Land Acquisition Project Specialist

King-County,-W; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

King County’s Regulatory Compliance and Land Acquisition Services unit seeks a Land Acquisition Project Specialist (Real Property Agent III) to lead property acquisition and relocation activities for the Capital Program. You will manage consultants, negotiate transactions, and assure compliance with federal/state laws.

The role emphasizes proactive project management, risk mitigation, and collaboration across teams to deliver timely property rights and relocation outcomes for critical

Qualifications

• Experience interpreting real property acquisitions under 49 CFR Part 24 and applicable state laws.
• Experience developing right-of-way strategies, schedules, and plans for timely delivery of property rights.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills for diverse audiences.
• Experience managing consultants and large capital project teams for infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full property acquisition and relocation process for multiple capital projects from scoping to closeout.
• Develop and review consultant scopes of work, LOEs, and contract language; monitor progress.
• Build strategies for risk identification and mitigation; perform QA/QC reviews and maintain documentation.
• Collaborate with colleagues to strategize delivery of property rights and relocation plans; ensure regulatory compliance.
• Review real estate titles, deeds, easements, and relocation processes to support timely project delivery.

Skills

Project management

Negotiation

Written & verbal communication

Contract procurement

Tools

SharePoint

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Teams

Oracle/db systems

Job description

This recruitment is open to both internal and external applicants and will be used to fill a Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position or Special Duty Assignment (SDA), with an anticipated duration of up three (3) years, with the possibility of being extended.

The Regulatory Compliance and Land Acquisition Services unit is seeking a Land Acquisition Project Specialist (Real Property Agent III), to join the dynamic Land Acquisition team. This presents an excellent opportunity to become a key member of a highly efficient team dedicated to ensuring customer satisfaction. Our focus is on delivering expert guidance and strategies to projects and managing the processes necessary to secure property rights and provide relocation assistance for the delivery of capital projects.

The Regulatory Compliance and Land Acquisition Services unit advances the values of King County and the Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) by protecting public health and the environment and providing equitable, inclusive services to residents and businesses across King County. To our agency, success means clean water. It means keeping a promise to the next generation that our beautiful environment will be there for them to enjoy. It also means being accountable to our ratepayers and operating a well-managed agency. We are committed to the principles of equity and social justice. We value diverse perspectives and life experiences in our workforce and are committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment.

This opportunity is great for anyone looking for an organization that empowers continued learning, supports our values of work/life balance, is passionate about the right-of-way industry, and is dedicated to preserving the beauty and health of the Puget Sound region.

About the Role

As a Land Acquisition Project Specialist (Real Property Agent III), you will be responsible for managing all aspects of the property acquisition and relocation assistance process, from initial scoping to construction and closeout for projects within the Capital Program. This includes managing consultants, negotiating property transactions, and ensuring that every stage of the process runs smoothly.

The ideal candidate should possess skills in developing consultant scopes of work, managing consultants, building strategies for risk identification and mitigation, developing and managing project schedules, tracking critical path deliverables, negotiating real estate transactions, relocation assistance processes, and performing QA/QC review of work products. They should also be proficient in utilizing reporting tools and records management systems and certifying that projects comply with the Uniform Act (49 CFR Part 24) as well as State/County laws, regulations, and policies.

This role demands excellent written communication skills and the ability to ask questions, seek feedback, learn from others, share expertise, and maintain an open and positive attitude. As a subject matter expert, this position will collaborate with colleagues to strategize methods for delivering property rights for construction projects. This position requires a proactive detail-oriented mindset, a positive attitude, excellent organizational skills, and willingness to be open to constructive criticism. Additionally, the ability to manage and track multiple projects and tasks simultaneously is crucial.

If you are someone who enjoys tackling challenges, establishing meaningful connections, working in a collaborative project management environment and working on complex property and relocation matters, this role is an ideal fit for you.

