City Assessor

Burlington Electric Department; Burlington (VT); Hybrid; USD 119,993 - 134,036; Full time

Job summary

City of Burlington seeks a seasoned Property Valuation Manager to oversee valuation of real estate and business personal property used for tax assessments, and to manage the Grand List and related state reporting. You will chair the Board of Assessors, present before state boards, and guide the valuation team through complex reappraisal programs.

You will lead a multi-disciplinary team, ensure accuracy of notices, and coordinate with the state for education fund reporting while maintaining

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in real estate, economics, accounting, public administration, or related field.
• Eight years of progressive property valuation experience, including five years supervisory.
• IAAO designation and/or Vermont Certification desirable; driver’s license required.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and certify valuations of real estate and business personal property that serve as the basis for property tax assessments and payment-for-services agreements.
• Compile official Grand List; maintain extensive records of ownership, value, and descriptions of property assessed.
• Produce annual value change notices on all property that changed in value.
• Act as Chair of Board of Assessors, including hearing and ruling on property valuation grievances, appeals, and claims for exemptions.
• Report and testify before the Board of Tax Appeals, Board of Civil Authority and all other judicial hearings.
• Oversee administration of the Board of Tax Abatement and act as an active, voting member of the Board of Tax Abatement.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Communication skills

Real estate valuation knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in real estate, economics, accounting, public administration, or related field

IAAO designation

Vermont Driver’s License

Certified General Appraisal license

Tools

CAMA software

Relational databases

Job description

General Purpose

This position is responsible for oversight and management of the City’s property tax assessment functions, valuation of all real estate and personal property, property valuation appeals, and oversite of general reappraisals. In addition, this position is responsible for researching, entering and producing the City’s annual Grand List Book and Tax Book. The position is also responsible for all state Education Fund reporting and communicating changes in values to the state.

Union Affiliation: Non-Union

Pay Grade 28: $119,993.15 - $134,036.76 Annually

Remote Tier 2: Up to one (1) day remote/week

Essential Job Functions

Statutory and Technical

• Develop, maintain, and certify valuations of real estate and business personal property that serve as the basis for property tax assessments and payment-for-services agreements
• Compile official Grand List; maintain extensive records of ownership, value, and descriptions of property assessed.
• Produce annual value change notices on all property that changed in value.
• Act as Chair of Board of Assessors, including hearing and ruling on property valuation grievances, appeals, and claims for exemptions
• Report and testify before the Board of Tax Appeals, Board of Civil Authority and all other judicial hearings.
• Oversee administration of the Board of Tax Abatement and act as an active, voting member of the Board of Tax Abatement.
• Conduct narrative appraisal reports and CAMA property valuation appraisals of real residential property and real commercial property.
• Conduct narrative appraisal reports and CAMA property valuation appraisals of business personal property (machinery and equipment).
• Maintain property values for the City’s Tax Incentive Finance (TIF) District and Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP).

Management and Administration

• Manage the market data collection, processing, and review of real estate and business property, and set values for assessment purposes and issue notices.
• Establish policies on appraisal methodology; and assessment administration procedures for ongoing appraisal equity, and assessment of new buildings improvements, land valuation and/or other market changes.
• Oversee administration and operations of the Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) computer system for City.
• Manage department staff including hiring, supervision, assigning work, training, coaching, conducting performance evaluations, promotion, discipline, discharge, work rule establishment, and department morale.
• Lead all state communications and reporting with the Division of Property Valuation and Review (PVR) within the State of Vermont Department of Taxes.
• Head the preparation, implementation and management of a City-wide Reappraisal project and/or valuation updates. This could involve in-house valuations as well as hiring and managing valuation contractors for assistance.
• Create and maintain public records/grand list data, including property transfers and overall taxable property values.
• Perform related work as required.

Non-Essential Job Functions:

• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications/Basic Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required. A degree in real estate, economics, accounting, public administration, or related field preferred. Additional experience may be substituted for a degree requirement on a two-for-one year basis.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of full time of progressively responsible experience in the valuation of property for tax purposes in accordance with modern assessment principles, including five years of supervisory experience.
• Professional Designation Certification from the IAAO is highly desired. A Certified General Appraisal license is highly desired.
• Maintain a professional designation from IAAO and/or a Vermont Licensed Appraisal Level II Certificate.
• Must possess valid Vermont Driver’s License.
• Must be proficient with Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal software (CAMA) and relational databases.
• Must have understanding of real estate valuation modeling techniques.
• Must have an advanced knowledge of residential and commercial real estate valuation methodologies.
• Must have a working knowledge of business personal property appraisal methods such as depreciation schedules and inflation factors.
• Must have a knowledge of management principles and practices and the ability to accomplish work through others.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to interact professionally with the public, City Council, local politicians and other government entities as a representative of the City of Burlington
• Knowledge of long-range planning, including the ability to project future department requirements, solicit funding and manage implementation.
• Ability to obtain a working knowledge of departmental operations and procedures, and pertinent state and local statutes relation to assessments and notice.
• Ability to plan and forecast seasonal department workload, including equipment and staffing requirements; develop objectives; and arrange resources to assure that legal taxation deadlines are met.
• Monitor employee efficiency and recommend efficiencies associated with workload
• Ability to establish and maintain effective employee and public relations; ability to hear and resolve grievances and other public complaints in a professional manner.
• Regular attendance is necessary and is essential to meeting the expectations of the job functions.
• Regular attendance of all internal department head meetings and ad hoc meetings needed by the Mayor
• Ability to understand and comply with City standards, safety rules and personnel policies.
• Ability to actively support City diversity, equity, and cultural competency efforts within stated job responsibilities and work effectively across diverse cultures and constituencies.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as evidenced by ongoing trainings and professional development.

Additional Information

The City of Burlington is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we are strongly committed to creating a dynamic and equitable workforce that mirrors the population and world that we serve. We do not discriminate on the basis of political or religious affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, crime victim status, veteran status, disability, HIV positive status, or genetic information in employment or the provision of services.

In addition to being an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applicants who can contribute to our growing diversity to apply.