Land Acquisition Project Specialist

Quest Oracle Community; Seattle, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

King County's Environmental and Community Services seeks a Land Acquisition Project Specialist to lead property acquisitions and tenant relocations for capital projects. The role focuses on regulatory compliance, documenting processes, and coordinating with consultants and the project team to ensure timely delivery of real property rights.

Ideal candidates will have strong real estate knowledge, experience with the Uniform Act, and excellent written communication.

Qualifications

• Experience managing property acquisitions and relocations under regulatory requirements.
• Ability to review deeds, leases, licenses, and title histories.
• Strong written and oral communication for reports and memos.

Responsibilities

• Manage and track property acquisition and relocation processes for multiple capital projects.
• Develop and manage project schedules, deliverables, and documentation for compliance with 49 CFR Part 24.
• Review consultant scopes, manage work, and track progress.
• Perform QA/QC reviews and use records management tools for accountability.
• Collaborate with colleagues and act as a subject matter expert in right-of-way.
• Understand title histories and real estate agreements to resolve issues.
• Develop relocation plans and benefits calculations under Uniform Act requirements.

Skills

Project Management

Contract Management

QA/QC

Collaboration

Real Estate Knowledge

Relocation Expertise

Property Rights

Team Coordination

Tools

SharePoint

PRISM

Microsoft Excel

Oracle products

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 Environmental and Community Services Section (ECSS) 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 providing relocation assistance to displaced tenants for capital projects. The role emphasizes a strong commitment to customer service,work-life balance, understanding of the real estate industry, process improvement and fostering a collaborative work environment to contribute to essential public projects for our community.

ECSS 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 ofthe Puget Sound region.

Job Duties:

• 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, act as a subject matter expert, 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 tenant relocation 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 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 real estate laws and valuation of complex properties including damages to remainder.
• Relocation Expertise: Understand the Uniform Act relocation process 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, PRISM (WTD internal project management database system), and other software-based tools. This role will require the use of team’s SharePoint site, PRISM and database systems to track project status, manage project records and working documents, and financial information.

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.

• Experience in interpreting and implementing real property acquisitions and relocations 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 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.
• 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 in working in a project management environment, understanding contract procurement processes, writing contract language and developing scopes of work for consultant services.

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.