Assistant Assessor - Residential/Commercial - Town of Brookline

The Town of Brookline is seeking an Assistant Assessor - Residential/Commercial to perform complex administrative, professional, and supervisory work in analyzing valuation data. The Assistant Assessor supervises, operates, and maintains data systems for residential, commercial, industrial, personal property and exempt property. Assists with all Appellate Tax Board work including court hearings. Assists in valuing all real property. Assists the Board of Assessors with various aspects of municipal tax assessment; all other related work as required.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field plus three to five years of appraising/assessing experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience. Massachusetts Accredited Assessor (MAA) designation or eligibility for designation within two years of employment. A valid motor vehicle operator’s license.

Salary Range: $88,377.05 - $99,994.47 DOQ with excellent benefits. Please apply with Resume and Cover letter. Position open until filled.

Assistant Assessor - Residential/Commercial Job Description

Position Purpose:
The purpose of this position is to perform complex administrative, professional, and supervisory work in analyzing valuation data. Supervises, operates, and maintains data systems for the residential, commercial, industrial, personal property and exempt property. Assists with all Appellate Tax Board work including court hearings. Assists in valuing all real property. Supervises motor vehicle excise tax billing procedures and billing systems. Assists the Board of Assessors with various aspects of municipal tax assessment; all other related work as required.

Supervision:
Supervision Scope: Performs varied and responsible duties requiring a thorough working knowledge of departmental operations and the exercise of judgment and initiative to carry out assignments independently, analyze situations and conditions, and determine appropriate course of action from among many alternatives.

Supervision Received: Work is performed under the administrative direction of the Chief Assessor and the Board of Assessors’ policies and in accordance with state statutes. Resolves procedural problems independently, requesting assistance with unusual situations which do not have clear precedents.

Supervision Given: Supervises various professional, paraprofessional, and clerical employees by directing, coordinating, and reviewing work. Trains employees on computer software.

Job Environment:
Administrative work is performed under typical office conditions; the noise level is moderate. Regular fieldwork is performed outdoors with exposure to weather conditions. Operates an automobile, computer, printers, facsimile machine, copier, calculator, typewriter, and other standard office equipment. Makes frequent contacts with other town departments, real estate professionals, vendors, other local assessing departments, and the general public. Contacts are in person, in writing, and by telephone and require a sophisticated degree of persuasiveness, resourcefulness, and discretion to influence the behavior of others. Has access to department-related confidential information including abatement applications, pending legal issues, exemption applications and personal information about citizen and business financial statements. Errors in judgment could result in considerable confusion and delay, could seriously affect the work of other employees and/or the Board of Assessors, could be costly to correct, and result in the loss or delay of tax revenue for the town.

Essential Functions:
(The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.)

Analyzes real estate market conditions and events to determine trends and changes in the market. Collects data from the Planning Board, Building Inspector, Housing Authority, and other boards/officials whose actions may reflect a change in value.

Identifies exempt property within the Town. Reviews and processes applications for abatement and exemption of property tax to determine eligibility; makes recommendations to the Board. Supervises and reviews the statutory filings of the elderly, widows, and veterans to determine eligibility and appropriateness, making recommendations to the Chief Assessor and Board of Assessors.

Supervises, coordinates and directs staff in implementing residential exemption; this requires periodic review, inspection, and updating.

Assists with field functions in valuing residential, commercial, industrial properties. Supervises, coordinates, and reviews personal property valuation.

Assists in the inspection and measuring of real and personal property in order to estimate fair market value for taxation purposes. Computes valuations and assessments, using standard tables and formulas.

Annually inspects and values all additions, alterations, and deletions to any taxable property, advising the Board of Assessors as to the property assessment.

Prepares, and supplies information and support material for the annual classification meeting with the Board of Assessors and the Board of Selectmen.

Participates in posting, balancing and reconciling valuations in setting the tax rate, prior to state certification. Participates in preparing the tax recap sheets, and produces any other reports as requested by the Board of Assessors.

Directs field inspectors and assigns neighborhood responsibilities. Reviews field inspectors’ data changes for consistency and accuracy.

Supervises, operates and maintains data systems for the department.

Maintains and updates property record files; enters data and information into either the manual or computer file. Performs data entry of building permits and sales inspections.

Reviews and processes applications for abatement and exemption of property tax to determine eligibility; makes recommendations to the Board. Compiles and prepares comparative cost and sales studies. Prepares support material for Appellate Court cases under the direction of the Assessor – Commercial Valuation Director.

Provides information and assistance to property owners and other regarding the town’s assessment policies and procedures, the determination of specific valuations, tax abatements, and exemptions. Assists the public in locating property on Assessor’s maps, and in filing abatement and exemption applications.

Maintains the office procedures manual.

Assists in certifying lists of abutters for various boards and officials as requested.

Works with other department staff on special research projects as directed.

Assists with the revision of the Assessor’s map as required with the Engineering Department and GIS Department.

Directs, supervises, and performs analysis of motor vehicle excise tax billing procedures. Prepares motor vehicle excise billing file and commitment.

Composes correspondence explaining the Board’s position in response to standard questions.

Recommends purchase of technical equipment and supplies.

Maintains Personal Property with Computer Assisted Mass. Appraisal Software (CAMA) and oversees data collection and review of Personal Property and submits for triennial recertification and yearly interim updates.

Attends professional meetings, training programs and seminars.

Performs similar or related work as required, directed or as situation dictates.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field plus three to five years of appraising/assessing experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Special Requirements:
Massachusetts Accredited Assessor (MAA) designation or eligibility for designation within two years of employment. A valid motor vehicle operator’s license.

Knowledge, Ability and Skill:

Knowledge: Working knowledge of Massachusetts’ laws relating to municipal finance and property assessment for tax purposes. Familiarity with alternative formulas for determining assessment of various types of property. Familiarity with real estate styles, materials, and methods of construction. Aptitude for working with numbers and details. Knowledge of mapping procedures. Working knowledge of computer-assisted mass appraisal system. Knowledge of abatement and exemption procedures.

Ability: Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret data from a variety of sources ranging from in-person inspections to electronic submissions. Ability to direct field operations and ensure accuracy of data collected. Ability to understand not only physical feature data, but social, economic, and governmental data as well. Ability to handle inquiries and/or complaints tactfully and effectively.

Skill: Aptitude for working with numbers and details. Skill in typing and in the use of standard office machines. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Skill in all of the above listed tools and equipment. Patience, judgment, and research skills.

Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Regularly required to walk, stand, sit, talk, and hear; operate objects, tools, or controls; pick up paper, files, and other common office objects. Lifts/moves objects weighing up to 10 pounds. Traverses uneven terrain while conducting site visits; maneuvers around construction sites. Communicates verbally and in writing. Good vision required to read documents, view computer screens, and operate a motor vehicle. Ability to operate a keyboard at an efficient speed. Physical ability to drive a motor vehicle.

(This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee. It is used as a guide for personnel actions and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.)