Senior Property Tax Specialist (Departmental Promotional Only)

Full Job Description

The County of San Mateo's Controller's Office is seeking two highly motivated candidates for the position of Senior Property Tax Specialist.

Under general direction of the Property Tax Manager, the Senior Property Tax Specialist plans, oversees, monitors, and coordinates various key functions of the Controller’s property tax division, including but not limited to the roll extension and apportionments, and various reporting requirements.

This position also assigns, directs, reviews, and evaluates the work of property tax accounting staff; and performs related work as required.

This is the supervisory level in the Property Tax Specialist series.

Incumbents in this class exercise a high degree of independent judgment on diverse and specialized projects and have significant accountability and ongoing decision-making associated with the work.

The Senior Property Tax Specialist is distinguished from the Property Tax Specialist for its supervisory responsibilities.

The Senior Property Tax Specialist will exercise direct and indirect supervision over lower-level supervisory, professional, technical, and clerical employees.

The ideal candidate will have the following knowledge, abilities, and skills to perform:

• Jurisdictional changes, Bonds, Redevelopment Property Tax Trust Fund distributions (RPTTF) estimates/actual, roll transfer, and State roll.
• Review refund batches, PYRV, Review of Inbound Override, Review and process NAD (Name and Address), Process Secured and Redemption Roll corrections.
• Process Roll Extension, Review of Secured Roll and State Roll, Oversee Special Charges upload, Review Tax Rate Book.

NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

Requirements

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide direction, supervision, training, work review, and/or evaluation to assigned staff.

• Plans, organizes, oversees, prepares, and processes work associated with the County's property tax system.

• Researches and resolves questions and provides interpretations of State and County statutory requirements regarding property tax apportionment-related issues.

• Performs analysis of property tax accounting methods for development and implementation of legislative or other regulatory requirements and changes, and makes recommendations as appropriate.

• Apportion monies, including secured, unsecured, impounded, redeemed, and other taxes.

• Prepares and submits tax revenue reports required by the State Controller, the State Board of Equalization, and Community College Districts.

• Coordinates and maintains continuous contact with the County Assessor's office and the Tax Collector's office into ensure successful completion of the Auditor's Office portion of the monthly tax processing schedules.

• Oversees the redevelopment agencies' annual tax increment revenue calculations; maintains records and reporting of tax Increment information to the redevelopment agencies and the State Controller's office.

• Calculates and ensures correct tax apportionment.

• Explains property tax information as requested by other jurisdictions, departments, taxing agencies, and consultants.

• Review and claim for referral of tax, grant, or other monies, and prepare claims for reimbursement from various State or funding agencies and/or programs.

• Interprets laws that dictate property tax procedures and apportionment and makes recommendations for appropriate property tax system changes, updates, modifications to tax roll processes, or implements new procedures as necessary.

• Review and recommend modifications to the property tax system and procedures; upon approval, implement new or modified systems and procedures.

• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Experience and Education: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and skills is:

Education: Graduation from a four-year college or university with major coursework in accounting, finance, business administration or a closely related field

Experience: Two years of responsible accounting work at the journey level or above, preferably in a governmental or public agency, which includes work experience in property tax accounting.

Knowledge of:

• Basic supervisory principles and practices.

• Principles, practices, and terminology of general, fund, and governmental accounting.

• Auditing and financial reconciliation principles and methods.

• Working knowledge of the laws, ordinances, and regulations governing the financial operation of the County, especially those regarding property tax accounting.

• Apportionment and procedures used in the maintenance of property tax records.

• California property tax laws and regulations as they apply to County government and associated public entities or agencies.

• Principles and practices of business data processing, particularly as it relates to the processing of accounting information.

• Principles of public finance and taxation.

• Applicable laws regulating public fiscal operations.

• Budgeting principles and terminology.

Skill/Ability to:

• Plan, direct, review, and evaluate the work of assigned support staff.

• Train others in work procedures.

• Exercise sound independent judgment within established policy guidelines.

• Prepare and direct the preparation of clear, concise, and complete financial reports and statements, audit reports, and audit work papers.

• Make accurate mathematical and statistical calculations.

• Establish and maintain effective working relations.

• Independently perform highly responsible accounting requiring the exercise of considerable interpretive ability and judgment on a regular basis.

• Understand and interpret the principles, laws, and procedures involved in property tax accounting and apportionment.

• Gather and analyze data and prepare reports.

• Perform detailed work involving numerical data.

• Devise and adapt work procedures, forms, spreadsheets, and record keeping to meet changing needs, new property tax laws or regulations, and County policies or procedures.

• Assist others within established guidelines with property tax roll questions or the resolution of discrepancies.

Additional Information

Departmental Promotional Only. Only current County of San Mateo employees in the Controller's Office with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date may apply.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview, which may include a pre-interview exercise (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 11:59 PM PST
Application Screening: February 9 - 13, 2026
Civil Service Panel Interview: February 17 and/or 18, 2026