Job Description

GENERAL SUMMARY

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Shoreline is an inclusive City that endeavors to build a work culture which embraces diversity, encourages participation, and promotes equity.

The City of Shoreline's Planning and Community Development Department is searching for its next customer-focused and detail-orientated Permit Technician. In this role, you will assist with processing permit applications, reviewing plans and documents for completeness, and providing support to customers navigating the permit process.


The department is committed to bringing the community's vision of a welcoming, equitable, sustainable, and safe community into being by providing exceptional customer service, community guidance, and creative problem solving. As a Permit Technician you will become a member of the Permit Services Team. The Permit Services Team is made up of five Permit Technicians, and administrative and extra help staff. This team is responsible for providing exceptional customer service and administering permitting functions for the City, including building, land use/planning, fire, film permits, franchise utilities, right-of-way, and special events. Because of these in-person service needs, current remote work is limited to one day per week, with the potential to increase to two days per week as staffing allows. Remote-work days are set at the manager's discretion in coordination with the employee to ensure adequate service coverage.


The successful candidate will have excellent communication skills, a strong attention to detail, experience in providing exceptional customer service, and enjoy a team where continuous improvement is at the heart of what we do. A collaborative, solution-oriented attitude is essential to this work, along with experience working within permitting systems/processes. This position also works frequently and partners with other departments and outside agencies.


The City is in the midst of evaluating the permitting process and building an implementation roadmap to streamline and improve permitting processes. As a Permit Technician, you will play a key role in implementing improvements as the department works towards creating a simpler and easier to understand process for our customers that meets City and State performance measures. As part of this effort, the department is preparing to implement a new customer-facing permitting portal in 2026, and the Permit Services team will play central role in this major change.


Shoreline is a growing and diversifying community of over 60,000 people located directly north of Seattle in King County, Washington. The City is in the midst of an exciting transformation, with two recently-opened light rail stations and a recent Comprehensive Plan update setting the policy direction for the City's growth for the next 20 years. At the City of Shoreline, you will be part of the team at the forefront of this transformation. The City is committed to an aggressive reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through Resolution 494 and the recently adopted Climate Action Plan. Shoreline recently declared its commitment to becoming an actively anti-racist city by passing Resolution 467 and working to understand how undoing racism in all forms shows up in city policies and services.

DEFINITION

This position performs a wide range of permit-processing duties, including intake, review, routing, and issuance; providing clear guidance on requirements and procedures to the public, City staff, and partner agencies; assisting with permit plan processing; delivering customer service across multiple channels; and supporting the team in coordinating permitting functions for the assigned program area.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives direction from higher level management staff or department director.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

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Essential Functions:

Perform complex and difficult technical clerical duties in support of several departments. Accept, review and issue building, land use, fire, right of way, mechanical and other various permits according to established procedures. Explain department policies and procedures to permit applicants and assist customers with completion of forms. Determine and collect appropriate fees for each new project; account for daily fee intake and submit reports to financial staff. Oversee the permit tracking process, ensuring timely initiation and accurate entry of all relevant application details into the system. Regularly review and update the information as necessary. Create, organize, and maintain project files; assign document numbers; identify missing or required information needed for plan review; and accurately enter and update records in the permitting system. Work collaboratively with staff from various teams and departments to ensure timely resolution of permit processing issues. Respond to requests and inquiries from the public regarding building and zoning requirements, regulations and restrictions; maintain contact with clients regarding project progress; determine any remaining permit requirements; issue Permit Approval Notice. Prepare and create graphs, tables and other illustrative materials; design reports; handle the reproduction of reports and other materials. Provide general permitting information to City staff, government agencies and the general public. When applicable, connect customers with staff with other areas of expertise. Perform a variety of clerical duties including word processing, filing, scheduling and booking meeting spaces. Compile technical and statistical data and distribute to the appropriate staff, agencies and files.

Marginal Functions:

Participate in a variety of special projects as assigned. Provide training and oversee the work of temporary staff as required. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required

QUALIFICATIONS

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Knowledge of:

Applicable codes, ordinances, laws and regulations pertaining to right-of-way uses, land use and building construction. City permit process, procedures and requirements. Principles and practices of customer service. Basic principles and practices of comprehensive planning and the Growth Management Act. Community development programs and procedures. Methods and techniques of map reading. Principles and procedures of financial record keeping and reporting. Principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation. Practices used in minute taking and preparation. English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation. Geographic information system (GIS) technology. Modern office procedures, methods and equipment. Applicable computer software applications.

Ability to:

Participate and work effectively in an organization committed to advancing principles and practices of equity and anti-racism. Review and issue building, land use, fire, right of way, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. Streamline permit tracking process; ensure that permit tracking is started and all relevant application information is accurately entered; review and update computer information as needed. Compile technical and statistical planning information and prepare clear and concise staff reports. Perform technical clerical duties in support of an assigned department. Determine and collect appropriate fees for projects. Understand and interpret laws underlying the general plan, zoning and applicable environmental laws and regulations. Interpret and explain planning and zoning programs to the general public. Read and interpret construction plans, mapping and survey data, site plans, zoning codes, legal descriptions and related information. Create and prepare graphs, tables and other illustrative materials. Occasionally work flexible hours including evenings and weekends on a volunteer basis. Respond to requests and inquiries from the general public. Type and/or enter data on a computer at a speed necessary for successful job performance. Operate office equipment including computers, the GIS and supporting word processing and spreadsheet applications. Maintain effective audio-visual judgements and perceptions needed for making observations, communicating with others, reading, writing and operating assigned equipment. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. Foster a climate that encourages collaboration, fairness, respect, and inclusiveness. Work independently in the absence of supervision. Work well as a contributing member of a team. Work collaboratively and utilize appropriate resources to solve problems creatively. Communicate effectively and ask for help when needed.

Experience and Training Guidelines

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:

Three years of increasingly responsible experience in the field of urban planning, zoning, or the processing of land use or building permits.

Training

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Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by college level course work in urban planning, public administration, construction or a related field.

Certificates:

Permit Technician, ICC, or AICP certification is desirable.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

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The City's mission is to fulfill the community's vision through highly valued public service. Our employees work relentlessly to achieve organizational goals while embracing the City's values.

City Mission, Values, and Goals

Environmental Conditions

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Work is performed in a standard office setting with routine environmental controls to assure health and comfort, and typically performed while seated, standing or walking at will. There may be some routine bending and carrying of light items such as books or papers.

Conditions Of Employment:

All candidates will be required to establish employment authorization and identity at the time of hire. The City is not able to sponsor work visas.

All positions require the completion of reference checks, including at least one prior supervisor.

Application Process:

To demonstrate skills and interest, please complete the application and provide answers to the Supplemental Questions which will help us determine your qualifications for the job. (This application does NOT allow for attachments.)

Remote Work Eligibility :

This position is eligible for remote work. The City's remote work policy, Employees Working Remotely, requires staff in positions eligible for remote work to work onsite a minimum of four days per pay period (every two weeks), the schedule will be mutually agreed upon with the supervisor. During the 6-month orientation period of employment it is expected that all work will be performed at the assigned City's location. Full-time remote work is not an option. Once hired, employees must reside in the State of Washington.

Recruitment Timeline:

Review of applications: January 29 Tentative Panel interviews: Week of February 9 Background and/or reference checks: Week of February 16 Targeted start date: March second week
Applicants with disabilities who require assistance with the application or interview process will be accommodated to the extent reasonably possible. To request an accommodation, please call (206) 801-2243.