Chief Building Official

City of Hanahan•Hanahan, SC

18h

About The Position

Under limited supervision, the Chief Building Official administers and enforces City and state codes regulating the construction, use, and occupancy of buildings and structures. The role directs the Building and Codes Department, including plan review, permitting, building inspections, and code enforcement, and performs complex inspections as needed. The position reports to the City Administrator and directly supervises one employee. The Chief Building Official interprets and enforces adopted building codes and City ordinances; reviews plans and permit applications; ensures permits, approvals, and business licenses are in order; and responds to complaints and violations. The position also serves as the City's Flood Plain Manager and Code Enforcement Officer, coordinates with City departments and outside agencies, and supports the Board of Examiners and Review. Duties include department budgeting, staff development, records management, policy and ordinance development, public communication, and participation in emergency response and post-disaster assessments. The role requires field inspections as well as administrative work. The employee regularly works outdoors and may inspect uneven terrain, confined spaces, and elevated or otherwise precarious locations. Normal office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; attendance at scheduled and special meetings outside those hours is required, and additional or different hours may be needed for operational needs or emergencies.

Requirements

Associate's degree in construction management, engineering technology, building inspection, architecture, or a related field, supplemented by at least five years of progressively responsible experience in construction, building inspection, plan review, or building code administration; an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.
Possess and maintain appropriate registration with the South Carolina Building Codes Council.
Certification as a Building Official through the International Code Council (ICC) or another recognized code organization, or qualify for provisional registration and complete applicable certifications within the established timeframes.
If not already certified, obtain the first certificate within six months, the second within twelve months of provisional registration, and the third within twenty-four months of provisional registration for Certified Building Official; obtain or maintain ICC Certified Building Official status within the stated timeframe of hire.
Maintain required professional certifications, registration renewals, and continuing education.
Valid driver's license.
Knowledge of City government organization and administrative processes, department and City rules, regulations, and standard operating procedures.
Ability to read and interpret engineering plans, building plans, blueprints, land surveys, diagrams, maps, specifications, and contracts.
Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems applications and ability to use computers and software, including Word, Excel, databases, development, and project management programs.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe, or similar software, and ability to learn new or updated software.
Strong time management, organizational, multitasking, attention-to-detail, problem-solving, and decision-making skills; ability to meet deadlines and work independently in a fast-paced, sometimes stressful environment.
Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills; ability to present professionally to City Council and the public.
Ability to enforce codes firmly, tactfully, and impartially, and establish effective working relationships with citizens, contractors, developers, colleagues, and others.
Ability to concentrate, memorize, reason logically, and respond effectively to emergencies, changes, and directives.
Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
Regularly stand, walk, use hands, reach, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and talk or hear; may need to traverse uneven terrain, enter confined spaces, and climb ladders.
Regularly lift or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 50 pounds.
Vision abilities include close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision and ability to adjust focus.

Responsibilities

Plan, direct, and supervise the Building and Codes Department, including plan review and building inspection.
Supervise department staff, including assigning and reviewing work, hiring, training, evaluating performance, and addressing employee problems and discipline.
Ensure staff maintain required certifications and provide training and professional development.
Interpret and enforce adopted building codes, City codes, ordinances, and applicable state laws and regulations.
Approve permits and ensure appropriate permits and required departmental or agency approvals are obtained before permit issuance or occupancy.
Review architectural and engineered drawings, construction plans, site inspection reports, permit applications, and related documents for code compliance.
Meet with contractors and design professionals to coordinate plan review, inspections, and permitting, and resolve conflicts between contractors and inspection staff.
Perform complex inspections of residential, commercial, industrial, and other buildings; inspect mobile home installations and properties with substandard conditions or structural damage.
Prepare inspection reports, notices of correction, stop-work orders, certificates of occupancy, citations, and other records and correspondence.
Ensure businesses operating within the City hold current business licenses or have paid applicable fees.
Resolve citizen complaints through code compliance or court action, as appropriate, and appear in court to present evidence.
Serve as Flood Plain Manager, enforcing the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance and coordinating floodplain construction compliance with property owners, professionals, City officials, and FEMA representatives.
Identify hazard mitigation projects and work with relevant parties to pursue federal funding for existing conditions.
Coordinate with the Berkeley County Stormwater Department on City projects and issues.
Coordinate with the City Planner/Zoning Administrator on tree removal inspections, zoning approvals, and related matters; refer zoning interpretation, variance, and land-use questions to that official.
Organize and present requests to the Board of Examiners and Review, including preparing materials, issuing public notices, and scheduling meetings.
Draft amendments to the Code of Ordinances and present them for approval; monitor changes to standard codes and state laws and coordinate staff training and public information when codes change.
Ensure third-party services are appropriately qualified, documented, and administered, and coordinate with Planning, Fire, Public Works, and external reviewing agencies without assuming their separate authority.
Maintain reliable permit, approved-plan, inspection, occupancy, and code-enforcement records.
Prepare and administer the department budget, develop and update department policies and procedures, and monitor work and resource use.
Assign street numbers to City buildings and residences, and report streetlight outages, drainage problems, and road problems to the appropriate agencies.
Attend department head meetings, Council meetings and workshops, Planning Commission meetings, Board of Zoning Appeals meetings, Board of Examiners and Review meetings, and Design Control Committee meetings.
Respond to public inquiries and complaints and attend neighborhood or community meetings and events as needed.
Respond to emergency situations involving unsafe structures and building hazards, including outside normal working hours when required, and participate in emergency management and post-disaster damage assessments as assigned.
Attend training, conferences, seminars, and meetings to maintain current knowledge of legislation, trends, and technology in building inspection and plan review.
Operate a vehicle and office equipment, use measuring and testing devices and ladders, and perform general administrative and office work.