Real Estate Manager

Frederick County Government, Maryland; Frederick (MD); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation & Holiday Leave

Health Insurance

Pension Plan

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Frederick County Government, Maryland is seeking an experienced Real Estate Manager to oversee acquisition, disposition, leases, and related contracts for County properties.

You will supervise staff and consultants, coordinate with divisions, prepare budgets, review appraisals, and ensure compliant operations across facilities. This is a full-time exempt role with benefits and potential limited telework.

A Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years public works or property management experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, business administration, public administration, civil engineering, construction management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of work experience in public works operations, maintenance, or infrastructure management, including at least 3 years supervising staff.

Responsibilities

• Oversee real property acquisition and disposal efforts with County departments and external partners.
• Manage use and operation of County facilities by employees and the public.
• Lead negotiations with tenants and landlords for leases and rental agreements.
• Develop budgets for land acquisition and CIP-related expenses.
• Supervise staff responsible for property negotiations and coordination across divisions.

Skills

Staff management

Negotiation

Budgeting

Real estate knowledge

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in public administration / business / economics or related field

Notary Public certification (preferred)

Tools

Property management software

Real estate records software

Job description

JOB INFORMATION

Exempt; full-time; 40 hours per week; Monday – Friday; 7:30 am - 4:00 pm; full benefits; partial telework may be available in accordance with Division policies

This position oversees the acquisition, management, and disposition of County-owned and leased properties, including negotiation and administration of leases, easements, and memoranda of understanding. It directs property operations and facility programs to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant use of County assets. Responsibilities include supervising staff and consultants, coordinating capital project support, and managing property-related contracts, records, and transactions. Supervision is received from the Department Head, Office of Real Estate.

NOTE: The upper pay range reflects possible wage rates for internal County transfers and promotions, which are calculated per County policy. For external hires, offers are made at the base wage rate, with limited exception.

Frederick County Government values the principles of diversity and inclusion, and strives to ensure equal opportunities for its workforce, applicants and community members.

Total Compensation Package

• 11 days of Vacation leave with increase after 2 years of employment
• 15 days of Sick leave with unlimited annual carryover
• 11 paid holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays (10 and 11 month employees may not receive all holidays)
• Day 1 coverage of comprehensive Medical Insurance Plan options to include generous County Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution (if enrolled in the high‑deductible plan). This is part of a full range of benefits including Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending
• Employee Health Center with no or low‑cost primary and urgent care
• 100% County paid 2x annual salary Group Term Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit
• County and Employee funded Defined Benefit Pension Plan
  • Vesting after 5 years of service
  • Additional service credit for eligible previous public service, military service, etc.
• Work/Life balance programs include: Employee Assistance Program and Employee Wellness Program
• Generous Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Other employee‑paid benefits such as Deferred Compensation Plan, Legal Resources, Supplemental Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Lifetime Benefit with Long Term Care plan

NOTE: Benefited employees will accrue service and leave based on the FTE and/or hours worked per calendar year.

For more information, visit our benefits page on the Frederick County Government job opportunities webpage.

Essential Duties And Job Responsibilities

• Coordinate real property acquisition and disposal efforts with County departments, the City of Frederick, State agencies, Private Developers, and municipalities
• Manage the use and operation of County facilities by employees and the public
• Establish long and short‑term land management and facility needs and recommend initiatives
• Lead negotiations with tenants and landlords to procure, renew, and manage leases and rental agreements for County‑owned and leased properties
• Review, process, and approve requests to access County properties and utilize County‑owned facilities
• Develop budgets for land acquisition and operational budget during annual CIP preparation
• Perform budget analyses to evaluate real property acquisition cost vs benefits analysis, lease/construction costs and estimate value of County facility assets
• Gather, research, and prepare reports for County property and easement dispute resolution
• Manage the disposition of County‑owned fixtures, furnishings, and equipment during demolition, renovation, and relocation activities
• Prepare, procure, and administer contracts for land acquisition and disposition tasks, including real estate consultation, real estate related attorney services, appraisals, surveys, environmental assessments, etc.
• Consult with property owners and conduct negotiations to secure deeds, easements, permits, options, agreements, leases, and purchase property for Division of Public Works projects and other County Divisions, as needed.
• Assist with identifying and prioritizing potential land acquisitions using funding criteria and master plan recommendations
• Assist with the management of space assignments by assessing space requirements and performing space allocation studies required for the responsible management of County assets
• Facilitate department relocations with affected agencies, Property Management, and Project Management staff
• Develop, implement, and update real property acquisition and management policies, practices, and procedures
• Draft, execute, and record easement documents required to facilitate CIP projects
• Create, maintain, track, and administer agreements to transfer real property, secure easements, gain temporary rights‑of‑entry to properties, purchase rights‑of‑way, relocating property owners, etc., and facilitate executors' signatures
• Review and assess contracted appraisals of real estate and perform in‑house estimates of real property values as necessary per County Land Acquisition policies
• Estimate expenses and effort associated with, renters, lessees, etc.
• Verify titles and records of deeds, easements, and permits to prepare for negotiation
• Advise and assist engineering personnel in preparing right‑of‑way plats and construction plans as related to land acquisition or land use
• Maintain records of DPW‑related County‑owned properties and County property transactions
• Participate in County project presentations to citizens and government officials
• Supervise staff responsible for property negotiations, acquisitions, and coordination across County divisions
• Oversee staff preparing easement documents, plats, and acquisition records for capital projects
• Provide final review and approval of appraisals, agreements, and title verifications related to property transactions
• Manage development and presentation of surplus property petitions and coordinate marketing and sale of County‑owned assets
• Advise on land management strategies and supervise implementation of relocation and space planning efforts
• Lead coordination of memoranda of understanding and special projects with internal and external stakeholders
• Provide supervision for lease administration, facility use approvals, and operational policy development
• Serve in Acting Capacity in absence of Department of Professional Services Department Head
• Perform other related duties as required

