Permits & Inspections Director
Buncombe County GovernmentAbout the role
The Buncombe County Permits and Inspections Department exists to protect the life, safety and welfare of its residents by administering and enforcing the North Carolina State Building Codes as adopted by the Building Code Council. Buncombe County Permits and Inspections provides building inspections and permitting services for all unincorporated areas. Currently, the Department also provides these services for the towns of Biltmore Forest, Weaverville, and Woodfin. Building inspections and permitting is a cost-recovery program through user fees and not funded as a direct cost from county-accessed property taxes.
The Permits and Inspections Department consists of 24 individuals: A Director, Assistant Director, 3 Code Enforcement Supervisors, 12 Code Enforcement Officers and 7 Administrative Staff. Read more about our great team here: https://www.buncombenc.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=359
The Permits and Inspections Department is responsible for the coordination of Buncombe County's multi-disciplinary Code Enforcement Team. This team is responsible for coordinating and monitoring compliance for County properties with concerns in multiple enforcement areas including building code, environmental health, fire safety, solid waste, and planning and development. The Permits and Inspections Director will play a leadership role in this cross-functional team.
We anticipate hosting first round interviews in mid-November, with in-person interviews in December. We hope to have a final candidate selected in January 2026.
Purpose of the position:
The primary purpose of this position is to provide direction and management to the County’s Permits and Inspections department to ensure enforcement and administration of the NC State Building Codes as adopted by the NC Building Code Council.
Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience (required at time of hire):
Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Construction Management, Engineering, or related field and six (6) years of experience as a Code Enforcement Officer or Project Manager in general construction with considerable experience in building, electrical, mechanical, and/or plumbing contracting, including at least three (3) years of managerial/supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation:
Possession of Level III Standard Certificates from the North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board in at least 2 of the 4 trades (Building; Electrical; Mechanical; Plumbing) within 18 months of hire.
Candidates must attach their Standard Certificates to their application. If you have any issues attaching a certificate please contact a County Recruiter at recruiting@buncombenc.gov.
Additional Training and Experience:
6 hours of annual continuing education are required per Standard Certificate from the North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board.
Essential Functions of the position:
Direct and supervise the activity of a department or division including the coordination of fiscal and personnel related activities.
Provide supervision, evaluation, and ongoing support of department staff through formal and informal discussion and evaluation; provide guidance and clarity as needed, including, but not limited to supporting career development and team goals, overseeing objectives and performance standards, and resolving personnel issues.
Plan and monitor department operating budget; authorizes purchases and expenditures from budget.
Oversee the day-to-day operations of issuance of permits, scheduling, and tracking of inspections.
Perform quality assurance checks to assure permits, inspections scheduling, and inspections are recorded and followed up in a timely manner.
Receive and respond to technical inquiries and information request from citizens, property owners, county departments, contractors, ind
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