Commissioner of Building Operations & Code Administration

City of St. Louis

Position Overview

The Commissioner of Building Operations & Code Administration serves as the executive leader responsible for the City’s building regulatory, permitting, and inspection functions. This role is accountable for ensuring public safety through code compliance while advancing efficient, transparent, and customer-focused service delivery that supports economic development and community recovery in the May 16th tornado-impacted areas and across the city.

The City is seeking a transformational leader to join its team in this pivotal moment in history, to address its decades of blight, accelerate demolitions in the tornado zone, and reform the Division’s permitting process to make St. Louis a predictable and attractive place to do business.

The Commissioner will also lead the Zoning Section of the Building Division’s historic role in overhauling the City’s zoning code—the Zoning Upgrade: a modern code to meet the moment—marking the first major rewrite and map update since the mid-twentieth century.

The Commissioner operates as a division-level executive, overseeing strategy, operations, and performance across building code enforcement, plan review, permitting, and inspection services with a team of 200 employees. This position requires a leader who can balance regulatory integrity with operational efficiency, modernize legacy processes, drive measurable improvements in service delivery, and manage people.

Salary: $104,078 – $163,332

Position Grade: 20M

Job Type: Full-Time (Permanent) Location: Downtown – St. Louis, MO

Apply Here: If interested, please send a resume and cover letter to [email protected] by August 23, 2026

Why Be the Commissioner of Building Operations & Code Administration for the City of St. Louis?

This is a unique, high-impact opportunity for a transformational executive to lead a critical division during a pivotal moment of revitalization for the City of St. Louis.

1.  Drive City-Wide Transformation and Economic Recovery

The Commissioner role is central to the City’s strategic priorities:

• Addressing Decades of Blight: Take direct action to accelerate demolitions and address structural challenges that impede community growth and safety.

• Leading Tornado Recovery: Play a crucial role in the post-disaster recovery efforts in the May 16th tornado-impacted areas, ensuring safe, efficient, and rapid rebuilding.
  • Fueling Economic Development: Reform the permitting process to eliminate inefficiencies, increase transparency, and make St. Louis a predictable and attractive place for developers and businesses to invest.

2.  Lead Major Modernization and Process Reform

This is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy by:

• Modernizing Operations: Championing the overhaul of legacy processes, including the implementation of new digital platforms for permitting and plan review.
  • Driving Operational Excellence: Establishing and enforcing new performance metrics (e.g., permit cycle times, inspection turnaround) to transition the division into a high-performing, customer-focused service provider.
  • Engaging in Policy: Directly influence the regulatory environment, supporting initiatives like the “ZOUP” (Zoning Upgrade) overhaul and drafting new codes that reflect modern industry standards, equity, and sustainability goals.

3.  High-Visibility Executive Leadership

The Commissioner is a division-level executive with significant authority and strategic influence:

• Direct Impact: Lead a multidisciplinary team and oversee all regulatory functions (permitting, inspections, code enforcement) essential to public safety and development.
  • Strategic Stakeholder Role: Serve as the primary liaison to elected officials, developers, design professionals, and community leaders, navigating complex political and industry relationships.
  • Organizational Development: Lead the mentorship, development, and strategic alignment of the division’s staff and resources, fostering a culture of accountability and professionalism.

In short, this position is not just about enforcing codes—it’s about leading fundamental change, accelerating recovery, and setting the standard for transparent, efficient, and equitable building operations that will define St. Louis’s future.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership & Performance Management

• Lead and manage all building operations, including permitting, inspections, and code enforcement, ensuring alignment with City priorities and regulatory requirements.
• Establish and drive performance metrics (e.g., permit cycle times, inspection turnaround, backlog reduction, customer satisfaction).

• Implement accountability systems to ensure consistent, timely, and high-quality service delivery across all functional areas.

Process Improvement & Modernization

• Lead modernization of permitting and plan review systems, including digital platforms and workflow optimization.
• Identify inefficiencies and implement process improvements to increase speed, transparency, and accessibility.
• Integrate data analytics and reporting tools to support real-time decision-making and performance tracking.

Regulatory Oversight & Policy Development

• Ensure compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal building codes and regulations.
• Oversee the development, interpretation, and implementation of building codes, ordinances, and design standards.
• Lead or support drafting of new ordinances and code updates to reflect evolving industry standards and City priorities.

Strategic Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary liaison to developers, contractors, design professionals, community stakeholders, and elected officials.
• Respond to inquiries from Alderpersons and provide technical and operational guidance on building-related issues.
• Represent the City in hearings, including Board of Adjustment and Appeals, and provide expert testimony as needed.

Interagency Coordination

• Collaborate with internal departments (Public Safety, Planning, Legal, IT, etc.) to ensure coordinated service delivery and regulatory alignment.
• Facilitate cross-functional solutions to complex development and compliance challenges.

Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary team of managers, inspectors, and technical staff.
• Foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
• Align staffing, structure, and resources to meet operational demands and long-term strategic goals.

Core Competencies

• Executive Leadership: Ability to lead large, complex operations with multiple functional areas and stakeholders, and manage subordinate leaders and employees.
• Operational Excellence: Proven ability to improve performance, streamline processes, and deliver measurable results.
• Regulatory Expertise: Strong understanding of building codes, compliance frameworks, and enforcement practices.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to align operational priorities with broader City objectives, including economic development and community impact.
• Stakeholder Management: Skilled in navigating political, community, and industry relationships.
• Change Management: Experience leading organizational and technological transformation initiatives.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Ability to leverage data and analytics to inform strategy and improve outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

One of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, Public Administration, or a related field and at least 7 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in building operations, construction, code enforcement, or a related field;

OR

• Master’s degree in a related field and at least 5 years of senior-level leadership experience in a relevant discipline;

OR

• Registration as a Professional Engineer or Architect (State of Missouri or eligible for reciprocity);

OR

• Certified Building Official (CBO) designation, Master Code Professional (MCP);

OR

• An equivalent combination of education, training, and executive-level experience in regulatory operations, construction, development, or large-scale program management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading building or permitting operations in a large municipality or complex organization
• Experience implementing or managing digital permitting / plan review systems
• Demonstrated success improving operational performance (e.g., reducing backlogs, improving service timelines)
• Experience working with developers, contractors, and design professionals
• Familiarity with Missouri building codes and regulatory environment

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Work is primarily performed in an office environment with periodic field engagement.
• Requires the ability to review technical documents, plans, and reports.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of St. Louis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of St. Louis will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the City.