Supervising Environmental Services Specialist - Code Division, PBCE

The City of San Jose’s Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement serves to ensure the orderly and safe development of private properties, compliance with all applicable building, zoning, and quality of life ordinances and regulations, and to promote healthy and safe community standards. This is accomplished by departmental staff in service to customers by: 

• Assisting and guiding land use and development to promote long-term goals and objectives that render safe, beneficial, and more sustainable communities 
   
• Providing orderly administration and compliance of building codes, as mandated by the various levels of government, to ensure the construction of buildings, homes, and structures meet intended life safety and structural requirements 
   
• Investigating and resolving citizen complaints of municipal code violations on private property in order to promote, maintain, and improve quality of life issues that better allow for safe and harmonious conditions in all neighborhoods 

The Department is seeking applicants who are committed to understanding, executing, and improving the customer experience to best achieve the above goals and objectives. This includes providing excellent service and guidance to residents, property and business owners, developers, and other stakeholders throughout the planning, building, and code enforcement processes. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential, as the department values building positive relationships and fostering collaboration with other departments, agencies, and the community. Additionally, applicants who possess a strong knowledge of planning principles, building codes, and/or regulatory requirements will be highly valued, as they will play a key role in ensuring compliance and promoting healthy, safe, and sustainable development practices.

About the Division
The primary goal and objective of the Code Enforcement Division is to work, in conjunction with property owners, business owners, and residents, to promote and maintain the health, safety, and quality of life for all neighborhoods, by facilitating compliance with City Municipal Codes and standards on private property. This includes aspects ranging from the quality of residential housing conditions to land-use zoning and business activities within all neighborhoods to ensure the highest health, safety, and quality of life for all neighborhoods. 

These goals and objectives are achieved through outreach, education, inspection, and administrative enforcement. The Code Enforcement Division is divided into the following three sections: 

Field Operations: Includes two core programs the Multiple Housing Program and Community Development Block Grant Program which provide proactive inspections, complaint response, and enforcement of rental units in buildings with three units or more.   

Special Operations: Includes the General Code Program which provides complaint response, inspection, and enforcement to all single family, condominium/townhomes, duplex, commercial and industrial private property city wide, and Special Programs which enforce municipal code regulations for various business types such as vacant buildings and storefronts, tobacco retail licensing, and abandoned shopping carts.  

Admin & Call Center: Provides front line customer service and support to staff in administrative functions.   

Position Duties
The Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department is currently seeking to fill one full-time Supervising Environmental Services Specialist vacancy in the Legal Enforcement Agency (LEA) Section within the Code Division.

Salary range(s) for this classification is:

$129,926.16 - $158,383.68 Annually

This salary range(s) includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

The Supervising Environmental Services Specialist serves as the programmatic and operational lead for the City of San José's Local Enforcement Agency (LEA), a state-certified program operating under the authority of CalRecycle and Public Resources Code sections 40000 et seq. This position ensures that all solid waste facilities within the City's jurisdiction operate in compliance with state minimum standards and permit conditions, protecting public health, safety, and the environment. The Supervising Environmental Services Specialist provides direct supervision of Environmental Inspection staff, manages program planning and reporting obligations to CalRecycle, and serves as the City's primary liaison to state and regional regulatory partners.

The incumbent leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the LEA's Enforcement Program Plan (EPP), coordinates responses to facility violations and complaints, and ensures the City's compliance with CalRecycle's triennial evaluation requirements. The position also oversees permitting activities for solid waste facilities, including landfills, transfer/processing stations, material recovery facilities, composting operations, and construction and demolition waste facilities operating within the City's jurisdiction.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Plans, organizes, and supervises the daily work activities of Environmental Inspection staff assigned to the LEA program, including scheduling inspections, reviewing inspection reports, and ensuring timely submission to CalRecycle's Solid Waste Information System (SWIS) database.
  
  
• Oversees solid waste facility permitting, including review and processing of permit applications, permit modifications, and closures for landfills, transfer stations, material recovery facilities, composting operations, anaerobic digestion facilities, and construction/demolition waste processing operations.
  
  
• Conducts and coordinates facility inspections - both routine and complaint-driven - to evaluate compliance with California Code of Regulations Title 14 and Title 27, applicable Public Resources Code provisions, and facility-specific permit conditions; ensures inspection findings are accurately documented and communicated to operators.
  
