JOB TITLE: Supervisor, Plans & Permits

DEPARTMENT: Planning, Building & Growth Management

POSTING NUMBER: 105996

NUMBER OF POSITIONS: 1

JOB STATUS & DURATION: Full Time Permanent 

HOURS OF WORK: 35 hour workweek

LOCATION: Hybrid Model – when working onsite, you will report to the location of Flower City Community Campus.

SALARY GRADE: 7

HIRING SALARY RANGE: $111,485.00 - $125,421.00 per annum

MAXIMUM OF SALARY RANGE: $139,356.00 per annum

JOB TYPE: Management and Administration

POSTING DATE: June 24, 2024

CLOSING DATE: July 15, 2024

AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Reporting to the Manager of the Plans and Permits, this position oversees the operation of the building permit process and assists the Manager and CBO in the administration and enforcement of the Building Code Act and Ontario Building Code. Supervisor of Plans and Permits is responsible for supervising, directing and mentoring a multidisciplinary team of professional and technical staff in areas of Customer Service, Plans Examinations, and Code Administration. The Supervisor of Plans and Permits leads and participates in reviewing highly complex and sensitive projects based on department or corporate strategic priorities. In addition, this position undertakes and manages special projects based on the corporation's strategic plans and priorities.

PROJECTS/PERMITS PROCESS MANAGEMENT

• Manage, motivate, hire, and train multidisciplinary staff within the unit, this includes the following disciplines:
  • Customer Service Plan Examiners
  • Residential Plan Examiners
  • ICI Building Plan Examiners
  • HVAC Examiners
  • Plumbing Examiners
  • Permit Expediters
• Ensuring effective teamwork, high standards of work quality and organizational performance, continuous learning and encouraging innovation in others.
• Organize and monitor all stages of the permit process including compliance with Building Code and all other applicable laws.
• Ensure prescribed timelines for permit review/issuance comply with provincial regulations.
• Responsible for ensuring that decisions/actions are consistent and in accordance with procedures/legislation. Develop solutions to complex circumstances and considers alternate methods to provide solutions.
• Review and assess reports and supporting documents submitted by professional designers in accordance with good professional practice.
• Provide support to the inspection team including site visits and staff training to ensure conformity with OBC, regulations, Municipal and Provincial applicable laws.
• Assign and monitor the work of the plans examination team; responsible to ensure a balanced distribution of work; responsible for reviewing plan examiner’s checklists.
• Provide evidence, develop the strategy of defence and attend discoveries where there is civil litigation against the City. Represent the City’s interests in crisis situations involving corporate liability.
• Participate on various internal committees responsible for the development of policies and procedures designed to create consistencies and improve efficiencies.
• Monitor and recommend enhancements to the AMANDA permit tracking system, lead in the correction of errors and omissions, solve issues when they arise for discrepancies in information.
• Monitor, negotiate and implement special time frames for projects with critical construction schedules and political significance.
• Conduct periodic evaluations of plans examiners’ review of permit applications and drawings for completeness and technical accuracy, and ensure consistent quality standards are upheld.
• Ensure plans review team correctly calculates all permit and administrative fees and resolve disputes related to applicability of fees, levies, and other applicable charges.
• Create a link between the applicant and the City’s Finance Department while providing technical expertise and administrative help to the City Finance Services in determining the development changes for the applicable permit applications.

PEOPLE LEADERSHIP

• Supervise, direct and oversee a team of professional staff and assignments; ensure that appropriate strategies and plans are in place to maintain a high-performing Division and effective teamwork.
• Determine needs for staffing allocation and recruitment, make recommendations for additional staff, and participate in selecting new hires.
• Assist with planning, prioritization and distribution of assignments to staff based on qualifications and experience while maintaining and monitoring established service levels.
• Foster a productive team environment by effectively addressing issues, supporting and motivating staff including mentoring and training.
• Responsible for the day-to-day implementation of procedures, policies and regulations for the review of building permit applications to ensure compliance with legislative requirements
• Work in collaboration, as part of the Division Leadership team, in the evaluation of the section’s effectiveness and assess the need for changes and improvements
• Work with staff through mentorship and professional development, to ensure progression, motivation and innovation.
• Determine needs for performance management, discipline and other personnel matters of a confidential nature.
• Review and approve vacation and overtime requests while ensuring adequate staff coverage to satisfy provincially legislated timelines.
• Monitor individual staff service level and takes appropriate actions when those service levels are not met while providing performance feedback, coaching and training Plans and Permits staff to support desired performance levels and standards.
• Ensure that staff complete required legislated training related to Building legislation and that staff have the mandated Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) qualifications. Maintains up to date knowledge of amendments to existing legislation and divisional policies and procedures.
• Coordinate and ensure other approvals related to plans examination including but not limited to the Fire Department; Conservation Authorities, Planning, Heritage, Accessibility Office, Region of Peel, Ministry of Transportation; and Finance Department are obtained prior to authorizing the issuance of a permit
• Lead presentations and focus groups at neighbourhood meetings, open houses, and public meetings of standing committees of Council.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Direct inquiries and compliance requests, monitor the activity level response time to maintain a high level of the customer service.
• Provide response and information about inquiries related to the building permit and development application requirements, building code, building code interpretation, by-laws and review process to designers, developers, the public and other internal staff/departments.
• Coordinate and prepare detailed written correspondence within the legislative timeframes for application submissions, including, code interpretations for permit submission and identifying areas of non-compliance with the legislated requirements, policies and other applicable laws.
• Act as the first level of conflict escalation. Investigate and resolve escalated customer complaints and concerns, ensuring they are addressed promptly while limiting Corporate exposure to risk and liability
• Provide interpretation, mediate and resolve Code and technical related issues for both internal and external customers, and resolve sensitive and complex issues with guidance from the Manager /CBO
• Identify, recommend, adapt and implement innovative and effective work practices and procedures to improve service delivery and the business responsibilities of the team.

