REA Commercial Principal

Full Job Description

This vacancy is with the Department of the County Assessor. The eligibility list created by this vacancy may be used to hire other vacancies in the department or County.

This opening is for a Principal lead in the commercial section of the Department of County Assessor.

This role works in tandem with another Principal lead and oversees half of the commercial appraisers.

This role includes monitoring, mentoring, training, and guidance to oversee the annual assessment process, including tax petitions on commercial/industrial, multi-family properties, and unique situations/specialized projects.

The Commercial Team consists of one manager, two principal appraisers, two appeal specialists, ten commercial appraisers, and one analyst. This role is a hybrid position with flex scheduling options.

To appraise and classify all types of apartments, commercial, industrial, and special use real estate.

Assist in the development of Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) income models, calibration of cost tables and the development and calibration of land models.

Prepare written narrative appraisals for valuation appeals.

Represent Ramsey County in valuation matters before the Minnesota Tax Court and negotiate resolutions of disputed valuations subject to the guidelines provided by the supervisor.

Review potential settlements negotiated by staff for fairness and suitability. This is the lead worker or assistant supervisor class in this classification series.

The employees in this class provide supervisory oversight to a team of commercial, industrial, apartment or special use property staff appraisers; direct the work of staff appraisers; review work performed; and perform related duties as assigned.

To view or print a copy of the complete Ramsey County job (class) description for this position, go to: Job Descriptions.

Once at this page, you can browse the alphabetical list or search for a job description.

Flexible Workplace:This position is identified under the designation of ‘flex work eligible’, meaning that the employee can formally opt to be in-office full-time or work a flex schedule in which at least two-days per week are performed in office and other days can be performed in a remote-first environment.

Regardless of selection, the position carries expectations regarding on-site responsibilities and will require schedule flexibility beyond the minimum expectations set forth in the county’s flexible workplace policy.

To view Ramsey County’s Flexible Workplace policy, go to: Flexible Workplace Policy

Requirements

1. Promote a diverse, culturally competent, and respectful workplace.
2. Provide leadership and work direction to commercial appraisers including reviewing daily work for quality, monitoring the productivity and uniformity of work assignments, and monitoring commercial appraisers’ progress towards meeting deadlines.

Perform market research for all property types assigned.

Gather actual income and expense rates, occupancy levels, and capitalization rates to determine potential market performance of income producing properties.

Review and analyze various commercial real estate market surveys and publications to keep current with various assigned markets.

Appraise all types of commercial, industrial, apartment and special use properties using mass appraisal statistical modeling techniques, direct capitalization, and all other commonly used valuation methods and approaches.

Appraise higher valued commercial properties within the county including resolving the more complex tax court appeals.

3. Develop and maintain computer spreadsheet templates and valuation tools for commercial appraisers to use, including updated income proformas, market sales grids for various property types, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) models, Commercial Cost forms, and appraisal report templates for use in both Tax Court and the Ramsey County Special Board of Appeals and Equalization.

Estimate values of vacant land. Able to estimate the contribution to value of the land component of improved properties.

Keep current on various land markets for assigned property types to assist in the development of CAMA commercial and apartment land models.

Able to give annual recommendations for any needed adjustments to land models and coordinate recommendations given by commercial appraisal staff.

4. Provide supervisor with recommendations for CAMA assessment adjustments to all related tables, and models, including base income model rates impacting different property types and any other assessment criteria to ensure a good quality assessment.

Represent the Department of County Assessor on valuation issues before the Ramsey County Special Board of Appeals and Equalization; prepare written narrative appraisal reports; represent the county and supply expert witness testimony as part of litigation before the Minnesota Tax Court or District Court concerning value and classification issues.

In advance of Tax Court, discuss with County Attorney and Commercial Supervisor the need for serving discovery in complex cases.

In preparation for Tax Court, meet with County Attorney to prepare for testimony in tax court. Discuss and make necessary corrections to Narrative Appraisal Reports.

5. Respond to complex questions and concerns from property owners, attorneys and tax representatives regarding the assessment process, commercial property valuation methods, the 20 plus class rates involving commercial related properties, and the various special programs applicable to commercial properties.

Responsible for the litigation of court petitions.

Handle all aspects of tax petitions for income producing properties including reviewing compliance with income data disclosure, negotiating fair settlements with tax attorneys, preparing narrative Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) compliant appraisals, and defending values through testimony in Minnesota Tax Court.

6. Assist supervisor in preparing materials for commercial training including coaching commercial appraisers on appropriate application of various appraisal/assessing techniques and the use and application of the CAMA income models.
7. Assist supervisor with reviewing the quality of the commercial assessment by monitoring commercial sales verifications/Assessor Commercial Exchange (ACE) data exchange entry done by commercial appraisers; reviewing compliance with all sales ratio studies and using these results to recommend annual valuation adjustments to commercial, industrial and apartment properties.
8. Coordinate appraiser and administrative activities relating to special classification programs and tax exemption, including annually verifying compliance with the multiple special classification programs impacting commercial properties.

Update departmental files and records to reflect the outcome of Tax Court decisions and settlements and the addition of commercial, industrial and apartment new construction values to the tax rolls.

Review and monitor building permit lists and work performed by commercial appraisers to ensure new construction is accounted for, valued correctly and properly added to the tax rolls.

9. Perform complex appraisals of special purpose properties, and unique commercial and industrial properties.
10. Able to interpret highly technical blueprints on high profile multi-million dollar commercial, industrial and special use properties to accurately value and transfer this data to the correct fields in the CAMA system and able to train applicable staff to do the same.

(The work assigned to a position in this classification may not include all possible tasks in this description and does not limit the assignment of any additional tasks in this classification. Regular attendance according to the position’s management approved work schedule is required.)

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in real estate or closely related field.

Experience: Five years of experience in appraising income producing, complex special use properties and or complex residential properties in an assessor’s office or working as a state licensed appraiser.

Substitution: Equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certifications/Licensure: For all assessors employed by a Minnesota taxing jurisdiction, Minnesota state law requires licensure by the Minnesota Board of Assessors as an Accredited Minnesota Assessor (AMA) within five years of obtaining licensure as a CMA.

For this position, at time of hire, licensure by the Minnesota Board of Assessors as an Accredited Minnesota Assessor (AMA), or as a Certified General Real Property appraiser by the MN Department of Commerce with the ability to get a temporary Certified Minnesota Assessor (CMA) license may substitute for the AMA; a valid Class D driver’s license.

Note: This position requires licensure as a Senior Accredited Minnesota Assessor (SAMA) within two years from date of hire.

Additional Information

Ramsey County is deeply committed to advancing racial equity and promoting diversity and inclusion within all areas of its workforce.

The county strives being equitable, inclusive, transparent, respectful, and impactful in how we serve and engage with residents, as well as Ramsey County employees.

Advancing racial equity ensures all people who need access to opportunities and services we provide, will receive them.

Racial equity is achieved when race can no longer be used to predict life outcomes, and outcomes for all are improved.To print a paper application for this posting click Paper Application You will need to print this posting and answer the supplemental questions associated with this exam and submit them with your completed paper application.For further information regarding this posting, please contact: Crystal.Diaz@co.ramsey.mn.us