DEVELOPMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR I

Description

Help Build Palo Alto. Guide Projects from Idea to Completion.

Join Our Team as a Development Project Coordinator I

The Opportunity

The City of Palo Alto’s Planning and Development Services Department is seeking a Development Project Coordinator I to join our Development Services team.

This entry-level professional role plays an important front-line role at the Development Center, supporting the City’s building permit process while delivering high-quality customer service to homeowners, contractors, designers, and developers.

In this position, you will assist customers at the front desk, by phone, and through email, helping them navigate permit requirements, development procedures, and next steps in the building process. You will also support the coordination of routine building permits and development inquiries, working closely with City staff across multiple disciplines to help projects move from early assistance through construction and final close-out.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working with the public, coordinating projects, and supporting construction or development processes in a fast-paced public service environment.

About Us: Development Services

Development Services is a central resource for homeowners, businesses, designers, and contractors working on projects in Palo Alto.

Our team helps customers navigate the development process while ensuring projects comply with applicable building codes, zoning regulations, engineering standards, and sustainability requirements.

We see ourselves as an integral part of each project team and are committed to:

• Supporting safe, healthy, and sustainable buildings
  
• Helping customers successfully navigate the development process
  
• Delivering responsive and professional customer service
  
• Building collaborative relationships with our community partners
  

The Development Center offers both virtual and in-person services, and the City has transitioned to a fully digital application and plan review platform. All project submittals are processed electronically.

What You’ll Do
As a Development Project Coordinator I, you will support development and building permit processing while serving as a front-line resource for customers navigating the City’s development process.

Coordinate Building Permit Projects

• Serve as a primary point of contact for simple contractor trade permits and routine residential or commercial building permits.
  
• Assist in coordinating projects from early assistance through construction and final close-out.
  
• Track project information, coordinate with multiple City departments, and help facilitate timely project review.
  

Provide Front Desk and Customer Support

• Assist customers at the Development Center front desk, by phone, and through email.
  
• Provide general guidance on permit requirements, development procedures, and City processes.
  
• Route customers to the appropriate service area or staff member based on their needs.
  

Support the Development Review Process

Perform completeness checks for permit applications and project submittals.
Assist with intake and distribution of project materials.
Help coordinate project documentation, approvals, and communication within the City’s digital permit system.

Provide Early Assistance

Research parcel history, zoning requirements, and development standards.
Identify applicable fees and submittal requirements.
Help customers understand next steps in the permitting process and maintain accurate project records.

Who Thrives in This Role

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working in a customer-facing environment while helping guide projects through a structured regulatory process.

Successful candidates often bring experience in construction administration, permit coordination, development services, or project support roles, along with strong customer service skills.

You may be a strong fit for this position if you:

Have experience working with building permits, development projects, or construction documentation
Are comfortable reviewing or working with architectural drawings or construction plans
Have a background in construction management, architecture, engineering, or development coordination
Provide excellent customer service in a fast-paced front desk or public-facing environment
Are organized, detail-oriented, and able to track multiple projects simultaneously
Communicate clearly with customers, contractors, and internal staff

Experience working with building codes, zoning regulations, or municipal development processes is desirable but not required.

Why Work for the City of Palo Alto?

Palo Alto is the birthplace of Silicon Valley, where innovation meets public service.

When you join the City, you become part of a team committed to building a safe, sustainable, and thriving community.

Highlights include:

9/80 Work Schedule - Enjoy every other Friday off
CalPERS Pension retirement plan
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
Professional development opportunities
A collaborative and mission-driven workplace

Ready to Help Build Palo Alto?

Apply today and join a team dedicated to helping residents, businesses, and builders successfully navigate the development process while maintaining Palo Alto’s high standards for safety, sustainability, and design excellence.

This position is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Essential Duties

Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Development Project Coordinator I positions will be cross-trained and assigned to perform a variety of duties and responsibilities in three primary areas of the integrated development system, including:

• Processing simple projects (subcontractor permits & simple commercial or residential permits) from initial contact through construction and closeout. Support the Development Project Coordinator III with the application intake and distribution process on complex projects (complex/submitted residential or commercial project with multiple approvals).
• Act as an early assistance point-of-contact to coordinate routine counter informational requests, and
• Rotate into the consistent entry point function to triage customers and provide general information.

