Chief Building Official

Under general direction the Chief Building Official plans organizes coordinates and directs various activities for the Citys Building and Safety Services Division including Building Permitting Plan Check and Inspection and Code Enforcement; performs administrative duties and policy interpretation related to the Division; develops Division goals and objectives; manages staff directly or through subordinate supervisors; develops policies and procedures related to permitting plan check inspection and code enforcement activities; develops and administers the Divisions budgets; conducts short and long range planning; and performs related work as required.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The Buildings & Safety Division ensures safe efficient development in San Ramon through permitting plan review and building code enforcement. The ideal candidate will be a seasoned professional in code enforcement plan review and permitting with strong leadership and collaboration skills. They will excel in managing high-performing teams and engaging effectively with city officials developers and the public. Key strengths include communication public engagement and technical expertise in International Code Council (ICC) Building Standards permitting software (e.g. Energov EPL) and regulatory compliance. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with solid project management abilities and the ability to continue to streamline processes to enhance our service delivery. The ideal candidate will manage the activities of the Building Permitting Plan Check and Inspection and Code Enforcement functions to ensure that plan submittals citizen complaints and inspections are completed within established time frames.

• Develops and directs the implementation of goals objectives policies procedures and work standards for the Building and Safety Services Division; interprets and complies with all applicable federal and state regulations.
• Monitors and directs daily operations to ensure that policies and procedures are being followed that goals and objectives are being met and that services are being provided efficiently and effectively; takes corrective action as necessary; personally handles the most difficult sensitive or controversial projects for the division.
• Directs the preparation of a variety of analytical studies and reports related to current and future public infrastructure and facility needs; reviews findings and makes recommendations.
• Plans organizes and manages the work of staff in the enforcement of codes ordinances and regulations related to new construction residential housing unsafe buildings zoning grading and electrical plumbing ventilation heating and comfort cooling installations.
• Confers with owners inspectors and attorneys regarding difficult or complex enforcement problems and refers violations to the City Attorneys Office to initiate legal proceedings when efforts to secure voluntary compliance have been unsuccessful.
• Consults with architects engineers and others concerning materials specifications and ratings.
• Performs all activities related to the preparation and administration of grant proposals; coordinates with grant program staff to satisfy grant requirements and achieve funding reimbursements.
• Ensures that the City is in continuing compliance with applicable laws and regulations related to building permitting; reviews and recommends revisions to applicable policies and ordinances.
• Develops and monitors the Divisions budget; oversees financial well-being of the Division by analyzing cost effectiveness and directing cost control activities; prepares submits and justifies budget enhancement requests to the Community Development Director.
• Plans organizes administers reviews and evaluates the work of subordinate professional technical office support and operational staff through subordinate levels of supervision.
• Confers with and represents the Building and Safety Services Division in meetings with other City Departments and Divisions; serves as the City representative with a variety of public business and community organizations; fosters collaborative relationships to the benefit of the Building and Safety Services Division the Community Development Department and the City.
• May act for and serve as the Community Development Director as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:
Considerable working knowledge of building mechanical plumbing electrical and related codes and ordinances enforceable by the City; of the principles and techniques of building inspection; of building materials building design accepted safety standards and modern methods of building construction; administrative principles and practices including goal setting program development implementation evaluation project management and supervision of staff either directly or through subordinate levels of supervision; principles and practices of budget administration and employee supervision including work planning assignment review and evaluation and the training of staff in work procedures; organization and management practices as applied to the development analysis and evaluation of programs and operational needs of the assigned programs; applicable federal state and local laws regulatory codes ordinances and procedures relevant to assigned areas of responsibility; business letter writing and the standard format for reports and correspondence; business arithmetic and basic statistical techniques; research and reporting methods techniques and procedures; principles and procedures of record keeping technical report writing and preparation of correspondence and presentations; modern office practices methods and computer equipment and applications related to the work; English usage grammar spelling vocabulary and punctuation; techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies community groups and various business professional educational regulatory and legislative organizations; and techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public vendors contractors and City staff.

Ability to:
Plan organize direct assign review and evaluate comprehensive municipal building activities; ability to analyze complex technical and administrative problems and make sound recommendations for their solution; effectively plan organize and supervise the division program; to analyze interpret and check building plans and specifications related to building mechanical plumbing and electrical construction projects; enforce regulations firmly and impartially; supervise and coordinate code enforcement activities. Recommend and implement goals objectives and practices for providing effective and efficient services; manage and monitor complex projects on-time and within budget; plan organize schedule assign review and evaluate the work of staff; train staff in work procedures; evaluate and develop improvements in operations procedures policies or methods; research analyze and evaluate new service delivery methods procedures and techniques; prepare clear and concise reports correspondence policies procedures and other written materials; analyze interpret summarize and present administrative and technical information and data in an effective manner; interpret apply explain and ensure compliance with federal state and local policies procedures laws and regulations; effectively represent the Community Development Department and the City in meetings with governmental agencies contractors vendors various businesses and professional regulatory and legislative organizations; Make accurate arithmetic financial and statistical computations; establish and maintain a variety of manual and computerized record keeping systems; make sound independent decisions within established policy and procedural guidelines; organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work set priorities and meet time deadlines; operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and software programs; use English effectively to communicate in person over the telephone and in writing; use tact initiative prudence and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines in politically sensitive situations; and establish maintain and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education
Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university with major coursework related to architecture engineering building construction management.

AND

Experience

At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in building code enforcement plan review or construction including supervisory experience.

OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job as listed above.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Possession of or ability to obtain a valid California Drivers License by time of appointment.
• Valid International Code Council (ICC) certification or other approved certifying organization as a Certified Building Official.
• Possession of a valid Certified Access Specialist (CAsP) certification.
• Possession of a valid International Code Council (ICC) certification or other approved certifying organization as a Combination Building Inspector (R5 Residential).

• Possession of a valid International Code Council (ICC) certification or other approved certifying organization with Commercial Combination Building Inspector (C5 Commercial) or Commercial Plan Checker is highly desirable.

Resumes cannot be substituted for a completed application.

The recruitment process is as follows:
The most qualified candidates as determined by initial screening of applications will be invited to participate in an oral and/or department panel interview.
The first round of interviews is tentatively scheduled for early October 2025. The eligibility list will be established from the interview process. Individuals on the eligibility list may be asked to participate in a second round of interviews based on specific individual qualifications and the Citys needs. The eligibility list will remain in effect for one (1) year for potential future vacancies.

The City of San Ramon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against race color religion national origin age sex origin sexual orientation or accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act should special accommodations be necessary at any stage of the selection process please contact the Human Resources Division at.

Information contained herein including the recruitment process is subject to change without notice.