Description

Property Maintenance Division Chief

  “Preserving the Past, while Innovating our Future!”

The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River), Arlington, and Fairfax counties.  With a population of approximately 160,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work.   About one-quarter of the City’s square miles have been designated as a national or local historic district.  We proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead.  If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for a position as Property Maintenance Division Chief for the Department of Code Administration.

An Overview

The Division Chief of Property Maintenance Code plans, manages and supervises the day-to-today activities of the Division of Property Maintenance Code within the Department of Code Administration. The employee in this class utilizes professional and technical expertise to ensure compliance and oversight of the Virginia Maintenance Code, the relevant nuisance ordinance provisions of the Alexandria City Code, and in coordination with other City agencies regarding enforcement of stakeholder provisions. The incumbent will proactively lead and manage field inspectors who investigate and resolve complaints regarding violations of the Virginia Maintenance Code, blight, and health and safety standards as required. The incumbent works under the general direction of the Assistant Director of the Department of Code Administration, with considerable latitude for independent work.

What You Should Bring

The ideal candidate should have a thorough knowledge of building and property maintenance codes, residential and other codes within the assigned mission of the Property Maintenance Code Section; thorough knowledge of building construction codes, fire prevention codes, nuisance ordinances and zoning enforcement; thorough knowledge of principles and practices of code enforcement; good knowledge of legal processes by which violations are resolved or prosecuted; demonstrated ability to develop detailed processes and procedures for most effective use of staff; ability to effectively communicate in verbal and written form; ability to promote collaborative positive relationships with citizens, civic and community organization groups, city departments, agencies and government leaders; ability to formulate and present proposals and presentations; ability to effectively supervise staff to carry out the work of the section; ability to apply strong principles of leadership, creative problem solving, collaboration, decision making, and team building; ability to prepare and present concise and effective reports; and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues. Diplomacy, excellent negotiating skills, excellent oral and written communication skills, and excellent hearing/understanding skills are essential. Demonstrate a strong ability to multitask and thorough understanding of computer information technology and associated programs such as Microsoft programs suite. 

The Opportunity – Examples of Work

•  Collaborates with relevant city departments to ensure consistent alignment of processes and policies;
•  Works closely, continuously and collaboratively with the other city departments and agencies to develop successful outcomes for various City             Code (nuisance and other assigned regulations) and Virginia Maintenance Code violations;
•  Assists field inspectors on complicated field inspections as warranted;
•  Ensures that all complaints received are adequately prioritized, assigned and investigated within prescribed response times and policies, as established in collaboration with relevant city departments and agencies, and that appropriate follow up actions, documentation and resolutions are taken;
•  Assists field inspectors with criminal and civil court prosecutions and pursues legal procedures allowed to obtain compliance under applicable         city and state codes and ordinances in collaboration with relevant city departments and agencies;
•  Manages staffing and resource distribution to make sure that the appropriate staffing levels are maintained commensurate with workload and          case complexities;
•  Proactively seeks out potential system constraints, works with others to remove or mitigate constraints to improve compliance and enforcement  effectiveness and efficiencies;
•  Identifies enforcement issues and trends within the community, plans and implements changes in resource allocation and/or case assignment and management in order to adequately address those trends for the protection, preservation and welfare of the community;
•  Maintains close interaction, alignment and communication with all applicable city departments and agencies including those for whom field       inspection staff are serving as technical assistants;
• Designs and develops operational policies and procedures for the division, and oversees implementation of same in collaboration with city departments and agencies;
• Coordinates various program activities with other business areas within the Department of Code Administration, and ensures effective interface of operations/programs with other city departments and agencies, as well as with various governmental agencies at the state, and/or federal level;
• Provides guidance to field inspectors relative to performance goals and objectives, serves as the evaluator/rater in the performance reviews of field inspectors, and provides guidance on development needs;
• Oversees field inspection staff to assure appropriate training, certification, and compliance with policies and procedures established in collaboration with relevant city departments and agencies;
• Ensures that operations and the work practices of all field inspectors comply with all applicable local, federal and state safety regulations;
• Represents the Department of Code Administration on interagency task forces designed to address specific regulatory violations that require multiple department involvement to resolve;
• Develops and implements strategies to involve neighborhood and business associations in the recognition of various city and state code     requirements and violation reporting;
• Attends various neighborhood association meetings on a rotating basis to provide training and obtain input regarding community issues, program success and/or challenges;
• Uses information technology and internet services to improve workflow, record keeping, and informational reports;
• Manages and leads residential rental inspections program in coordination with the Program Manager;
• Performs related work as required.

About the Department

The Alexandria Department of Code Administration works in concert with other City agencies and our customers (residents, tenants, business owners, building owners, architects, engineers, builders, contractors, and developers) as part of the safe building team.  Our objective is to assist customers to achieve compliance with the Virginia’s Uniform Statewide Building Codes (VUSBC), and the City Code nuisance and related provisions.  This is accomplished through permit processing, plan review, timely and consistent inspections, and education regarding the requirements of the referenced codes.  The department contains five divisions: the Permit Center, Property Maintenance Inspections, New Construction Inspections, Plan Review Services, and Administrative Services.

Requirements

Minimum & Additional Requirements:

Minimum: High School diploma or GED, and five years' experience, with three years supervisory experience sufficient to plan, manage and supervise a major code enforcement inspection program; two years customer service capacity; certifications in appropriate areas to perform inspections; or any equivalent combination of education, experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Employee must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of their residence.

Required Certifications:

•       Certified Maintenance Code Official by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development at the time of appointment; OR
•       Certified Housing Code Official by the International Code Council at the time of appointment, and
•       Certification as a Virginia Maintenance Code Official within one year of appointment.

One of the following within three years of appointment:

•       Virginia Association of Zoning Officials Certified Zoning Official
•       Virginia Association of Zoning Officials Certified Zoning Administrator;
•       International Code Council Zoning Official; or
•       Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Combination Residential Inspector

Preferred Qualifications:

All minimum requirements including Four-Year College Degree with a major in Building Construction, Building Inspection Management, Public Administration, Fire Service Administration, Law Enforcement,  or a related field; or any equivalent combination that includes a Two-Year Degree in a related field with a combination of experience, education and training that provides the required skills, knowledge and abilities.