Manager, Planning & Building Operations

The Operations Manager position may be eligible for remote/flexible schedule options in accordance with City of Oakland’s policy.

The City of Oakland is a dynamic City with a unique blend of cultures, a strong sense of community, and a commitment to progress. The City is known for its diversity, vibrant culture, and natural beauty. Joining the City of Oakland Planning and Building Department enables you to actively contribute to causes that align with your values and be a part of the positive change this City looks forward to.

The City is seeking an energetic and experienced candidate whose character reflects the values of the City. The successful candidate should be a collaborative, adaptable, and open-minded individual who learns quickly, leads by example, and is not afraid to roll up their sleeves to get the job done. The individual should have confidence in their ability to communicate effectively. The ideal candidate should also be a mindful leader who cares for their associates and brings a passion for chasing excellence.

The Operations Manager oversees the day-to-day operations of the permit center, ensuring efficient processing of applications, compliance with regulations, customer service, and staff management, often requiring a deep understanding of local, state and federal permitting laws and procedures, while coordinating with various departments to streamline the permitting process.

This role is crucial in providing timely service to all customers and involves the coordination and support for the intake of all development review applications. In addition to managing the permit functions, the Operations Manager serves as an ally and advocate for business owners and developers, acting as a single point of contact for business and development permitting needs. The Operations Manager is expected to facilitate streamlined reviews of projects, predict permitting challenges, and prepare applications accordingly.


We are looking for someone who is: 

• Experienced in managing a team of permit technicians, public service representatives and process coordinators to deliver expedient, efficient, and thorough permit services.
• Creative and able to resolve customer challenges with a problem-solving approach and perspective!
• A skilled team leader, and a polished professional able to lead a diverse team to complete a variety of high-profile tasks.
• Knowledgeable of local City of Oakland Ordinances, California Building Standards Codes, Health and Safety Codes and their appropriate applications.
• Able to work with other divisions, departments and outside agencies collaboratively and in concert with the City Vision and Direction.
• Flexible! Able to make expedient but sound decisions under pressure.
• Able to lead with personal accountability and integrity.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Leading and managing a team of permit technicians, public service representatives and process coordinators; assigning tasks, providing training, and evaluating performance.
• Monitoring permitting processes and working to improve team efficiencies by implementing industry best practices.
• Learning to predict permitting challenges, and when one occurs; troubleshoot and assist staff and applicants in finding solutions.
• Maintaining working relationships for team-based project reviews between all divisions and outside agencies to achieve business-friendly actions and efficient turnaround times.
• Process Improvement: identifying opportunities to streamline the permitting process, implementing new technologies, and optimizing workflows for efficiency.
• Presenting Building Bureau information both orally and in writing to City employees, external customers and organizations.
• Data Management: maintaining accurate records of permit applications, tracking progress, generating reports on permit activity, and analyzing data to identify trends.
• Collaborating with other departments within the City or County, such as Planning, Fire Prevention, Public Works, Department of Transportation and Environmental Services to coordinate permit review and approvals.

Read the complete job description by clicking this link: Manager, Planning & Building Operations

A few reasons you might love this job:

• You will be offered a sense of purpose by directly impacting the community.
• You will be provided opportunities to contribute to local improvements.
• You will be allowed to utilize your skills effectively.
• You will be provided competitive compensation and benefits.
• You will provide supportive leadership: A Manager who provides guidance, feedback, and recognizes achievements.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You will need to understand the local development community nuances and dynamics.
• You will need to build relationships with unfamiliar colleagues.
• You will need to build trust and rapport with the team: establishing credibility and gaining respect from employees who may already have established relationships with each other can be difficult in a new environment.
• You will need to learn the department’s culture: understanding the unwritten rules/policies, communication styles, and decision-making processes specific to the department.
• You will need to be mindful of preconceived notions about the city or its inhabitants that could influence decision-making.

Read the complete job description by clicking this link

Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland!
Working for the City of Oakland

Competencies Required:

• Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims.
• Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner.
• Delivering Results: Meeting organizational goals and customer expectations and making decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
• Innovative Problem Solving: Identifying and analyzing problems in order to propose new ways to do business
  and claims.
• Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring
  compliance with laws and regulations.
• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job.
• Using Technology: Working with electronic hardware and software applications.
• Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment.
• Handling Stress: Maintaining emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity.
• Innovation: Imagining and devising new and better ways of doing things.
• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability.
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing.
• Customer Focus: Attending to the needs and expectations of customers.
• Coaching & Developing Others: Supporting others in stretching and expanding their capabilities.
• Leadership: Guiding and encouraging others to accomplish a common goal.

This is an at-will position, exempt from the provisions of the City of Oakland Civil Service Rules, per Charter Section 902.  

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications is acceptable.

Education:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in management, public administration, or a related field.

Experience:

Three years of responsible supervisory or managerial experience in planning and building services.

       License or Certificate / Other Requirements

      Successful incumbents in this position are expected to operate automotive vehicles in the          performance of assigned duties.  Due to the nature of the assignment and the hours                    worked, public transportation may not be a cost effective or efficient method for traveling           to the various locations required.  Individuals who are appointed to this position will be               required to maintain a valid California Driver's License throughout the tenure of                          employment OR demonstrate the ability to travel to various locations in a timely manner as        required in the performance of duties.
Desirable Qualifications:

• Bilingual skills
• A current Permit Technician or Plans Examiner Certification from the International Code Council (ICC)
• Knowledge of the building codes and regulations
• Experience reviewing building plans for conformance

All applications received will be forwarded to the Planning & Building Department for further consideration.

What’s in it for you? 

• 15 paid holidays 
• Vacation – 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
• Retirement – CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
• Health – The City of Oakland pays for the cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care and other HMO and PPO plans 
• Dental – The City of Oakland pays for Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Vision – The City of Oakland pays for VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents 
• Sick leave – Employees accrue 12 days per year
• Deferred Compensation – 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
• Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Employee Training, & Telecommuting.

The Recruitment Process:

This is an at-will position, exempt from the provisions of the City of Oakland Civil Service Rules, per Charter Section 902. All applications received will be forwarded to the Planning & Building Department for further consideration.

Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.

Salary : $161,501 - $198,300