Special Activity Permit Inspector

Special Activity Permit Inspector

Salary

$89,193.00 - $109,473.00 Annually

Location

Oakland, CA

Job Type

Full Time Civil Service

Job Number

26-AF060-03

Department

Economic & Workforce Development Department

Opening Date

08/07/2026

Closing Date

8/20/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

SD1

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

The Position

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city's historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why join the City of Oaklands Economic & Workforce Development Department?

In the Economic & Workforce Development (EWD) Department, you will join the Special Activity Permits Division, a team performing inspections, investigations, and providing enforcement and education of regulations pertaining to special activity permits and operations of businesses, including but not limited to special events like cabarets, massage establishments, mobile food vending, and/or cannabis businesses. In response to public and elected officials complaints, the team will raise awareness and address violations of the Oakland Municipal Code by providing pathways to compliance. A team of administrative staff and a supervisor supports the inspectors.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Well-organized. You can manage a variety of tasks in a timely and efficient manner.
• A Self-Starter. You can manage your own time and maintain a heavy schedule.
• Agile. You can adapt quickly when unexpected circumstances arise.
• A Team Player. You can work cohesively with a team to meet division goals.
• An Effective Communicator. You use transparent communication and alignment with goals.
• Detail-oriented. You pay attention to the specificity of municipal code and enforcement protocol.
• Integrity-driven. You are honest, responsible, and dependable.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Maintaining extensive knowledge of the Oakland Municipal Code (OMC), Accela navigation, Inspector Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), strategic plan protocols, and administrative responsibilities.
• Providing information and generating reports, summaries, case histories, and data related to enforcement and compliance.
• Participating in joint inspections and enforcement operations with the Oakland Police Department (OPD), Alameda County Health, Oakland Fire Department (OFD), and Planning & Building Department (PBD).
• Collaborating with the Office of the City Attorney (OCA) to provide information and documentation in support of appeal requests.
• Attending regular staff meetings and contributing to departmental communication and operational planning.
• Participating in inspections, appeal hearings, and case reviews to support code enforcement and regulatory compliance.
• Educating the public on the Oakland Municipal Code (OMC) and all applicable local and state laws.
• Adhering to City of Oakland Administrative Instructions (AIs), departmental policies, and established best practices in all assigned duties.

Read the complete job description by clicking here: Special Activity Permit Inspector

• Click on the link below to see a video on what its like to work for the City of Oakland!

Working for the City of Oakland

A few reasons you might love this job:

• You will join a team of hardworking and focused individuals.
• You will primarily work in the field, which allows for flexibility in your daily schedule.
• You will interface with multiple enforcement agencies in the field and cross-departmentally, which provides networking and unique learning opportunities.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You will interact with businesses that are out of compliance and will need to have challenging conversations.
• You will experience high demand for enforcement throughout the City.
• You will need to adapt to last-minute schedule changes and work shifts that include evening hours and may require overtime.

Competencies Required:

• Adaptability: Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
• Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
• Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
• Fact Finding: Obtaining facts and data pertaining to an issue or question
• Handling & Resolving Conflict: Managing interpersonally strained situations
• Handling Stress: Maintaining emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity
• Learning Agility: Seeking learning opportunities and applying the lessons to one's work
• Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter expertise to the job
• Safety Focus: Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
• Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing

Minimum Requirements for Application

This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.

This is a public contact position. The City highly encourages all bilingual candidates to apply! Some positions may require bilingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin. Under the authority of Civil Service Rules Section 5.03, if a position requires bilingual language skills, only those candidates who have indicated they are bilingual in the required language(s) will be referred. Bilingual candidates will be required to successfully pass a language proficiency test if selected for hire.

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable.

Education:

High school diploma or equivalent. Related college coursework in code enforcement, criminal justice or public administration is highly desirable.

Experience:

Two (2) years of full-time work experience involving public contact or code enforcement-related work, performing record keeping, report writing, database management and other administrative tasks. Experience with municipal ordinances and codes involving complaint investigations, inspections or code enforcement is desirable.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Bilingual - Spanish or Chinese
• Knowledge of Accela navigation
• Familiarity with the City of Oaklands man-made topography

License or Certificate

Incumbents in this position are expected to operate automotive vehicles in the performance of assigned duties. Due to assignments and hours worked, public transportation will not be an efficient method for traveling to required locations. Individuals appointed will be required to maintain a valid California Drivers License while employed.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Must successfully complete a training course in Oakland Municipal Code, state regulations, citation issuance, code enforcement, and report writing during the probationary period.

Must be able to work weekend and evening shifts.

Proficiency in a foreign language (e.g. Spanish) is preferred and may be required.

Supplemental Information

The Recruitment Process:

The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the "minimum qualifications" listed for each position.

Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas.

Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications.

In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final. For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to the structured interview (sometimes referred to as an Oral Exam) (weighted 100%), which will be evaluated and rated by subject matter experts. The structured interview will be conducted as a one-way video interview, where you will record your responses to a set of questions. You will have 7 days from the time you receive the interview link to complete and submit your video responses. The tentative date of the structured interview is the week of August 24th.

Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by clicking on this link or by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it: https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Request-for-Reasonable-Accommodation-in-Testing-2.9.22-Fillable.pdf ; Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst: Will Sun at wsun@oaklandca.gov.

Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you're applying to a "restricted" posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass.

The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

Whats in it for you?