To perform this job successfully, an employee must be able to perform all essential functions satisfactorily. Any employee's position may not be assigned all functions or equipment listed above, and the examples may not cover all functions or equipment that may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform their essential functions.

Qualifications And Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, business administration, public administration, civil engineering, construction management, or a related field
• Minimum of 7 years of work experience in public works operations, maintenance, or infrastructure management, which must include at least 3 years of work experience supervising or managing staff

Substitutions for the above‑listed required education and experience are an Associate’s Degree with 9 years work experience as described above including 3 years of work experience supervising or managing staff; or a Master’s Degree and 5 years work experience as described above including 3 years of work experience supervising or managing staff.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilties

A successful incumbent operating in this role displays the following:

• Current Maryland certification as Notary Public or the ability to obtain the certification within six months of hire
• Advanced knowledge of real estate principles and best practices
• Advanced knowledge of requirements to render valid legal documents for real estate transactions
• Advanced knowledge of methods and techniques of real property appraisal
• Advanced knowledge of real estate, title, and valuation principles and procedures
• Knowledge of prevailing real estate values and recent land sales
• Knowledge of property acquisition requirements on federal aid and state aid projects
• Skill in negotiating with property owners to achieve desired acquisition
• Knowledge of and ability to use software programs utilized for tracking Land Acquisition and Leasing Activities
• Strong and effective spoken and written (English) communication skills, including ability to write legal contracts and agreements, as well as clear and concise correspondence, reports, etc.
• Skill in supervising and managing employees
• Ability to effectively manage tasks, organize work, determine priorities, and complete assigned duties with minimal supervision
• Ability to interpret and explain in lay terms construction plans and real estate plats
• Ability to interpret and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, budgets, and contracts
• Ability to arrange own frequent travel to meetings, work locations, and events as needed, including occasional urgent or time sensitive situations
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with property owners, public officials, County co‑workers, and the general public, and operate with discretion

Preference May Be Given For

• Current Maryland certification as Notary Public
• Experience preparing, reviewing, or processing legal documents for real estate transactions
• Experience working with real estate titles, valuation, and land‑record documentation
• Experience working on projects that involve federal, state, or local government property acquisition requirements
• Experience interpreting and explaining construction plans or real estate plats

Physical Requirements And Working Conditions

• While working in this position, the employee is required to constantly sit and occasionally walk
• While working in this position, the employee is required to constantly work indoors, and occasionally work outdoors

Additional Information / Examination Process

• Failure to meet or maintain the minimum qualifications or additional requirements may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination
• Available for varied evening and weekend work hours to accommodate meetings, special events, etc.
• Ability to provide own transportation as needed for meetings and other commitments

KIND OF EXAMINATION (may Include)

• An evaluation of training and experience
• One or more interviews

Frederick County Government is committed to providing an inclusive work environment and complies with all applicable laws and regulations regarding workplace accommodation, including for individuals with disabilities. Applicants who require reasonable accommodation during the application and hiring process may contact the Talent Acquisition section of Human Resources. Inquiries about accommodations can be sent to [e-mail]

Retirement Plan

A defined benefit retirement plan is provided for all regular County employees. Employees are automatically enrolled in either the Uniformed Plan (5 year vesting) or the Non‑Uniformed Plan (5 year vesting, effective 07