New Job Development Officer (Term Position) In British Columbia

General Accountability:

Purpose and Scope
Reporting to the Development Engineering Supervisor, the Development Officer is responsible for working
with the planning, building and engineering functions to co-ordinate key permitting processes for the
Department. The main focus of the position is to ensure that proposed development complies with the City’s
planning and engineering regulations. A major component of the duties includes interacting with the public
with courtesy, tact, and diplomacy while explaining and administering permit processes and City regulations.

Nature and Scope of Work

• Reviews plans, drawings and specifications accompanying building permit applications for single-

family residential dwellings and ancillary structures to ensure they conform with SOCP, Zoning Bylaw
and other regulatory requirements (i.e. development permits, restrictive covenants).

• Coordinates, processes and analyses other development related applications in terms of conformance

to City regulations including Works on City Land, Soil Deposition, and Sign Bylaw.

• Liaises with clients making development application to ensure the receipt of complete permit

applications.

• Provides advice and make recommendations to clients regarding required changes or corrections to

building permit applications and refers the more complex and contentious issues to Building
Inspectors or senior staff.

• Coordinates the distribution and/or referral of applications for review by various Municipal

departments and other agencies.

• Collates and reviews referral responses, identifies conflicts in reviews between various departments

and agencies, and coordinates resolution of conflicts related to applications.

• Tracks, maintains, and reports on building permit statistics.

• Provides backup and support for Civic Addressing.;

• Responsible for reviewing and administering BC One inquiries.

• As required, performs site inspections for construction projects, signage, illegal suites, and soil

deposition and drainage.

• Provides technical support to building, planning, bylaw enforcement and engineering functions.

• Maintains and administers all outstanding files and records, ensuring that permits are issued within a

prescribed timeframe; takes follow up action as required.

• Participates in the planning, review, research and follow-up of on-going projects.

• Prepares and maintains records, statistics, reports and correspondence, including word processing

and data entry on to the municipal computer system, and responds to internal and external inquiries.

• Generates and provides comprehensive letters to applicants on basic technical matters and refers

detailed technical questions to appropriate staff.

• Calculates and receives permit fees according to prescribed policy and standard procedures.

• Maintains an up-to-date level of knowledge regarding land use planning, development and building

related to the work.

• Answers telephone and counter enquiries, directs visitors and phone calls.

Job Description – Development Officer
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• Performs other related duties as required.
  

Necessary Qualifications
Knowledge:

• Working knowledge of provincial statutes, regulations, codes, related documents and municipal

bylaws.

• Working knowledge and understanding of Municipal Bylaws related to the issuance of building

permits including, but not limited to, the Building and Zoning Bylaw.

• Basic knowledge and understanding of provincial legislation and municipal bylaws relating to land

use planning.

• Basic knowledge of external regulatory requirements as they relate to permits.

• Familiar with interactive web maps or other GIS mapping systems.

• A general understanding of municipal government processes and structure.

• Working knowledge of WSBC regulations and safe work practices.

Skills:

• Strong interpersonal, written and presentation skills.

• Strong customer service skills.

• Strong analytical, problem solving and decision making skills.

• Excellent attention to detail with high quality work standards.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills.

• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Ability to:

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external customers and to

communicate tactfully and effectively, both verbally and in writing.

• Respond effectively to inquiries from the development and building industries, internal clients,

governmental agencies and the general public in a professional, supportive and efficient manner

• Read and interpret legal plans, restrictive covenants and registered documents, maps, technical

drawings and building drawings.

• Provide information of a technical nature, clearly and concisely to various audiences.

• Work independently with minimal supervision in a team environment.

• Interpret regulations impartially and convey interpretations effectively.

• Establish priorities and schedule workload to meet deadlines.

• Ability and willingness to contribute to maintaining a respectful, safe and supportive work

environment that embraces diversity, along with treating everyone with courtesy, dignity and fairness.

Education:

• Two (2) year technical diploma from a recognized institution in a relevant area of study such as Civil

Engineering, Building Technology, or Land Use Planning.

Training/Certification:

• Must possess and maintain a valid Class 5 BC Driver’s Licence and produce and maintain a clean

driver’s abstract, as per City policy.

Experience:

• Minimum two (2) years of related experience within the last five (5) years.

• Working knowledge of and/or experience working with relevant provincial statutes, regulations and

codes, and related documents.

Preferred Criteria (External Postings):

• Experience in plan checking and the processing of development and building applications/permits in

a municipal environment.

• Experience working with Tempest/Prospero is considered an asset