Project-Related Duties/Responsibilities:

1. Administrative
a. Functions as the primary point-of-contact for an assigned project for both staff and the customer from early assistance through construction/close-out.
b. Understands the customer service standards and is accountable for them. Maintains objectivity and a common sense approach
c. Maintains the electronic tracking system as an official record of issues, decisions, and contacts.
2. Project Early Assistance
a. Perform background research on the project site.
b. Structures and prioritizes project issues.
c. Identifies fees and submittal requirements.
d. Ensures that Project EA results are documented.
3. Project Completeness Check
a. Reviews previous documentation and determines that all project approvals have been identified.
b. Ensures that the application submittal and associated documents are complete.
4. Project Intake and Distribution (Assistance on Complex Projects)
a. Assists the Development Project Coordinator III with reviewing complex project applications for completeness. Act as the distribution point into the development process for all applications, plans, reports, and other requirements associated with a development project.
b. Prepares paper project file and distribute project plans and documents for complex project applications as directed by the Development Project Coordinator III.
5. Project Review
a. Performs the review on the project submittal materials.
b. Achieves timely resolution of issues in accordance with the Project Issue Resolution Process.
6. Project Approvals
a. Facilitates the decision process (collect fees, issue approvals, issue permits, etc.).
b. Facilitates revisions to approvals/permits if construction or design changes occur.
c. Assures project close-out activities are completed in a timely manner, if applicable.
7. Close-Out
a. Works with the inspector to ensure that project is finalized and completed.
b. Transfer hard files to the Records Center.

Early Assistance Point-Of-Contact Duties/Responsibilities:
1. Provide assistance with self help materials. (e.g. self help area, internet, publications, etc.).
2. Act as the primary point-of-contact for both the customer and staff during parcel and/or code specific early assistance requests and interactions.
3. Performs research and provides historical parcel information including prior administrative and discretionary actions relevant to development review process, and code specific information.
4. Identify nature of request through the discovery process and determines ad-hoc multi-disciplinary team (MDT) members needed to address the customer’s needs.
5. Facilitate of ad-hoc MDT member(s), whether real-time or by later appointment. Assure that communication occurs between MDT members and the customer.
6. Provide general and parcel and/or code specific information, including support or coordination of historical records, existing site conditions or restrictions, questions about codes or processes, data reports, and general growth questions.
7. Provide standard application submittal requirements, standard processing timelines and fees, if applicable.
8. Provide documentation to the customer and update the tracking system summarizing information provided to date.
9. Responsible for rerouting to the appropriate Development Project Coordinator level, if the customer has a project proposal, is ready to proceed to application intake, if they have an active project, or specialized service area request.

Consistent Entry Point (CEP) Duties/Responsibilities:

1. Greets the customer to determine specific service area needs.
2. Triage and direct the customer to the appropriate service path. If appropriate, identifies project (Type A-D)) and customer type (novice, consultant, etc.)
3. Place the customer’s name on a computerized “queue list” for assistance. Input information about the customer’s need (customer name, project address, customer type (novice, consultant, etc), project type (A-D) if applicable, special needs (language)).
4. Respond to general inquiries from the public and provide guidance on the development process.
5. Provides pre-packaged brochures, pamphlets, FAQ, etc., regarding the development process.
6. Refer to appointment schedule, check for availability without appointment or request an appointment from appropriate project staff member.
Related Functions: Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Two years increasingly responsible office experience.
• Two (2) years of full-time increasing responsible experience managing and coordinating comprehensive information requests and processing of counter and routine submittal-based residential or commercial projects through construction and final acceptance; OR Two (2) years of full-time increasing responsible experience in private sector development or construction project management, construction management or development coordination in a complex regulatory environment.
• Experience in a local government environment dealing with the Uniform Building Codes and municipal codes including zoning, engineering, water and sewer, and other land development requirements is desirable but not required.

See our Benefits at a Glance Bookletfor more details.
Learn more about our Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) between the City and its bargaining units, by clicking HERE.

Closing Date/Time: 3/23/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• City of Palo Alto

• 650-329-2376

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