Permit Coordinator - City of Saskatoon, Saskatoon

About the role

The City of Saskatoon is seeking a Permit Coordinator for a temporary full-time position available for approximately 16 months within the Building Standards Department of the Community Services Division. Operating under the supervision of the Business Manager, this position supervises a team of experienced customer service personnel. As a key part of City of Saskatoon jobs, this supervisor acts as the main point of contact for inquiries regarding complex building related permit inquiries, and takes responsibility for the efficient coordination of plan reviews within the department. This position falls under the CUPE 59 labour group.

Key duties

• Supervises, plans, organizes, assigns work to, and performs the duties of, staff engaged in the processing of building permits, occupancy permits, building encroachments, and civic addressing including changes to the site database.
• Acts as the main point of contact for customers in responding to and resolving complex permitting issues or concerns within and across inter-departmental permitting and licensing programs.
• Supervises and assists staff in resolving issues related to permitting processes, which may involve delegating inquiries to appropriate program designate and ensuring coordination and consultation with other civic departments to identify and resolve issues is completed.
• Works with the Business Manager to help identify, analyze and document gaps that exist between current and desired service delivery processes, identifying common themes to provide opportunities for staff training and/or simplification, automation and integration of services and systems.
• Interviews and assists with selection of customer service staff, and completes performance appraisals.
• Provides training for direct reports and permit systems users related to department programs and services.
• Maintains ongoing relationships and open dialogue with internal review groups to facilitate efficient permitting processes.
• Prepares a variety of periodic statistical reports illustrating construction activity and related information.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills and experience

• Grade 12 education.
• Graduation from a recognized, two-year, post-secondary engineering technology program or business college.
• Five years of progressively responsible work within the building construction industry, or with building and development permitting practices in a municipal environment, two years of which have been in a supervisory capacity.
• Considerable knowledge of current business practices and processes related to the coordination and approval of building and development permits.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing to various individuals and groups, including owners, contractors and designers.
• Demonstrated ability to work with minimal supervision and maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate and supervise the work of assigned staff including the preparation and delivery of performance appraisals.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and support staff in resolving complex issues with internal and external customers while meeting or exceeding service standards when interacting with customers.
• Effectively implement change and support and involve staff through change transitions.
• Supervise and support staff in working together collaboratively, fostering teamwork and inclusion and cultivating relationships.
• Ability to interpret, and to make decisions in accordance with, established policies and procedures.
• Ability to understand and navigate construction drawings and utilize drafting, permit processing, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) workflow management and drafting software.
• High level of skill in word processing, spreadsheet, workflow software and ability to quickly learn new software in alignment with advancements in industry software as well as ERP advancements.