• 15 paid holidays
• Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
• Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees' Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
• Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans
• Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents
• Sick leave: Employees accrue12 days per year
• Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
• Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.
• Benefits described here do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found here: Working for Oakland | City of Oakland, CA

Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.

Disaster Service Workers

All employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

How to Apply

Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY. You may apply and view current openings by visiting our employment opportunities webpage at:

http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca ;

If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).

Our online application system is provided by GovernmentJobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact GovernmentJobs Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system. For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Will Sun, HR Analyst, at wsun@oaklandca.gov.

The City of Oakland is committed to the wellbeing of its employees and offers comprehensive health and wellness services along with an array of other benefits for most positions. Benefits may include*:

• CalPERS Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Medical Waiver Plan - Cash-In-Lieu
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Commuter Benefits
• Group & Supplemental Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH)
• Pension Benefits
• Deferred Compensation
• Specific benefits may vary depending on the assigned specific bargaining unit. Information regarding most benefits can be reviewed here: Employee Benefits Information Current MOUs may be reviewed here: City of Oakland Labor Agreements

01

Please be sure to answer the supplemental questions thoroughly and accurately. Applicants are responsible for clearly, completely, and accurately identifying their qualifications. Responses to the supplemental questions may determine your application status. By answering "yes" to this question, I certify that I have read and understand the statement above concerning submission of supplemental question responses.

• Yes
• No

02

This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.

Are you a current full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City of Oakland or Port of Oakland employee?

• Yes
• No

03

If you are a current City or Port of Oakland employee, what is your job title and employee ID number? If you are not a City or Port employee, type "N/A."

04

Have you previously been employed by the City or Port of Oakland?

• Yes
• No

05

If you have previously been employed by the City or Port of Oakland, please enter the dates and titles of the jobs you previously held at the City or Port of Oakland below. If not applicable, type "N/A"

06

Please list other names used while employed by the City or Port of Oakland. If not applicable, put "N/A".

07

Do you confirm that the address on your application matches your current residency?

• Yes
• No

08

If the address on your application does not match your current residence, please enter your address and update it in your application profile. If not applicable, type "N/A".

09

What is the highest degree or level of education that you have completed?

• High school graduate, diploma or equivalent (for example: GED)
• Some college credits, no degree
• Associates degree
• Bachelors degree
• Masters degree
• Doctorate degree
• Other

10

If you indicated your highest educational achievement is "Some college credits", how many units of college level coursework have you completed?

• 1-14 semester / 1-21 quarter units / or equivalent
• 15-29 semester / 22-44 quarter units / or equivalent
• 30-59 semester / 45-89 quarter units / or equivalent
• 60-89 semester / 90-134 quarter units / or equivalent
• 90+ semester / 135+ quarter units / or equivalent
• N/A

11

If you indicated that you have attained a Bachelors degree or above, please list the field of study (major) in each degree attained. (for example: BA degree - Environmental Science & MA degree - Business Administration) If this doesnt apply, please indicate "NA".

12

If you selected "Other", please list the major for your degree. If you did not select "Other", please type "N/A".

13

How many years of experience do you have involving public contact or code enforcement-related work, performing record-keeping, report writing, database management, and other administrative tasks?

• I possess more than 5 years of experience
• I possess 4 or more years, but less than 5 years, of experience as described
• I possess 3 or more years, but less than 4 years, of experience as described
• I possess 2 or more years, but less than 3 years, of experience as described
• I possess 1 year, but less than 2 years, of experience as described
• I possess less than 1 year of experience as described
• I do not possess any experience as described

14

Please describe your experience and the related duties you performed involving public contact or code enforcement-related work, performing record keeping, report writing, database management, and other administrative tasks. If you do not have this experience, type "N/A".

15

Acting assignments: If you have served in an Acting assignment that you would like considered as experience towards the minimum qualifications requirement, please list the Acting assignment(s) separately in the "Work experience" section of your application. For each Acting assignment, the description must include the Acting job title (use the word Acting as part of the job title), dates and hours served, and duties performed.

I understand the above statement and will list any Acting assignments separately in the "Work experience" section of my application form.

• Yes
• No

16

This is a public contact position. Although no current vacancies require bilingual skills in a specific language, the eligible list generated from this announcement will be used to fill positions that may or may not require bilingual language skills. For positions in this classification not requiring bilingual language skills, names will be certified in rank order (in accordance with Civil Service Rules, Section 5.02). For positions in this classification requiring selective certification of bilingual language skills, names of eligible candidates certified to the hiring authority shall be the highest ranking candidates willing to accept employment and who possess the additional and special qualifications required (in accordance with Civil Service Rules, Section 5.03, Selective Certification). Such positions will require selective bilingual skills in one or more of the following languages: Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Please note, identified bilingual skills will be tested prior to a final offer of employment. Candidates must pass the bilingual skills test to be considered for selectively certified positions. Identify the language(s) for which you have bilingual conversational proficiency. If you do not have bilingual conversational proficiency in any of the identified languages, check the appropriate box.

• Cantonese
• Mandarin
• Spanish
• I do not have bilingual conversational proficiency in any of the identified languages, but I am still interested in the position.

17

Answers to the above supplemental questions MUST be supported by information contained in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of this application. Answers not supported by information contained in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of this application will NOT be considered. Resumes and cover letters will not be reviewed. I have read and understand this statement.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Oakland

Address 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza - 2nd Floor

Oakland, California, 94612

Phone (510) 238-3112

Website http://www.oaklandca.gov/