Exciting Opportunity - Limited Term Position (up to two years)
The City of Palo Alto's Planning & Development Services Department is seeking a limited-term Administrative Associate III. This is a temporary position, not expected to exceed two years. The position supports the Development Center, the City's one-stop shop for residential and commercial development services. The successful candidate will provide customer service, administrative, financial, operational, and regulatory support to staff, customers, contractors, architects, developers, and partner departments including Planning, Building, Fire, Public Works, and Utilities.
The position serves a critical role in supporting daily Development Center operations, customer service delivery, public records administration, financial processing, state reporting requirements, permit administration, and departmental business operations.
The Position:
The position reports to the Senior Management Analyst responsible for the department's business operations and works closely with the Chief Building Official, Assistant Chief Building Official, Development Center Permit Manager, Inspection Manager, Building Inspection staff, Plan Check staff, Project Coordinators and Fire, Public Works, and Utilities staff.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to providing customer service to members of the public by phone, email, and in person; supporting Development Center operations; administering Public Records Requests and subpoenas; coordinating Use & Occupancy Certificates; processing refunds, invoices, returned payments, and other financial transactions; supporting employee onboarding activities; coordinating fleet and facility-related functions; maintaining records and operational tracking systems; and assisting with departmental purchasing and administrative functions.
The position also supports required state reporting programs, coordinates with internal departments and external agencies, assists with permit-related processes, and serves as a liaison between customers, staff, consultants, contractors, and partner agencies. The successful candidate must be able to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and communicate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders.
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The Ideal candidate:
The ideal candidate is customer service focused, organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, innovative, collaborative, and a life-long learner, takes initiative and pride in their work, and is passionate about improving processes.
The ideal candidate excels at communicating, staying calm under pressure, and ensures visitors' experience is positive.
The ideal candidate will have strong verbal and writing skills, be knowledgeable in Microsoft software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Teams) and have the ability to learn various software solutions (Accela, DigiPlan, etc.).
