Job description
PORT PERMIT COORDINATOR
Oakland, CA Salary: $10,824 - $13,401/month, 37.5-hr work week
Your Port. Your Community. Your Career.
When you join the Port of Oakland, you become part of a proud local legacy, an organization that touches virtually every resident with its services and programs. The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport (“OAK”), and 20 miles of waterfront. The Oakland seaport is one of the top ten busiest container ports in the U.S.; OAK is one of three major commercial airports serving the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area, offering over 300 daily passenger and cargo flights; and the Port’s real estate includes commercial developments such as Jack London Square and hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation areas.
The Port is currently recruiting for the classification of Port Permit Coordinator. Under general supervision and direction, the Port Permit Coordinator administers and coordinates a variety of activities relating to the Port’s building and development permit applications and issuance process for all Port tenants and private property owners who would like to alter or develop property in the Port Area. The incumbent serves as the primary point of contact for permit applicants to ensure submitted permit applications are complete and compliant with applicable codes, regulations, and Port policies; facilitates timely reviews and approvals of applications by coordinating reviews with all applicable Port departments; coordinates permit issuance by the Port of Board Commissioners; performs site visits and coordinates field inspections with Engineering staff; and issues permit approval. The Port Permit Coordinator also advises Port staff on procedures to obtain permits from public/regulatory agencies, excluding environmental regulatory agencies, and facilitates communication between the Port and other applicable permitting agencies. The Port Permit Coordinator also serves as the Port’s liaison with applicable permitting agencies. Performs related work as assigned.
Typical duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Serves as the primary point of contact between applicants and Port departments regarding permit requirements, application status, and resolution of review comments.
- Provides guidance to applicants regarding permit procedures, required documentation, design standards, and fees. Calculates and communicates permit fees.
- Advises Port staff on obtaining non-Port permits for Port projects. May assist in preparation of non-Port permit applications packages.
- Serves as the liaison between Port departments and applicable permitting agencies regarding permit requirements, application status, and resolution of review comments for Port Projects.
- Manages and updates the Port’s online permit application system to ensure timeliness of permit application reviews, applicant responses, and permit issuance. Conducts initial screening of development permit applications received by the Port. Monitors and notifies the applicant when Port comments are uploaded and notifies reviewing Port departments when applicant responses are received.
- Schedules and facilitates pre-application meetings, technical review meetings, and interdepartmental coordination meetings.
- Communicates and enforces terms and conditions of Port Development Permit/building permit approvals with Port tenants and private property owners in coordination with appropriate Port division representatives on building projects and improvements.
- Ensures project compliance with building codes and all applicable Port, city, county, state, and federal standards and regulations governing building construction, including Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and others; acts as liaison between applicants, City of Oakland, applicable regulatory agencies, and the Port.
- Administers and coordinates the permit application process, including the monitoring of construction documents and other information associated with the approval of development within the Port's jurisdiction.
- Researches pertinent information for review of permit application by Port staff; secures information from subject matter experts.
- Conducts preliminary building permit reviews for Port aviation and maritime, projects to identify required permits.
- Coordinates and schedules permit review activities, including but not limited to Port departments and Design Review Committees; participates in staff committee review and critique of proposed design.
- Coordinates with the Port’s Commercial Real Estate Division and tenants on development within commercial real estate areas such as, but not limited to, Jack London Square.
- Coordinates the issuance of permits for business and transportation signage.
- Gathers information on Port facilities standards and Port, city, county, and state building codes, standards, restrictions, regulatory permits, and related ordinances; disseminates such information periodically, as well as information regarding the department's functions and procedures, to Port staff, permit applicants or the general public.
- Reviews designs, building layouts, and other aspects of the projects against Federal, State of California, City of Oakland, and Port codes and standards, restrictions, or ordinances and recommends design changes accordingly.
- Provides primary technical and professional recommendations to the Port's efforts to comply with requirements of the ADA; serves on Port project management teams for facilities and projects as technical support as the Port's ADA compliance coordinator.
- Prepares Board letters, agendas, staff reports and administrative procedures for Port management review, recommending approval and disposition of permit applications and related matters.
- Corresponds with permit applicants on the receipt and progress of the application.
- Monitors and reports building projects’ status by conducting and coordinating site visits and document progress as needed.
- Maintains and updates records on ADA permit applications and related documents.
- Maintains permit records and compliance documentation in accordance with Port policies.
- Reviews and updates the Port’s Engineering Master Fee Schedule.
- Improves the existing Port permit application workflows, including streamlining the permitting process, and develops checklists and standard operating procedures for organizational use.
- Updates the Land Use and Development Code to accommodate permitted use changes, permit process improvements, and other code revisions.
- Prepares presentation materials, presents/speaks at internal meetings, external public settings, or similar professional settings.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in planning, architecture, civil engineering, public administration or a related field.
Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible experience in permit processing, planning, zoning, plan checking, building inspection, or engineering work of which at least one year involved providing service to the public.
Progressively responsible related technical experience may be substituted for the college coursework on a year-for-year basis. Experience with Americans with Disabilities Act, and Federal Aviation Administration compliance is highly desirable.
Additional Requirements: Must possess a valid California Class C driver license at the time and for the duration of appointment.
The Port of Oakland requires each incumbent to successfully complete a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) background check, which will include a fingerprint-based Criminal History Records Check (CHRC) and a Security Threat Assessment (STA), prior to being considered for this position. This status must be maintained for the duration of employment at the Port.
The Port’s compensation and benefit program ranks among the best in the region for public jurisdictions and is designed to reward performance and promote a balanced lifestyle, both at the workplace and away from the workplace, for our employees and their families. The Port is committed to the health and well-being of its employees and has been recognized as a FIT-Friendly Employer by the American Heart Association. We offer a comprehensive benefit package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 457 plan and paid leave. The Port offers retiree medical benefits for employees and dependents after 10 years of CALPERS service (including 5 years at the Port).
To apply for this exceptional opportunity or obtain more details, please visit us at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/portoakland. Application deadline is November 10, 2026, at 5:00 pm.
The Port of Oakland is an Equal Opportunity Employer