• Making interpretive decisions on behalf of the organization regarding the means for executing the goals established by City policy
• Formulate and recommend strategies for solving complex issues
• Provide leadership and vision for team of employees with diverse education and experience
• Supervise management, professional, paraprofessional, and support staff
• Conduct performance evaluations, coordinate training, and implement hiring, discipline, and termination procedures
• Establish and administer standard operating procedures with regards to inspection, documentation, data management, abatement, demolition, and related enforcement activities including, but not limited to, unsafe structures, nuisance and environmental violations, unlawful vegetation, and unlawful vehicles.
• Review plans, permits, and projects for compliance with codes, ordinances, and other regulations; serve as a primary point of contact for applicants
• Establish sequences and timelines for complex abatement and corrective projects
• Ensure compliance with deadlines and other performance measures
• Prepare for, organize, and attend various meetings with internal and external stakeholders
• Network, communicate, and meet with attorneys, consultants, executives, municipal representatives, community boards, and professional associations.
• Meet with property owners, attorneys, architects, and other organizations to coordinate inspections and referrals
• Interpret and explain codes, rules, and regulations
• Prepare, use, and serve court summons, subpoenas, and administrative appeals
• Process liens
• Research ownership data through legal documentation
• Draft, implement, review, and respond to various documents, ordinances, and emails.

• Exercised: typically supervises other employees, including managers and supervisors
• Received: typically reports to a Department Director or other executive
• Note: other reporting relationships may apply, including development review tasks assigned to individuals outside of the Department

Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge:

• Advanced knowledge of the Uniform Statewide Building Code, International Property Maintenance Code, and code enforcement activities, including unsafe structures, nuisance and environmental violations, unlawful vegetation, and unlawful vehicles.
• Advanced knowledge of management practices, human behavior and performance, and organizational culture.
• Advanced knowledge of policy development and implementation and legislative processes.
• Advanced knowledge of inspection and land use management software (e.g. EnerGov), and the Microsoft Office suite.
• Intermediate knowledge of state and local land use laws and zoning codes. Basic knowledge of principles, methods, and practices of land use planning, zoning, urban design, and landscape architecture, and how they affect each other. Basic knowledge of principles, methods, and practices of land use planning, zoning, urban design, and landscape architecture, and how they affect each other.

Skills:

• Researching, directing, and managing initiatives, regulations, programs, and related agency and interdepartmental policies related to the Uniform Statewide Building Code and International Property Maintenance Code.
• Experience making interpretive decisions on behalf of the organization regarding the means for executing the goals established by City policy
• Formulate and recommend strategies for solving complex issues.
• Providing leadership and vision for team of employees with diverse education and experience
• Supervising management, professional, paraprofessional, and support staff
• Conducting performance evaluations, coordinating training, and implementing hiring, discipline, and termination procedures.
• Establishing and administering standard operating procedures with regards to inspection, documentation, data management, abatement, demolition, and related enforcement activities including, but not limited to, unsafe structures, nuisance and environmental violations, unlawful vegetation, and unlawful vehicles.
• Reviewing plans, permits, and projects for compliance with codes, ordinances, and other regulations
• Serving as a primary point of contact for applicants
• Establishing sequences and timelines for complex abatement and corrective projects
• Ensuring compliance with deadlines and other performance measures.
• Preparing for, organizing, and attending various meetings with internal and external stakeholders
• Networking, communicating, and meeting with attorneys, consultants, executives, municipal representatives, community boards, and professional associations.
• Meeting with property owners, attorneys, architects, and other organizations to coordinate inspections and referrals
• Interpret and explain codes, rules, and regulations.
• Preparing, using, and serving court summons, subpoenas, and administrative appeals; processing liens; researching ownership data through legal documentation.
• Drafting, implementing, reviewing, and responding to various documents, ordinances, and emails.

Abilities:

• Thrive in a fast-paced, high-stakes, large and diverse political environment and adapt and improvise as conditions change.
• Think critically, using logic and reason to identify solutions.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both in writing and speech.
• Facilitate discussion and debate and exhibit excellent interpersonal communication to resolve conflicts.
• Maintain composure in stressful situations.
• Provide superior customer service and manage unhappy clients.

Minimum Training and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in public administration or field directly related to assignment
• Eight (8) years of progressively responsible related experience that includes significant management and supervisory experience
• Property Maintenance Official Certification is required upon hire
• Property Maintenance Inspector Certification is required upon hire
• Certified Building Official (CBO) Certification is required within 12-months of hire
• Some departments may prefer a Master's Degree in a field directly related to the assignment
• Some positions may have additional specialized requirements
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification

• Twelve (12) or more years of progressively responsible related experience in building and/or property maintenance code administration and enforcement
• Six (6) or more significant management and supervisory experience in property maintenance code administration and enforcement
• Experience working for local government in a socioeconomically diverse urban environment

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation,