Appraisal Supervisor

position Description

Supervise the assessment and classification of residential, multi-family residential, neighborhood commercial and industrial properties for tax purposes.

Work Location: This position may be eligible for flexible work arrangements, including hybrid work with some days working remotely and some days working in the office.

The City of Minneapolis does not sponsor applicants for work visas.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage and assign daily work, projects and operations.
• Deliver clear work direction and expectations to department staff.
• Define and outline the principal responsibilities, skills and knowledge needed for each position in the work unit and the performance indicators that will be used to evaluate performance.
• Train, mentor and coach employees on customer service techniques and assessment processes to increase both employee and customer satisfaction in each transaction.
• Direct, instruct, and advise employees on complex and technical topics such as; current real estate appraisal trends; the valuation of real property; new legislation affecting valuation and assessment administration; real estate tax law; assessment procedures, and taxpayer education.
• Develop training materials and coach assessors on appropriate Application of appraisal and assessing techniques, including the use and application of Computer Aided Mass Appraisal models and MCAST programs.
• Build and manage workforce based on department goals, budget considerations, and staffing needs.
• Ensure that employees are appropriately recruited, selected, and appraised.
• Manage a multi-sector work force and a variety of work situations.
• Manage the litigation in each of the areas for property value per year city-wide (five-year average) in estimated market value of court petitions.
• Approval of all proposed staff settlements regarding all aspects of residential; commercial, industrial, apartment, and special purpose property tax petitions.
• Approve the review of petitioner’s financial information for compliance (per Minn. Stat. 278.05 Subd. 6).
• Mediate stalled negotiations between staff and tax attorneys and real estate professionals.
• Direct and manage the writing of technical narrative appraisals and testimony.
• Independently write highly technical narrative appraisals and testify as an expert witness on behalf of the City in Minnesota State Tax Court on largest, and complex or controversial valuation cases.
• Manage and audit the collection, cataloging and distribution of financial statements and forms to internal and external users for each tax court appeal utilizing the Govern System and Taxsys System.
• Identify, evaluate, and analyze strengths and weaknesses in petitioner’s appraisal and testimony and coordinate with the County Attorney to develop trial strategies.
• Manage professional service contracts and provide direction and oversight to contractors that perform real estate appraisal and consulting services for tax court related litigation.
• Manage a high volume of scheduling orders, interrogatories and deadlines for tax petitions.
• Develop and implement “best practices” strategies to assure the tax appeal system can accommodate sudden and significant fluctuations in appeals with minimal financial impact on City and department resources.
• Manage the execution of all State, County, and City real estate assessment programs for all Minneapolis real and personal property.
• Serve as a subject matter expert to assist the Mayor and City Council Members at neighborhood and other informational meetings.
• Work directly with Mayor, Council Members, and Council Aides to answer constituent questions providing information, clarification and direction.
• Provide forecast information regarding property values as requested.
• Provide tax estimates for various departments including CPED.
• Monitor, interpret, and efficiently respond to new tax legislation adapting business practices and processes.
• Direct and interpret implementation of legislative mandates or Department of Revenue directives to ensure compliance.
• Represent the Assessor’s office at council meetings, City and non-City department meetings, neighborhood and community engagement initiatives, and taxpayer meetings.
• Inform and educate taxpayers on Minnesota real estate laws and procedures related to property tax assessment and real estate sales activity.
• Co-manage the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization proceedings and 1100 informal appeals annually (five-year average).
• Lead Business Process Improvements (BPI) projects to evaluate the department’s workplace practices and procedures and maintain quality improvement initiatives.
• Respond to City and non-City departments and neighborhood groups on requests for information, assistance and professional advice on real estate trends and property tax questions.
• Approve the annual assessment rolls; auditing and recording of sale information and ratio studies; and data processing activities of the department.
• Participate in the administration of legislative programs; including homestead and exemption appeals and investigations.
• Recommend approval or denial of tax exempt classification.
• Provide oversight over compliance enforcement, exemption fraud and management of all exempt property records.
• Manage a diverse, culturally competent, and respectful work section.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other leadership team members to develop plans and goals for the department.
• Audit attendance and approve employee payroll records to ensure accuracy.
• Establish, review and recommend departmental policies regarding work methods.
• Initiate action to improve workflow efficiency.
• Investigate internal and external complaints against the department or staff, determine cause and resolve the complaint or provide a written report with recommendations to the Department Head and Human Resources.

