Assessor

County of Oconee; Woodland Trailer Park (SC); On-site; USD 67,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Oconee is seeking a qualified Assessor to plan, direct, and supervise the department responsible for identifying, mapping, appraising, and assessing real property in the county. The role requires overseeing staff, performing appraisals, and ensuring compliance with state law.

The Assessor will manage budgets, develop mapping and GIS support using ArcGIS Pro, and provide clear communication with executives and the public.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of standard appraisal practices, especially mass appraisal.
• Knowledge of the housing market at local and national levels.
• Understanding of financial factors influencing loans and interest rates and their impact on local economy.
• Ability to multi-task effectively.
• Familiarity with SC Code of Laws, SC Department of Revenue, SC Regulations, and USPAP, plus County policies.

Responsibilities

• Plan, direct, and monitor departmental programs and ensure compliance with policies and laws.
• Supervise the Assessor’s Office operations; assign workloads, evaluate staff, and manage personnel topics.
• Review subordinates' work for quality, accuracy, and timeliness; provide guidance as needed.
• Provide training and support to staff to ensure compliant procedures.
• Respond to inquiries from citizens and officials, including assessment disputes.
• Stay updated on legislation affecting appraisal policies and adjust county policies accordingly.
• Analyze and update market values for property assessments.
• Monitor economic changes affecting assessments and notify leadership.
• Develop and manage the department budget and track expenditures.
• Maintain databases for ownership, assessments, and taxation data.
• Perform property appraisals, inspections, measurements, and value assignments as needed.
• Administer assessment appeals process including taxpayer conferences and Board presentations.
• Inspect and evaluate property damage as chief damage assessment officer when required.
• Provide information to the public on appraisal procedures and processes.
• Prepare studies and reports for decision making and periodic reporting.
• Coordinate with other departments and agencies as needed.
• Attend trainings and represent the County in professional/community groups.
• Provide technical services for software packages, including SQL server and ArcGIS mappings.

Skills

Mass appraisal

Housing market knowledge

Financial trends

Multi-tasking

SC laws

IAAO standards

Communication

Analytical skills

SQL querying

GIS mapping

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

ArcGIS Pro

SQL Server Management

SQL querying

Job description

Description

Job posted until filled.

Entry salary is $74,691.82.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The purpose of this position is to plan, direct, and supervise the operations of the department, and to ensure all County Real Estate is identified, mapped, appraised, and assessed in accordance with State law. This position is responsible for maintaining records, including property details and valuations, for all real property in Oconee County. The Assessor will organize and implement programs within major organizational policies, and provide program progress through reports and conferences. Conduct quadrennial reassessment of all parcels as required by the SC Code of Laws and the SC Department of Revenue, and maintain a high level of communication with executive administrators. This role involves managing a team of employees, providing customer service, and performing property appraisals. The Assessor ensures compliance with policies and procedures, addresses customer inquiries and complaints, and supports technical and mapping functions as needed. The County Assessor is the Chief Damage Assessment Officer.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job duties satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the duties herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out but may be considered incidental in the performance of this job.

• Plans, organizes, directs, and monitors departmental programs, ensuring department compliance with all applicable policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
• Supervises the operations of the Assessor’s Office; assigns workloads and establishes work schedules; directs and supervises duties of assigned staff; conducts performance evaluations; instructs, assigns, reviews, and plans work of others; coordinates activities; allocates personnel; selects new employees; acts on employee issues and recommends employee promotions, transfers, discipline, discharge, and salary increases.
• Reviews the work of subordinates for quality, completeness, and accuracy; evaluates and makes recommendations as appropriate.
• Develops and offers training, advice, and assistance to staff as needed to ensure compliance and equitable procedures.
• Receives and responds to inquiries, concerns, complaints, and requests for assistance from citizens, elected officials, and County personnel, including handling assessment disputes.
• Maintains knowledge of current and pending legislation affecting appraisal policies; recommends changes in County policy and procedures as appropriate.
• Updates and analyzes market values for use in determining property values to comply with applicable laws and regulations for all parcels.
• Monitors economic changes, including changes to the national housing industry and financial institutions that may affect assessments.
• Develops and administers the department budget; controls expenditures and ensures effective and efficient use of budgeted funds.
• Maintains relevant databases used to record assessment information, ownership, and all other data points related to property taxation.
• Performs appraisal work, including commercial and residential properties, as needed to support department staff and operations. This includes inspections, measurements, and value assignments.
• Administers assessment appeals process including appeal review, taxpayer conferences, and presentations to the Board of Assessment Appeals when necessary.
• Serves as chief damage assessment officer; inspects and evaluates property damage after disasters, and prepares related reports.
• Provides information to the public regarding property appraisal procedures; policies and methods; answers to questions regarding assessments; and monitors and evaluates customer service.
• Compiles and analyzes data. Prepares a variety of studies and reports for decision-making purposes.
• Prepares periodic and special reports as required by the County and other agencies.
• Coordinates department activities and functions with those of other County departments, municipalities, and outside agencies as appropriate.
• Conducts and attends various staff training and meetings as required; attends meetings and represents the County to various professional/community/civic organizations and agencies.
• Provides technical services for software packages, including SQL server management and troubleshooting.
• Assists with GIS mapping duties using ArcGIS Pro, interpreting surveys, and meeting mapping requirements.
• Fills in various roles as needed, both within and outside the office, to ensure smooth operations.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of standard appraisal practices, specifically relating to mass appraisal.
• Knowledge of the housing market on local and national levels.
• Knowledge of the financial world regarding the loan and interest rates and the effect on the local economy.
• The ability to multi-task.
• Knowledge of SC Code of Laws, SC Department of Revenue, SC Regulations, Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, and County Policies and Procedures, and all other laws and regulations pertaining to property appraisal and assessment for property tax purposes.
• Ability to communicate effectively with varying levels of management, elected officials, the public, and various organizations and agencies.
• Strong analytical skills, including advanced mathematic and statistical analysis.
• Skilled in computer and database management, including basic SQL querying and database management.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field, and five (5) years of related work experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. Master’s Degree preferred.

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, OR REGISTRATIONS:

• Required: Valid driver's license. S.C. Appraiser.
• Preferred: SC Certified General Appraiser. IAAO designations as appropriate.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.
• This position has the following special vision requirements: close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less); distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more); color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors); peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up or down and to the left and right when vision is fixed on a given point); depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships); adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus).

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in a demanding indoor and/or outdoor work environment; may encounter weather, odors, extreme temperatures, moisture, humidity, dust, and/or poor ventilation.

Oconee County is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to achieving excellence and strength through diversity. The County seeks a wide range of applicants for its positions so that one of our core values, a qualified and diverse workforce, will be affirmed.