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Fairfax County
Chief, Building Codes and Research Branch (Code Specialist IV)
Career Insights for Property Appraiser / Assessor
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What they do
A Property Appraiser or Assessor determines the value of real property, including buildings and real estate or other personal or commercial property, as the basis for determining how much tax is owed. Assesses or calculates how much tax is owed, including property tax for homes, businesses or land, income tax, or tax owed for goods traded or imported internationally.
$62,348 / year median in Virginia
-6% projected decline
Job Description
Fairfax County boasts a top-notch school system, safe neighborhoods, thousands of acres of parkland, and bustling town centers. County government sits at the heart of this dynamic community of almost 1.2 million residents and seeks employees eager to bring their energy, enthusiasm and skills to serve Fairfax residents and to shape the county's future. Land Development Services (LDS) is the steward of the county's land development and building construction codes and regulations, and its staff members embrace their essential role as "first preventers." Every day, through careful review, permitting and inspection of site and building construction, our staff protect the health, safety, welfare, and environment for those who live in, work in, and visit Fairfax County. Our department also serves as the gateway to much of the county's economic development, reviewing over 30,000 building and site plan submissions, issuing nearly 70,000 building permits, and conducting over 220,000 building and site inspections each year. If you would like to join a creative, collaborative, innovative team doing meaningful work, then LDS is the place for you. The Fairfax County Building Division is seeking an experienced building code professional to serve as the Chief of the Building Codes and Research Branch. This leadership position serves as the county's principal authority on building code interpretation, research, policy development, and code administration. Leads a multidisciplinary team of code specialists who provide technical support for complex commercial and residential construction projects, building code modifications, code appeals, legislative analysis, and code development initiatives that shape the future of building safety. As a trusted advisor to the Building Official, executive leadership, and industry stakeholders, you will research emerging construction technologies, evaluate legislative proposals, develop technical guidance, and represent Fairfax County in state and national building code development. This position offers a unique opportunity to influence building regulations, mentor technical professionals, improve public safety, and help establish engineering and code policies that affect one of the nation's largest and most innovative local building departments.(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.) Serves as a problem-solver and liaison between developer, designer, contractor and other related members of the owner's project team and county to resolve complications, issues and disputes during the development process to facilitate project implementation; Authoritatively interprets agency/County policy, and State regulations and standards as applied to problems involving technical inquiries from architects, structural engineers, and field construction code inspectors in the evaluation of structural or technical design changes to assure conformance with all applicable codes; Confers with executives and representatives of construction firms, developers and architects to resolve conflicts or issues which are code or customer related; Serves as subject matter expert in the review, administration and interpretation of development regulations, applicable codes, related standards and county or state ordinances and provides related technical explanations to stakeholders; Identifies, manages and prepares changes to deficient or obsolete provisions of applicable codes, standards and ordinances at the local, state or national levels; Reviews and evaluates alternative proposals and calculations/equations for performance paths of code compliance; Interprets and resolves highly complex technical issues through application of architectural/engineering theories, principles, and practices; Identifies, determines, and documents code non-conformities, deficiencies, infractions, and violations of building permits, construction documents, and building and related codes at field inspection sites; Evaluates and determines whether proposed remediation and corrections comply with code requirements; Serves as point-person and project manager for complex and special land development projects to monitor their status and ensure their advancement through the regulatory approval process to include zoning application, bonding, permit application, plan review and construction and bond release; Estimates resource requirements, establishes work plans and generates ongoing status updates as assigned land development projects enter and navigate the land development regulatory process; Conducts plan reviews of preliminary designs and/or construction documents of special and complex land development projects to determine compliance with applicable land development-related codes, standards and ordinances; Mediates and resolves construction project disputes between code inspectors, general contractors, home builders, construction personnel, and property owners regarding code enforcement/inspection/compliance issues; Participates in the budget development and review process as needed and makes recommendations concerning ongoing budget issues; Researches, defends, implements and oversees policy changes related to land development process and the enforcement of applicable codes, ordinances and county or state regulatory requirements; Interfaces with the County Attorney's Office through the processes of code development, policy realignment, code appeals and other program-related legal needs; Prepares reports and documentation for and testifies in front of regulatory bodies to defend new and edited provisions of affected codes and ordinances, related policy changes, service level changes and/or process improvements; Provides direction to staff in the investigation, research and prosecution of complaints and violations of the program area's applicable codes and ordinances; Represents the county or directs staff in criminal or civil court proceedings; Provides direction and advice on responses to code modification requests and assists in the representation from the program area at code appeals proceedings; Manages permit applications, code compliance and regulatory approval for land development projects; Develops and maintains communication and outreach plans to effectively reach and inform program area stakeholders; Prepares and presents detailed reports, studies and complex material to diverse groups of program area stakeholders to gain support and consensus; Represents the county at project and administrative meetings, forums and conferences; Negotiates and/or administers contracts for the full range of third party services to assist program area; Prepares, implements and maintains program area's quality control/quality assurance program; Prepares and conducts training on code provisions, code enforcement policy and related topics to staff and industry representatives. (The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all
- inclusive list.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to") Graduation from an accredited four year college or university with a bachelor's degree in a field of study directly related to the industry being regulated such as engineering, architecture, urban planning, biological or environmental science, public administration, law enforcement, legal studies or a related field; plus six years of progressively more responsible complaint resolution and/or code enforcement experience in the industry being regulated.CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED
Driver's License VDHCD Certified Building Official- within 9 months of hire. VDHCD Residential Building Plans Examiner
- within 9 months of hire. VDHCD Commercial Building Plans Examiner
- within 9 months of hire.