El Cerrito is in western Contra Costa County and forms part of the highly urbanized area along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay. El Cerrito has a population of approximately 25,508 and covers an area of 3.9 square miles. It is a diverse community of highly educated residents due to its proximity to UC Berkeley and the San Francisco Bay Area high-tech economy. The community is served by AC Transit and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, with two stations near both the northern and southern boundaries of the city. The City was designated a Prohousing Community in 2023 by the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development and the City Council is proud to be adding mixed-income, multifamily housing in proximity to the City’s two BART stations and San Pablo Avenue. The City of El Cerrito is a safe, connected, and environmentally focused Bay Area destination with vibrant neighborhoods, businesses, and public places, and provides diverse cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities for people of all ages. To learn more about this dynamic city, visit the City of El Cerrito’s website at https://www.el-cerrito.org.

The Community Development Director seeks a local government professional with a strong “service-first” orientation and a proven performance record in working collaboratively with staff, the Executive team, residents, contractors and other customers. The next Building Official will be a technically competent outcome-oriented person with a “can do” attitude, who works independently, is a self-motivator and a strong teammate to colleagues within and outside the department. Customer service and responsiveness are values modeled and promoted by the ideal candidate. This individual will have excellent communication skills and exhibit an empathetic approach while artfully handling customer complaints/concerns. Innovative, yet pragmatic, the new Building Official will have an exceptional ability to engage residents, be comfortable having personal interactions, and brings a calm demeanor and even-keeled temperament while working effectively in a fast-paced environment. This individual will be fair while having the ability to be firm and say no, when necessary.

Candidates with experience or an interest in working in smaller communities towards community goals are desirable. Experience providing and writing reports to other agencies and internal staff reports is a plus. Candidates with permit counter and customer service experience, a strong background in building functions and superb supervisory skills are encouraged to apply.

The annual salary range is $124,680 to $155,844. Placement within this range is dependent upon qualifications. For FY 2024/25 a 3% cost of living adjustment (COLA) will be implemented for the salaries of management and confidential employees.

Filing Deadline: October 29, 2023
Resumes are acknowledged within 2 business days.