Permit Technician

Job Title: Permit Technician

Reporting to the Community Planning Manager, the Permit Technician is responsible for providing a variety of permit counter and administrative support in the daily operations of the Community and Economic Development Department. The position is responsible for providing technical assistance at the Permit Counter with permitting, building codes, permit inspections, land use and zoning, and code enforcement to homeowners, contractors, architects, engineers and developers. The Community and Economic Development Department is responsible for shaping our community and for the City's full range of community planning, land use development, environmental protection and construction code compliance. The Department's mission is to enrich the quality of lives in Lacey for all our citizens by providing to the public timely and accurate assistance and participation in the development and implementation of the Community's Comprehensive Plan and Development Codes in order to ensure: a diversified economy providing family jobs, goods and services; safe, well designed and attractive neighborhoods; the highest quality of development and construction in the City; and the protection of our environmental resources and natural beauty.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

These duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Serves as primary contact to the public and applicants for the Community and Economic Development Department providing customer service at the Permit Service Counter, which also includes responding to customers by phone and/or email. Provides basic permitting customer service answering routine construction and land use code questions, performing data entry and verifying the status of contractor City business licenses and State Labor and Industries licenses.
• Coordinates permits for the construction and planning staff, reviewing construction plans and land use permit applications for accuracy and completeness and routing plans to appropriate staff for applications requiring more extensive review.
• Perform credit card, check and cash transactions by calculating, collecting, receipting and documenting fees. Responsible for daily accounting of fee intake and submitting reports to finance staff. May also perform refund requests.
• Assist in the research of and providing documentation for requests for public records.
• Responsible for updating City reference documents and application forms relating to building services. Create and maintain forms, handouts, internal procedure and policy manuals.
• Assist in the routing of construction and land use permits and plans for the review process. Oversee coordination of permits within the processing system.
• Maintain the permit tracking system including specialized databases. Creates and runs reports from the system and ensures functional integration with other City software and systems.
• Provide administrative support to the Planning Commission and Hearings Examiner including assembling and distributing meeting packets, attending meetings, and preparing minutes.
• Manages pre-submission conference procedures for preliminary development proposals. Assembles and distributes packets, schedules meetings and sends meeting invitations to staff and applicants.
• Maintain official departmental files, both paper and electronic.
• Assign addresses to new buildings and properties, processing necessary address changes, and preparing associated address notification letters.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

H.S. Diploma or equivalent AND two (2) years of experience in permitting, government operations and/or office management involving filing and the interpretation and application of regulations or technical guidelines.

* May have a combination of experience, education, and training that would substitute for the above requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Associates degree in a planning, engineering, construction trades, business administration or related field OR two (2) years of college level course work in these fields.
• International Code Council (ICC) Certification as a Permit Technician.
• Experience in providing customer service in areas of development plan review or development inspection.
• Bi-lingual ability in Spanish.

Special Requirements or License(s):

• Must pass a background investigation and successfully complete pre-employment medical testing for the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Must maintain a level of physical and mental fitness necessary to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without a reasonable accommodation.

• Must be attentive to job safety considerations and follows all required safety policies, procedures and techniques.
• Must possess a valid Washington State driver's license at time of hire OR must obtain within 30 days from date of hire, AND must have a driving record acceptable to the City and the City's insurance carrier; OR must be able to provide own transportation to and from job, meetings, and related job sites.
• Verification of identity and United States work authorization must be complete a required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Current building methods and materials, basic mathematics, construction specifications and plans.
• Construction codes, land use codes, and related regulations.
• Filing and record-keeping procedures including the Washington Public Records Act.
• Basic construction and planning terminology and general code and permit requirements.
• Knowledge of standard office software, GIS and mapping software, and ability to learn specialized software packages such as for permit tracking.

Skill in:

• Providing excellent customer service, in sometimes stressful situations, to internal and external customers using tact and diplomacy.
• Representing department goals and objectives.
• Presenting a positive, professional image of the City.
• Applying established guidelines and alternatives to make judgments and decisions.

Ability to:

• Work independently and as a member of a technical, service-oriented team with minimal supervision.
• Prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.
• Cooperate with others and communicate in a diplomatic manner regarding City services and requirements.
• Perform detailed and exacting work.
• Read and comprehend architectural and site plans.
• Learn, apply and explain codes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Operate a computer with associated software and peripherals.
• Demonstrate teamwork ethic, elicit cooperation and coordinate efforts to accomplish assigned tasks.
• Accurately manage and maintain a variety of records.
• Develop and revise office procedures and other written materials.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain collaborative and effective relationships with other employees, elected officials, contractors, community members, outside organizations and other stakeholders.
• Perform responsible and complex technical work using initiative and judgements to analyze issues and make accurate decisions.

Working Conditions

Work Environment:

• Work is primarily performed in the office.
• Subject to constant interruptions and requests for service.
• May require dealing with angry, frustrated and/or upset individuals on occasion.
• Must be able to manage and prioritize multiple projects and customer service requests/problems at any given time.
• Exposure to computer monitor glare and dust.

• May work an irregular schedule (morning, evening, and lunch hours) as required; and works overtime as assigned.

Physical Abilities:

• Hearing, speaking or otherwise communicating to exchange information in person or on the phone.
• Operating a computer keyboard and other office equipment
• Reading and understanding a variety of materials.
• Sitting or otherwise remaining in a stationary position for extended periods of time.
• Bending at the waist, reaching above shoulder or horizontally or otherwise positioning oneself to accomplish tasks.
• Lifting and/or carrying or otherwise moving or transporting up to 30 lbs. (occasionally).