Description

This position is responsible for oversight and management of the City’s property tax assessment functions, valuation of all real estate and personal property, property valuation appeals, and oversite of general reappraisals.  In addition, this position is responsible for researching, entering and producing the City’s annual Grand List Book and Tax Book. The position is also responsible for all state Education Fund reporting and communicating changes in values to the state.

Union Affiliation: Non-Union
Pay Grade 28: $115,378.03 - $128,881.51 Annually
Remote Tier 2: Up to one (1) day remote/week

Essential Job Functions

• Establish policies on appraisal methodology; and assessment administration procedures for ongoing appraisal equity, and assessment of new buildings improvements, land valuation and/or other market changes.
  Prepare recommendation on annual budget requirements for the assessing function and monitor expenditures within assigned budget.
• Manage department staff including budget expenditure approval, payment of vouchers, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, discharge, work rule establishment, and department morale.
• Be aware of, and implement any new processes associated with tax assessment efficiencies. This would include new software and process efficiencies.
• Supervise, assign work, perform performance evaluations, discipline, and coach employees.
• Perform on-site physical inspections for real estate and business personal property inventory.
• Collect, verify, and analysis; income revenues and expense data for investment type properties.
• Maintain up-to-date database file on all applicable building and zoning permits.
• Compile official Grand List; maintain extensive records of ownership, value, and descriptions of property assessed.
• Recommend ways to increase value of the Grand List, as appropriate, to the Chief Administrative Officer.
• Create and maintain public transparency tools such as online dashboards. These would include property transfers and overall taxable property values.
• Construct and test sales ratio studies for Vermont Tax Department and City of Burlington.
• Produce reports from the CAMA system, and create market analysis reports from spreadsheets for the integrity of the Grand List Book
• Work closely with other departments within the city when property information is needed.
• Conduct narrative appraisal reports and CAMA property valuation appraisals of real residential property and real commercial property.
• Conduct narrative appraisal reports and CAMA property valuation appraisals of business personal property (machinery and equipment).
• Manage the market data collection, processing, and review of real estate and business property, and set values for assessment purposes and issue notices.
• Review all personal property filing forms for completeness, accuracy, and fairness.  
• Manage personal property annual valuation tables, audits and field inspections.
• Produce annual value change notices on all property that changed in value.
• Hear and rule on property valuation grievances, appeals before the Board of Assessors, and claims for exemptions
• Report and testify before the Board of Tax Appeals, Board of Civil Authority and all other judicial hearings.
• Manage administration of the Board of Tax Abatement sub-committee.
• Act as an active, voting member of the Board of Tax Abatement
• Assist in the maintenance of the Assessor’s website, property online database and property mapping. 
• Administer the Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (CAMA) computer system for City.  
• Maintain operational status of the system and resolve user technical problems. This involves a working knowledge of the database and how values are created associated with property element relationships.
• Participate in professional associations to keep informed of current developments in the field.
• Act as Chair of Board of Assessor’s, and report to Board of Abatement as required by City Charter.
• Head the preparation, implementation and management of a City-wide Reappraisal project and/or valuation updates. This could involve in-house valuations as well as hiring and managing valuation contractors for assistance.
• Closely monitor the City’s Tax Incentive Finance District (TIF) values. The TIF district allows for tax benefits associated with ongoing improvement within a designed district.
• Certify the TIF districts to ensure accuracy associated with the agreed upon locations of properties included with the Original Tax Value.
• Perform all calculations associated with the increments and proceeds associated with all of the City’s TIF districts.
• Report internally to the CAO on a regular basis regarding TIF progression and possible value increases associated with the districts to inform budgets. 
• Report to the State of Vermont Economic Progress Council on all values associated with TIF and proceeds created.
• Lead all state communications and reporting with the Division of Property Valuation and Review (PVR) within the State of Vermont Department of Taxes. 
• Perform related work as required

Non-Essential Job Functions: 

• Performs other duties as required.

Requirements

• Ability to actively support City diversity, equity, and cultural competency efforts within stated job responsibilities and work effectively across diverse cultures and constituencies.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as evidenced by ongoing trainings and professional development.
• Bachelor’s degree required.  A degree in real estate, economics, accounting, public administration, or related field preferred. 
• A minimum of eight (8) years of full time of progressively responsible experience in the valuation of property for tax purposes in accordance with modern assessment principles, including five years of supervisory experience. 
• Additional experience may be substituted for a degree requirement on a two-for-one year basis.
• Maintain an appraisal certification through the Vermont Secretary of State.
• Maintain a professional designation from IAAO and/or a Vermont Licensed Appraisal Level IV Certificate.
• Must possess valid Vermont Driver’s License.
• Must display advanced computer skills and proficiency’s with Microsoft Office software including Excel and Power Bi
• Must be able to create meaningful dashboards for internal monitoring and public facing data.
• Must have a working knowledge of G.I.S. program.
• Must be proficient with Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal software (CAMA) and relational databases.
• Must have understanding of real estate valuation modeling techniques.
• Must have  an advanced knowledge of residential and commercial real estate valuation methodologies.
• Must have a working knowledge of business personal property appraisal methods such as depreciation schedules and inflation factors.
• Must have a knowledge of budgetary procedures and fiscal accountability.
• Must have a knowledge of management principles and practices and the ability to accomplish work through others.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to interact professionally with the public, City Council, local politicians and other government entities as a representative of the City of Burlington
• Knowledge of long range planning, including the ability to project future department requirements, solicit funding and manage implementation.
• Ability to obtain a working knowledge of departmental operations and procedures, and pertinent state and local statutes relation to assessments and notice.
• Ability to plan and forecast seasonal department workload, including equipment and staffing requirements; develop objectives; and arrange resources to assure that legal taxation deadlines are met. 
• Monitor employee efficiency and recommend efficiencies associated with workload
• Ability to establish and maintain effective employee and public relations; ability to hear and resolve grievances and other public complaints in a professional manner. 
• Regular attendance is necessary and is essential to meeting the expectations of the job functions.
• Regular attendance of all internal department head meetings and ad hoc meetings needed by the Mayor
• Ability to understand and comply with City standards, safety rules and personnel policies.