Deputy Chief Assessor

The Town of Brookline is seeking a Deputy Chief Assessor to manage the valuation and assessment administration of commercial, industrial, apartments, mixed-use, and tax exempt property, and assist the Chief Assessor in directing the general activities of the Assessing Department. In addition, the Deputy Chief Assessor provides assistance to the Board of Assessors in the matter of setting assessment and tax policy, appeals, and in the determination of annual allowable levy growth, and all other related work as required.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in business administration or related field plus five years of property tax experience, including or supplemented by training and experience in real estate appraisal or mass appraisal, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Supervisory experience required. Certification/accreditation in municipal assessing. Massachusetts Accredited Assessor (MAA) designation preferred. Certified Assessment Evaluator (CAE) or Assessment Administration Specialist (AAS) designations of the IAAO or eligibility for designation. A valid motor vehicle operator's license.

Salary Range: $103,350 - $116,936 DOQ with excellent benefits. Please apply with Resume and Cover letter by November 26, 2024.

Deputy Chief Assessor Job Description

Position Purpose:

The purpose of this position is to perform complex administrative, supervisory, and professional, technical work in the valuation of real estate and personal property for tax purposes in the Town of Brookline. The Deputy Chief Assessor manages the valuation and assessment administration of commercial, industrial, apartments, mixed-use, tax exempt and assists the Chief Assessor in directing the general activities of the Assessing Department. In addition, the Deputy Chief Assessor provides assistance to the Board of Assessors in the matter of setting assessment and tax policy, in reviewing abatement and exemption applications and in the determination of annual allowable levy growth, and all other related work as required.

Supervision:

Supervision Scope: Perform a variety of supervisory duties requiring a thorough working knowledge of town and departmental operations and the exercise of good judgment. Initiates self and staff assignments required to complete all work in a timely and accurate manner. Prepare work-plans to manage commercial, industrial, apartments, mixed-use, tax exempt property, data maintenance and valuation change processes. Work to resolve operating problems that arise and coordinate work effort among staff and with other departments.

Supervision Received: Work is performed under the direction of the Chief Assessor and in accordance with state statutes, the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, and guidelines issued by the Department of Revenue. Resolves procedural problems independently, keeping supervisors informed of progress or problems encountered and seeking assistance as required and reporting implications of decisions made.

Supervision Given: Supervises various professional, paraprofessional, and clerical employees by directing, coordinating, and reviewing work related to the commercial, industrial, apartments, mixed-use, tax exempt property valuation program, including quality assurance standards for data collection and data management functions. Provide guidance to assistant assessors and support staff on data and valuation review practices. Assists staff in problem resolution. Develops commercial, industrial, apartments, mixed-use, tax exempt property data collection and valuation manuals and directs training programs for staff.

Job Environment:

Administrative work is performed under typical office conditions; the noise level is moderate. Regular fieldwork is performed outdoors, including inspecting the interior and exterior of taxpayer's property. Work can be suspended during inclement weather. Some evening and/or weekend work may be required. Must be able to operate an automobile, a personal computer and peripherals, including, printers & modems, a facsimile machine, photocopier, financial calculator, and other standard, professional office equipment. Make frequent contacts with other town departments, developers, attorneys, engineers, bank officials, real estate professionals, government agencies, consultants to the Town, including software vendors, and the general public. Contacts are in person, in writing, via e-mail, and by telephone and may require a sophisticated degree of persuasiveness, resourcefulness, and discretion to influence the behavior of others. Has access to a variety of department-related confidential information including tax abatement, tax deferral or exemption applications and related personal taxpayer information. Errors in judgment or omissions 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. The reporting and correction of errors is vital in order to maintain taxpayer confidence.

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.)

Develops and maintains all valuation tables and schedules for assessment of all commercial, industrial, apartments, mixed-use, tax exempt property; analyzes market data and trends in order to re-calibrate or re-specify valuation models as required.

Manages the town's computer-assisted mass appraisal (CAMA) system for all commercial, industrial, apartments, mixed-use, tax exempt property.

Design quality assurance practices for data collection and database maintenance functions of the office to insure fair and equitable values on all property.

Serve as administrative staff to the Board of Assessors providing technical assistance at meetings, and assuring proper follow-up to Board decisions.

Review and process applications for abatement and exemption of property tax to determine eligibility and appropriateness; make recommendations to the Chief Assessor and Board. Prepare documentation summarizing the Board's decisions. Prepare presentations for Appellate Tax Board appeal hearings commercial, industrial, apartments, mixed-use property. Negotiate with taxpayers or their counsel as required in order to. resolve potential litigation. Testify before the ATB, District or Superior Courts, as necessary.

Assists in the preparation of all required tax forms for posting, balancing, and reconciling assessments in seeking tax rate approval, including allowable levy growth and tax rate recapitulation. Assists in the preparation of materials for the annual Classification Hearing of the Select Board.

Supervises, operates, and maintains computerized data systems for the department. Manages the production of the commitment and billing file preparation for real estate, personal property, motor vehicle excise, and special assessment tax bills for forwarding to the Tax Collector.

Provides information in person, on the telephone, and in writing to property owners and others regarding the town's assessment policies and procedures, the determination of specific valuations, tax abatements, and exemptions.

Assists the Chief Assessor in the management and supervision of all staff functions. Makes recommendations on; personnel, budgeting, and other administrative decisions. Makes recommendations on the purchasing/leasing of technical equipment and software.

Attends professional meetings, training programs, and seminars.

Performs similar or related work as required or directed.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience:

Bachelor's degree in business administration or related field plus five years of property tax experience, including or supplemented by training and experience in real estate appraisal or mass appraisal, or equivalent combination of education and experience. Supervisory experience required.

Special Requirements:

Certification/accreditation in municipal assessing. Massachusetts Accredited Assessor (MAA) designation preferred. Certified Assessment Evaluator (CAE) or Assessment Administration Specialist (AAS) designations of the IAAO or eligibility for designation. 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. Working knowledge of computerized database management systems. Ability to create electronic worksheets for analyzing and reporting data including property sales data. Knowledge of cadastral mapping and geographic information systems (GIS). Strong working knowledge of statistical analysis, computer modeling and forecasting.

Ability: Ability to manage and maintain mass appraisal database management systems. Ability to collect, interpret, and analyze data from a variety of sources, including manual numeration to electronic file submissions. Ability to direct field operations and ensure data integrity. Ability to understand and interpret; physical, economic, geographic, and social-economic data as well as governmental data, such as land use regulations. Ability to handle taxpayer inquiries and/or complaints tactfully and effectively. Ability to work with or without direct supervision. Ability to work in team environment.

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. Research skills, including familiarity with Internet and on-line database research protocols.

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, too is, 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. Communicates verbally and in writing. Vision and hearing at or correctable to normal ranges. Ability to operate a keyboard at an efficient speed.

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.