Building and Licensing Manager

City of West Kelowna

Building and Licensing Manager

West Kelowna is a thriving city that has a rural sophistication appeal and is a haven for outdoor recreation. Sun-soaked lakeshores, agricultural charm, and access to urban jobs and living have made West Kelowna the place to be. We maintain a deep connection with our agricultural roots, and we celebrate the one-of-a-kind character of our community. Build your future with a City who was proudly presented the BC Municipal Safety Association Organizational Safety Excellence Award for leadership, dedication, and diligence in creating a safer and healthier workplace. Join us and grow your career with an organization that supports work-life balance and professional development.

Position Summary:
Reporting to the General Manager of Community Development, the Building and Licensing Manager provides leadership and oversight of the City’s Building and Business Licensing Departments. This position leads a team of technical and administrative professionals and ensures the effective, timely, and consistent delivery of building inspection, plan review, permit, and business licensing services. The Manager provides expert guidance on building and licensing regulations, legislation, bylaws, and policies; advises Council, senior leadership, staff, developers, consultants, and the public on complex matters; and supports the resolution of technical and stakeholder issues. The position also leads departmental planning, policy development, budgeting, staff performance and development, and reporting, while ensuring services align with municipal priorities, legislative requirements, and best practices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, supervise, coach, and mentor Building and Licensing department staff, including inspectors, plan checkers, licensing officials, and administrative personnel.
• Develop and implement departmental goals, policies, procedures, and service improvements aligned with Council and municipal priorities.
• Oversee the review and inspection of building applications and permits to ensure compliance with the BC Building Code, zoning bylaws, municipal standards, and applicable legislation.
• Provide expert technical and regulatory advice to Council, committees, senior leadership, staff, developers, consultants, and the public.
• Interpret building and business licensing requirements and make decisions on complex or contentious matters.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal departments, developers, consultants, contractors, and other stakeholders.
• Prepare and present Council reports, recommendations, and updates related to building and licensing activity, trends, policy, and regulatory changes.
• Develop and manage the departmental budget and monitor expenditures to ensure effective use of resources.
• Assess staff performance and identify training, development, and succession planning opportunities.
• Provide leadership in resolving complex operational and stakeholder issues and develop practical, solutions-focused approaches.
• Support employee relations and progressive discipline processes in collaboration with the General Manager.
• Ensure departmental activities are carried out in accordance with applicable legislation, municipal policies, and Occupational Health and Safety requirements.

Our Ideal Candidate:

• Diploma in Building Technology
• Level 3 Certification of Competency with BOABC; Level 1 Certification in Plumbing (POABC)
• Registered Architect, Trade Certification in Building and/or Plumbing may be considered
• Minimum 7 years progressive technical related and decision-making experience in a municipal setting
• Minimum 3 years supervisory experience, with strong leadership skills, the ability to coach, mentor and effectively lead a team is essential, preferably in a unionized environment
• Comprehensive knowledge of BC legislation, codes and regulations, municipal standards and practices as they apply to building inspections
• Solid track record of working collaboratively with colleagues, developers, and third-party consultants
• Strong leadership skills to influence partnership agreements and resolve key stakeholder issues while ensuring the City’s interests are served.
• Excellent oral and written communication, organizational and project management, problem solving, negotiations, customer skills
• Class 5 BC Drivers License

Applications are accepted online at westkelownacity.ca/jobs . We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted. We will be contacting applicants who meet our requirements as applications are received and this posting may close ahead of the official closing date if a successful candidate is identified.

Competition No. 26-45E | Opens August 31, 2026 | Closes September 28, 2026
Full Time – Permanent | 35 hrs/wk | Benefits | Municipal Pension Plan
Wage Range | $121,910 - $142,618