City and County of San Francisco

Under direction, the Permit Technician III supervises, trains, evaluates and participates in the work of staff who perform a wide variety of paraprofessional, technical, administrative and specialized work in receiving, reviewing, processing and issuing building, electrical, plumbing and related permits and applications; determining required inspections; creating inspection records and appointments; maintaining field inspection lists and processing requests for records.  Responsibilities include: interpreting and overseeing the dissemination of important technical information; handling complex issues and complaints; and assisting in the development, administration, monitoring and coordination of the budget for their sections.

This is the supervisory-level in the Permit Technician series.  This class is distinguished from the Permit Technician II in that this class full supervisory responsibility over a unit of Permit Technicians and administrative support staff.  This class independently performs the most complex and technical work of the unit.

Supervises paraprofessional, technical and administrative support staff.

According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

1.    Plans, organizes and supervises building permit processing activities; supervises technical, clerical and/or other administrative support staff; develops work procedures, methods and record-keeping systems based on standard office practices and/or administrative directives; performs personnel management functions with authority in selecting and/or recommending hires, completing performance evaluations, determining work assignments, and issuing and handling disciplinary issues.

2.    Interacts directly with project sponsors, permit expediters, contractors, the general public and other department representatives relative to complex plan review, permit routing, construction inspection, notice of violation, records request inspection scheduling, special inspections, complaints and code violations. Researches complex public records with regard to construction drawings, permits, calculations, soil reports and legal descriptions. Disseminates, explains, and interprets information, regulations, and policies and procedures of the department.

3.    Resolves a variety of complex and difficult problems and complaints encountered by staff and department representatives regarding permit and plan submittals and processing, illegal construction, code violations and inspections.

4.    Receives, reviews and evaluates complex permit applications, construction plans and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy and conformance with local, state and federal building codes and other applicable established criteria. Resolve issues related to the determination of the need for complex pre-permit inspections and needed level of review of plans prior to permit issuance.

5.    Processes and issues various complex and difficult building, electrical and plumbing permits. Determines required inspections, creates inspection records and appointments, maintains field inspection lists from permit records.  

6.    Uses fee schedules and designated calculation methodologies to determine value and calculate and access preliminary and final fees; calculates size-based fees; collects, records and balances permit related monetary transactions. Processes applicable charges through the Department’s cashiering system, handles cash, checks and other forms of payment, performs initial reconciliation of receipts and reconciles entries with the City’s Permit Tracking System.

7.    Performs extensive and complex entries into the City’s Permit Tracking System and other computer based systems, ensuring accuracy in all data including street names, names of owner(s) project sponsor(s) and design professionals, project characteristics, fees and payments, and permit contractor’s information.

8.    Ensures the records and logs are compiled and maintained for various permit related files, data, documents, plans and reports.

9.    Processes complex records requests associate with building permits; research permit and plans information to respond to records requests;  assist customers with plans; process requests from other City Agencies; works with the vendor that scans plans; and performs scanning in-house.

10.  Collects data and prepare statistical reports regarding permit intake, issuance and inspections; and supervises and/or prepares and processes administrative documents requiring extensive knowledge of department operations, policies, procedures, codes, regulations and ordinances.

11.  Provides information used to develop the budget and monitors expenditures.

12.  Develops and maintains procedure manuals.

Knowledge of: Extensive knowledge of construction drawing conventions and general information presented on construction plans; extensive knowledge of legal authority of department with regards to public disclosure, right of entry, denial of services, permits, enforcement actions administrate regulations and appeals processes; cash handling principles and basic arithmetic; technical terminology; supervisory principles, practices and techniques.

Skill to: Utilize complex specialized computer software including permit systems; operating Window Based Personal Computers, point of sale machines, copiers, fax machines and scanners.

Ability to: Read and review building plans and specifications for completeness; read land use maps, assessor’s maps, plot maps, specifications, civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing drawings, energy calculations, and other related documents; use architectural and engineering scales to calculate dimensions and features; calculate and assess fees, apply cash handling principles; independently respond to and resolve complex and difficult day-to-day problems and/or complaints encounter by staff, the public and other in the course of handling office operations and procedures; explain, interpret and apply complicated and specialized information, polices, and governmental guidelines and regulations to departments, staff, the public and/or others; research complex data, compile statistical information, and prepare reports for management; learn, understand and apply various state and local laws, codes, ordinances and regulations; communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing; work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner; work independently within established policies and procedures; coordinate, train and supervise staff.

These minimum qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification.  Please note, additional qualifications (i.e., special conditions) may apply to a particular position and will be stated on the exam/job announcement.

Four (4) years of verifiable, building permit and plan processing experience, of which two (2) years of experience must have involved building permit and plan processing functions equivalent to the level of class 6322 Permit Technician II with the City and County of San Francisco.

Possession of the Permit Technician Certification, issued by the International Code Council, or equivalent issuing agency, is required within two (2) years of appointment.

ORIGINATION DATE: 12/10/2012