  
• Initiates and manages progressive enforcement actions, including issuance of Notices of Violation, Compliance Orders with Milestones, Corrective Action Orders, and Cease and Desist Orders; escalates to civil penalty proceedings or permit suspension/revocation when cooperative compliance efforts are unsuccessful.
  
  
• Prepares and maintains the LEA's Enforcement Program Plan (EPP) and all required annual reports to CalRecycle, ensuring the City's program meets certification standards and satisfies triennial evaluation requirements.
  
  
• Coordinates with CalRecycle oversight inspectors and state, regional, and local agency partners - including the State Water Resources Control Board, Regional Air Districts, and Department of Toxic Substances Control - on matters involving shared regulatory jurisdiction over solid waste facilities.
  
  
• Provides staff training and development on inspection techniques, enforcement procedures, state regulatory requirements, and CalRecycle program updates; ensures staff competency through ongoing professional development aligned with CalRecycle pre-certification training standards.
  
  
• Responds to public complaints regarding solid waste facility operations, conducts investigations, documents findings, and coordinates appropriate enforcement or corrective action responses.
  
  
• Manages program budget, monitors expenditures, prepares budget recommendations, and tracks program performance metrics; prepares statistical reports and trend analyses for division leadership.
  
  
• Represents the LEA program at public meetings, stakeholder workshops, and interagency forums; serves as subject matter expert on solid waste regulatory requirements for City departments, elected officials, and the public.
  
  
• Oversees records management for all LEA program files, inspection histories, permit documents, and enforcement case files, consistent with CalRecycle's documentation and records retention requirements.

Education 
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience 
Four (4) years of increasingly responsible experience in developing, promoting, and/or implementing environmental programs (e.g.: programs in air quality, integrated waste management, biology, agriculture, energy, forestry or parks, habitat restoration, wastewater, water resources, stormwater, archaeology, geology, resource conservation, industrial or environmental health and safety, or any program emphasizing environmental sustainability or environmental regulatory compliance), including two (2) years of experience leading people or projects.

Relevant experience in environmental services programs typically includes: preparing outreach/educational materials, conducting survey work, tracking and monitoring deliverables, coordinating special events, promoting programs, implementing new programs, policy development, planning and permitting, grants or contracts administration, analyzing data and creating reports, and/or tracking budgets.

Acceptable Substitution
A master’s degree from an accredited college or university in environmental studies or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience developing, promoting, and/or implementing environmental programs.

Additional years of experience in developing, promoting, and/or implementing environmental programs may be substituted for the bachelor's degree requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Licensing
Highly Preferred: A valid State of California Environmental Health Specialist registration pursuant to California Health & Safety Code, Sections 106600-106735

Form 700 requirement 
This position requires a disclosure of outside investments, real property interest, income, and business positions. You must complete and file an “Assuming Office Form 700” with the City Clerk’s Office within the first 30 days of employment with the office.

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

Job Expertise
Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies, and federal and state rules and regulations.

Computer Skills
Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited: MS Outlook, mS word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.

Decision Making
Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions.

Initiative 
Exhibits resourceful behaviors toward meeting job objectives; anticipates problems, is proactive, and avoids difficulties by planning ahead: displays willingness to assume extra responsibility and challenges pursue continuing education opportunities that promotes job performance.

Leadership
Leads by example; demonstrates high ethical standards; remains visible and approachable and interacts with others on a regular basis; promotes a cooperative work environment, allowing others to learn from mistakes; provides motivational supports and direction.

Problem Solving 
Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem(s); collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.

Project Management
Ensures support for projects and implements agency goals and strategic objectives.

Supervision 
Sets effective long and short-term goals based on a good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources.

Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills
Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.

Communication Skills 
Communicates and listens effectively and responds in a timely, effective, positive, and respectful manner. Written reports and correspondence are accurate, complete, well-organized, legible, concise, and in proper grammatical form. Responds to statements and comments of others in a way that reflects understanding of the content and the accompanying emotion. Asks clarifying questions to assure understanding of what the speaker intended. Ensures consistent communication takes place within area of responsibility.

Selection Process: The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions.Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.

If you have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Jennifer Macias at [email protected].