Building Official/Floodplain Administrator - Development Services Department

Please submit the General Employment Application for this position to HResources@cityofhomestead.com

General Functions:

Performs a variety of routine and complex technical work in connection with the duty to enforce all of the provisions of the Building Code and other related codes; performs technical level work coordinating floodplain management and land development activities as it relates to all functions of CRS and NFIP programs for the City. In addition, the Building Official is responsible for the daily operations of the technical division of the Building Safety Division.

Reports To:

Director of Development Services

Assistant Director of Development Services

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Plan Examiners

Inspectors

Building Services Coordinator

Senior Permit Clerks

Permit Clerks

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Enforces and interprets the Building Code and other related codes and ordinances of the City of Homestead, including, but not limited to, site inspections and building and structural plans review.

• Plans, organizes, and directs the day-to-day operations of the Building Department, including permitting and inspection activities relating to requirements set forth in City ordinances, State law, and building codes.

• Manages Division vendor(s), contracts, and personnel that provide technical support as it relates to plan review and inspection services.

• Administers the permitting function, including application processing, fee assessment and collection, and permit issuance.

• Plans, organizes, and administers all activities of the technical division of the Building Department, including, but not limited to, personnel actions, evaluation, training, customer service, general departmental operations, records management, and employee discipline.

• Formulates and prescribes work within the Building Department for all departmental staff, including assigning staff to various special projects as needed.

• Recommends terminations of employment to the Development Services Director and/or Designee, as necessary. Assures optimum departmental activity in the enforcement of the Building Code.

• Prepares annual Building Safety Division operating and capital budget and accompanying descriptions of need for the Building Safety Division.

• Manages Building Safety Division's annual operating budget, capital budget, expenditures, revenues, and contracts.

• Prepares and submits reports of department activities to the Development Services Director and/or Designee.

• Attends periodic meetings as directed by the Development Services Director and/or Designee.

• Disciplines department employees for violation of City or Department Policies and Procedures.

• Performs administrative and professional work as the Floodplain Administrator and Community Rating System (CRS) Coordinator in the daily implementation of activities related to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

• Oversees, conducts and/or assigns Floodplain reviews for building permits to determine flood zone status and administer procedures to ensure that all floodplain management requirements are met.

• Coordinates the activities required for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Community Rating System and oversees the preparation and submittal of necessary forms.

• Prepares and maintains flood zone maps and associated FEMA revisions and maintains a database of all requests to FEMA for map revisions.

• Oversees management of elevation certificate files and ensures that elevation certificates are received for all properties in the special flood hazard area.

• Provides limited technical assistance to engineers, developers, and the public regarding flood zones, floodplain management requirements, and drainage studies.

• Oversees coordination of City floodplain activities with the State NFIP Coordinator and ensures the city complies with the FEMA requirements for the NFIP.

• Responds to questions and complaints from the public regarding flooding and drainage, on private property.

• Oversees inspections of properties with flood zone-specific requirements in conjunction with Floodplain Manager, Building Inspector, or Public Works.

• Serves on the Emergency Management Team for Emergency Operations Management (ECO) during Storm Season and other events, as directed.

• Represents the City of Homestead in all matters before the Miami-Dade County Board of Rules and Appeals.

• Supervises demolition projects ordered by the City of Homestead Unsafe Structures Board.

• Provides expert witness testimony for structures presented before the Unsafe Structures Board.

• Develops, evaluates, and implements policies and procedures, standards, goals, and objectives for assigned functions and communicates with the public.

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned by the Director of Development Services and/or Designee.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Qualifying individuals with disabilities may be provided reasonable accommodations to enable them to perform the essential functions.

Type of Appointment/Work hours:

• Full-time/Regular in-person position.

• Standard workweek, which is forty (40) hours of work per week usually consisting of five (5) days of eight (8) hours per day. The workday may be varied for the efficient delivery of public service.

• Will be required to work other than the standard workweek on occasion, including evenings, weekends, and/or holidays, as needed.

• Will be required to work occasional overtime or shift assignments, if applicable.

• Designated as essential personnel.

Physical and Environmental Demands or Conditions:

The physical and environmental demands for this position have been listed on the last page of this description. Physical and environmental demands must be met to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this position. Physical requirements include ability to work in an outdoor setting and perform inspections, which may require climbing ladders, crouching, standing or sitting for extended periods of time, traveling to various work locations and lifting and carrying light to moderate objects.