About the Team

The Regulatory Compliance and Land Acquisition teams play a critical role in advancing King County Wastewater Treatment Division’s vision of protecting public health and enhancing the environment through sustainable wastewater management. This presents an excellent opportunity to become a key member of a highly efficient team dedicated to ensuring customer satisfaction. Our focus is on delivering expert guidance, supporting programs and projects as subject matter experts, and securing property rights needed for the construction of projects. This role emphasizes a strong commitment to customer service, excellent communication skills, a focus on work-life balance, and fostering a collaborative work environment to contribute to essential public projects for our community.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Land Acquisition Project Specialist, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity

What You Will Be Doing

• Project Management and Compliance: Manage and track the entire property acquisition and relocation process, develop and manage project schedules, track deliverables, and ensure compliance with the Uniform Act (49 CFR Part 24) and other laws and regulations for multiple capital projects. This role requires maintaining detailed, transparent, and accurate documentation to support and ensure full compliance with all regulatory requirements.
• Consultant and Contract Management: Develop and review consultant scopes of work, level of effort estimates, and support the development of construction contract language, direct and manage consultant work and track consultants' progress.
• Risk Mitigation and Quality Assurance: Build strategies for risk identification and mitigation, perform QA/QC reviews of work products, and utilize reporting and records management tools.
• Collaboration:Collaborate with colleagues on project strategies, strengthen team culture, participate and vocalize issues and thoughts in project meetings.
• Project Expertise: Possess excellent written communication, project management experience, understanding of contract procurement processes, government property acquisition and relocation assistance processes, and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Experience reviewing and interpreting engineering drawings, developing and reviewing acquisition and relocation strategies, schedules (including permitting dependencies and milestone deliverables), and plans to ensure the successful and timely delivery of real property and tenant relocation requirements.
• Real Estate Expertise: Analyzing, preparing, and negotiating real estate transactions, reviewing various real property agreements and approvals such as deeds, easements, leases, permits, and licenses. Examining real estate titles and understanding legal descriptions to conduct in-depth reviews of title histories for properties to identify any issues that necessitate resolution. Thorough understanding of right-of-way industry processes, real estate laws and valuation of complex properties including damages to remainder, and temporary construction rights.
• Relocation Expertise: Understand the Uniform Act relocation assistance processes and legal requirements. Manage consultants to develop comprehensive relocation plans, calculate relocation benefits, develop justification documentation, and implement relocation assistance to individuals and businesses displaced due to the acquisition of real property rights.
• Technology: Understanding computer software tools, with the interest and aptitude to continue developing these skills. This includes working with platforms such as Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Excel, other Microsoft Office products, Oracle products, database systems, and other software-based tools.

Qualifications You Bring

• Experience in interpreting and implementing real property acquisitions in compliance with the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act (49 CFR Part 24), and/or applicable state laws, regulations, and policies.
• Experience identifying and developing right-of-way strategies, schedules (including permitting dependencies and milestone deliverables), and plans to ensure the successful and timely delivery of real property requirements.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including experience facilitating group discussions, writing reports and memos, and preparing presentations.
• Demonstrated experience managing consultants, project schedules, delivery of right-of-way deliverables and working on large capital project teams for utility, transportation, and/or public works projects for the delivery of property rights for projects.
• Experience working in a project management environment, understanding contract procurement processes, writing contract language and developing scopes of work for consultant services.
• Experience in the right-of-way industry supporting government infrastructure projects, including negotiating real estate transactions, reviewing and interpreting property title information, understanding appraisal reports and valuation methodologies, and knowledge of relocation assistance processes.

Competencies You Bring

• Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Directs Work: Providing direction, delegating, and removing obstacles to get work done.
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Manages Conflict: Handling conflict situations effectively, with a minimum of noise.
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Manages Ambiguity: Operating effectively, even when things are not certain, or the way forward is not clear.

Required Licenses/Certifications

• Notary Public with electronic endorsement or ability to obtain once hired.
• Washington State Driver’s License or the ability to provide transportation to remote work locations with limited or no public transportation service options.

It Would Be Great If You Also Bring

• Certification and training/courses through the International Right of Way Association (or similar) are desirable although not required.
• Training/courses and certification through the Project Management Institute (PMI) are highly desirable although not required.

Working Conditions

• Work Location: The Regulatory Compliance and Land Acquisition team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S Jackson St Seattle WA 98104. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by Technical Employees Association (TEA).

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.