Property Maintenance Division Chief

Property Maintenance Division Chief

Preserving the Past, while Innovating our Future!

The City of Alexandria is located in northern Virginia and is bordered by the District of Columbia, Arlington, and Fairfax counties. With a population of approximately 160,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, Alexandria is the seventh largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alexandria has a charming waterfront and is a unique and historic place to live and work.

About one-quarter of the City’s square miles have been designated as a national or local historic district. We proudly embrace our rich history and seize the endless opportunities that lie ahead. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite qualified candidates to apply for a position as Property Maintenance Division Chief for the Department of Code Administration.

The Division Chief of Property Maintenance Code plans, manages and supervises the day-to-day activities of the Division of Property Maintenance Code within the Department of Code Administration. The employee in this class utilizes professional and technical expertise to ensure compliance and oversight of the Virginia Maintenance Code, the relevant nuisance ordinance provisions of the Alexandria City Code, and in coordination with other City agencies regarding enforcement of stakeholder provisions.

The incumbent will proactively lead and manage field inspectors who investigate and resolve complaints regarding violations of the Virginia Maintenance Code, blight, and health and safety standards as required. The incumbent works under the general direction of the Assistant Director of the Department of Code Administration, with considerable latitude for independent work.

The ideal candidate should have a thorough knowledge of building and property maintenance codes, residential and other codes within the assigned mission of the Property Maintenance Code Section; thorough knowledge of building construction codes, fire prevention codes, nuisance ordinances and zoning enforcement; thorough knowledge of principles and practices of code enforcement; good knowledge of legal processes by which violations are resolved or prosecuted;

demonstrated ability to develop detailed processes and procedures for most effective use of staff; ability to effectively communicate in verbal and written form; ability to promote collaborative positive relationships with citizens, civic and community organization groups, city departments, agencies and government leaders; ability to formulate and present proposals and presentations; ability to effectively supervise staff to carry out the work of the section;

ability to apply strong principles of leadership, creative problem solving, collaboration, decision making, and team building; ability to prepare and present concise and effective reports; and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues. Diplomacy, excellent negotiating skills, excellent oral and written communication skills, and excellent hearing/understanding skills are essential. Demonstrate a strong ability to multitask and thorough understanding of computer information technology and associated programs such as Microsoft programs suite.

• Collaborates with relevant city departments to ensure consistent alignment of processes and policies;
• Works closely, continuously and collaboratively with the other city departments and agencies to develop successful outcomes for various City Code (nuisance and other assigned regulations) and Virginia Maintenance Code violations;
• Assists field inspectors on complicated field inspections as warranted;
• Ensures that all complaints received are adequately prioritized, assigned and investigated within prescribed response times and policies, as established in collaboration with relevant city departments and agencies, and that appropriate follow up actions, documentation and resolutions are taken;
• Assists field inspectors with criminal and civil court prosecutions and pursues legal procedures allowed to obtain compliance under applicable city and…