Requirements:

Minimum Education and Training:

• The Building Official for the City of Homestead shall be qualified as one of the following: (Section 8-21, Chapter 8 of the Miami-Dade County Building Code):

• Construction Industry Licensing Board with not less than five (5) years of experience under that license.

• A licensed General Contractor holding a current Certificate of Competency issued by the Miami-Dade County Construction Trade Qualifying Board with not less than five (5) years of experience under that license.

• Must be certified or eligible for certification as a Chief Building Inspector and Building Plans Examiner by the Miami-Dade Board of Rules and Appeals.

• Must be certified by the Miami-Dade Board of Rules and Appeals. To be certified by the Board of Rules and Appeals the individual will need the following:

• The inspection authority (the City) must apply for certification to the Building Code Compliance Office prior to the appointment of the Building Official. Based on a preliminary review of the application for certification, the Building Code Compliance Office will within ten days grant temporary certification or deny it. The application is then submitted to the Board of Rules and Appeals for approval or denial. The City shall not employ any person without first obtaining temporary certification from the Office of Code Compliance.

• The City would also need to certify the Building Official as a Building Plans Examiner and Chief Building Inspector. The code requirements for these positions to be certified are the same as the minimum criteria for a Building Official listed above.

• Must hold a valid standard certificate issued by the State of Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation Board of Building Code Administrators and Inspectors in the category and discipline they are seeking certification.

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, or a related field is required.

• A Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) is required.

• Minimum three (3) years of supervisory experience in performing general work in the construction or engineering field.

• Ability to communicate and comprehend written and verbal instructions.

• Must possess a valid state of Florida Driver's License with a clean driving record.

• Must pass the background screening process.

Minimum Qualifications and Standards Required:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Prior experience in the construction or engineering field is preferred.

• Apply technical knowledge and follow proper inspection techniques to examine workmanship, methods, and materials of construction.

• Extensive knowledge of current codes and regulatory standards governing the state's building construction industry in the respective trade/discipline.

• Extensive knowledge of all functions relevant to the processing and approval of building construction projects in the respective trade/discipline, e.g., plans review, licensing, permitting, and inspections.

• Ability to read, comprehend, and interpret laws, codes, ordinances, construction plans and procedures to ensure compliance; read, comprehend, and interpret maps, legal descriptions, and technical floodplain terminology; prepare and interpret maps; calculate and convert map scales; gather data and make accurate computations.

• Have considerable knowledge of Substantial Damage and Substantial Improvements sections of the Florida Building Code related to building construction methods, techniques, processes, and procedures.

• Knowledge of Miami-Dade County Flood Criteria Maps, flood insurance rating maps and current flood insurance studies

• Ability to get along with others and work effectively and courteously with the public and fellow workers.

• Ability to detect deviations from plans, regulations, and standard construction practices.

• Ability to operate office equipment, e.g., computer terminals, printers, copy machines, telephone systems, facsimile machines.

• Considerable knowledge of best practices, scope of services, and development of Requests for Qualifications and Requests for Proposals, as it relates to vendor procurement for Plan Review and Inspection Services.

• Knowledge of Public Sector and Administration Software, including but not limited to HTE, OpenGov, Community Plus by Central Square, BDS, and others.

• Experience with selection, implementation, and maintenance of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platforms specific to permitting, plan review, and inspection.

• Thorough knowledge of office practices and procedures and customer service principles, practices, and procedures.

• Must be fluent in the English language. The ability to communicate in Spanish is a plus.

Core Competencies:

• Judgment

• Sound decisions based on fact; uses logic to solve problems.

• Quality of Work

• Performs work thoroughly, accurately, and professionally.

• Reliability

• Timely and consistently completes assigned work; consistently reports to work and is punctual.

• Safety

• Committed to ensuring a safe environment and complies with applicable safety standards.

• Technical Capability

• Applies knowledge to identify issues and works to develop skills; demonstrates knowledge of techniques, skills, and equipment.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance:

• The employee must successfully pass a background screening process and comply with the City's Drug-Free Workplace policy.

• The City will also verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired so the proper completion of Form I-9 is required, which includes the employee providing documents evidencing identity and employment authorization.

All of the above information is intended to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this position. This description is not intended to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and qualifications required of employees assigned to this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.