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

• Liaise with various internal and external stakeholders including members of Council, the Mayor’s office, other City Divisions, the Region of Peel, Provincial Ministries, the building industry, professional consultants, qualified designers and contractors, local residents, businesses and property owners, on matters relating to building permits, agreements, Building Code and other related legislation.
• Provide a critical communication link between Building Division staff, Senior Management, and the Mayor’s office and members of Council for politically sensitive, highly confidential and potentially volatile situations.
• Liaise with the Supervisor of Administration and the Supervisor of Zoning and Sign in the development of Division policy and procedures.
• Resolve conflicts resulting from Departmental activities, such as interpretive and procedural disputes with applicants and non-compliance.
• Provide timely updates, information and recommendations to the Director, Building and Chief Building Official on priorities with responsibility to operationalize identified goals and strategies
• Constantly build and foster strong working relationships with divisional, departmental, inter-departmental and external partners, including elected officials, private, public and external agencies in the delivery of Building Code Act objectives.

PROVIDE TECHNICAL REVIEW AND COMMENTS

• Participate, review, research, endorse and comment on development applications, various committees, and agreements.
• Attend various industry seminars and courses, including Ontario Building Officials Association, Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing and the Canadian Fire Safety Association to keep abreast of new technical information related to the code, other regulations and standards that affect the construction of buildings, new products and building systems. Stay current on changes to legislation and relevant Case Law to maintain best practices and uniform interpretation.
• Perform technical research, prepare written reports and make recommendations in response to alternative solution proposals where prescriptive building code requirements cannot be met.
• Prepare technical submissions for Building Code Commission hearings and coordinate divisional responses to proposed code amendments as initiated by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
• Develop written technical code interpretations and service guidelines, standard practices and procedures related to building code regulations to ensure consistent application of the regulation by all technical staff in the Building Division. Review and monitor the effectiveness of policies and procedures and provide recommendations to the Manager and CBO regarding possible improvements
• Maintain and update current knowledge, skills and professional certification to meet organizational and provincial standards.
• Prepare reports and summarise for complex projects and projects with technical or regulatory issues.
• Provide technical support to employees for unique or unusual code compliance cases.
• Prepare reports and summaries for complex projects and projects with technical or regulatory issues.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

EDUCATION:

• Degree in Engineering or Architecture or Diploma in Engineering or Architectural Technology.
• Successful completion of the provincial qualification programme in the following categories: Legal Processes, Small Buildings, Large Buildings, Building Structural, Complex Buildings and Building Services. Working towards completion of Plumbing – All Buildings.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of 5 years in a building code enforcement capacity or related construction regulatory environment.
• Managerial/supervisory experience in a related field is preferred with proven ability to work effectively with staff in a unionized team environment in a related field is preferred.

OTHER SKILLS AND ASSETS:

• Professional designation in such as OAA, A.A.T.O, P.Eng., CET, and/or CBCO is preferred.
• Must have a valid MTO class ‘G’ driver’s license in good standing
• Computer proficiency with MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and advance Portable Document Format software such as Bluebeam, Adobe Pro, etc
• Previous experience with building permit tracking system “AMANDA” is preferred
• Demonstrate excellent public relations and customer service skills.
• Demonstrate positive and proactive leadership capabilities, adopt at leading a group of employees, contracted services and consultants; demonstrated commitment to developing high-performance teams.
• Demonstrate the ability to navigate the political and unionized environment
• Ability to be a trusted advisor and/or advocate in sensitive and/or emotionally charged situations.
• Demonstrate perseverance and resilience in addressing and escalating as required, challenges and emergent issues.
• Superior communication (written and verbal) and report writing skills.
• Demonstrate influencing, critical thinking and issue resolution abilities.
• Strong time management skills including ability to effectively manage priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Responsible for implementing and complying with Brampton Corporate Occupational Health and Safety policies, Brampton Specific safety policies, and the Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act.
• Good performance and work record
• Must be able to wear personal protective equipment

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*Various tests and/or exams may be administered as part of the selection criteria.

Interview:  Our recruitment process may be completed with video conference technology.

As part of the corporation’s Modernizing Job Evaluation project, this position will undergo an evaluation which may result in a change to the rate of compensation.  Any changes affecting this position will be communicated as information becomes available. *Our Hybrid Model is subject to change.  

If this opportunity matches your interest and experience, please apply online at: www.brampton.ca/employment quoting reference #105996 by July 15, 2024 and complete the attached questionnaire. We thank all applicants; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The successful candidate(s) will be required, as a condition of employment, to execute a written employment agreement. A criminal record search will be required of the successful candidate to verify the absence of a criminal record for which a pardon has not been granted.

As part of the application process, applicants will be invited to complete a self-identification survey. The survey is voluntary. Participation in the survey will have no impact on hiring decisions.  Should you wish to opt out of completing the survey, please select “prefer not to answer” as a response to each question.  All information collected is confidential and will not be shared with the hiring manager. The surveys will be anonymized and will be kept separate from applicant or employee files, such that the individuals who completed the surveys will not be identifiable.  The results of the survey will assist in the analysis of disaggregated metrics for organizational planning purposes and our commitment to advance and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion. The City may use anonymized data to produce aggregate reports for internal or external use.

Please be advised, the City of Brampton uses email to communicate with their applicants for open job competitions. It is the applicant’s responsibility to include an updated email address that is checked daily and accepts emails from unknown users. As we send time sensitive correspondence via email (i.e. testing bookings, interview dates), it is imperative that applicants check their email regularly. If we do not hear back from applicants, we will assume that you are no longer interested in the Job Competition and your application will be removed from the Competition.

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