Working Conditions: Normal office environment and field work

Required Qualifications

Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Real Estate, Architecture, Engineering or related field

Minimum experience: Four years full-time experience as an Assessor II or equivalent.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience closely related to the duties of the position MAY be considered.

Licenses/Certifications:

• Minnesota State Assessor License with an Accredited Minnesota Assessor’s License (AMA License)
• Valid Driver’s License

An updated resume to your application is strongly encouraged but not required.

Selection Process

The selection process will consist of one or more of the following steps: a rating of relevant education and experience 100%. It is important that your application show all the relevant education and experience you possess. This information will be used to determine which candidates will proceed in the selection process. A submitted application is also used to verify the answers to any supplemental questions. Only those candidates who attain a passing score 80% on each step in the selection process will be placed on the eligible list. The City of Minneapolis Human Resources Department reserves the right to limit the number in any phase of the selection process.

Background Check

The City has determined that a criminal background check and/or qualifications check may be necessary for certain positions with this job title. Applicants may be required to sign an informed consent form allowing the City to obtain their criminal history and/or verify their qualifications in connection with the position sought. Applicants who do not sign the informed consent form will not be further considered for the position.

Drug and Alcohol Testing

All job applicants must pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol test once a conditional offer of employment has been made. Applicants will be required to sign a notification and consent form prior to undergoing drug and alcohol testing. Applicants who do not consent to undergo drug and alcohol testing will not be required to do so and the City will withdraw the conditional job offer, resulting in the job applicant no longer being considered for the position.

Union Representation

This position is represented by a collective bargaining agreement between the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis City Supervisors Association (CSU). For more information on the terms and conditions of this agreement please visit: Supervisors Association – City of Minneapolis

Eligible List Statement

The names of applicants who meet minimum qualification and who pass the screening process shall be placed on the eligible list for employment consideration. This list will be certified to the hiring manager who may use the list to fill a vacancy of the same job title. This eligible list will expire one month after it has been established.

Interview Selection

The hiring authority reserves the right to determine the maximum number of candidates to interview from the established eligible list. If the hiring authority decides to interview other than by exam score order, they may select additional people to interview based on a candidate’s education or experience related to the field, work history, or skills uniquely related to the operational needs of the position.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Considerable technical knowledge to value and appraise all types of real estate using complex appraisal methodologies (Mass Appraisal, Cost, Sales and Income Approaches).
• Knowledge of Minnesota Property Tax Laws and of the Minnesota Property Tax System, including State statutes on the valuation and classification of property.
• Knowledge of computer hardware and network systems, software and database management.
• Ability to perform high-level statistical analysis that involves mathematical modeling.
• Ability to testify in Minnesota Tax Court.
• Strong oral and written communication skills; good planning and organizational skills; good computer skills.
• Strong negotiation skills, combining diplomacy and persuasiveness with perseverance and results.
• Ability to communicate and deal tactfully and respectfully with a diverse population.
• Ability to work under pressure and with short deadlines.
• Ability to anticipate problems or conflicts and manage through to an acceptable solution.

As the largest and most vibrant city in the state, Minneapolis depends on purposeful, dedicated and innovative employees. Minneapolis has a large variety of careers for people of all experiences and backgrounds who come together for a singular purpose—serving the residents, businesses and visitors of Minneapolis.

The City of Minneapolis is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer.

Benefits Summary

Our employees enjoy competitive salaries and generous benefits. We pride ourselves on a comprehensive benefits program that supports employees’ health and financial well-being. Programs, resources, and benefit eligibility varies based on position, average hours worked, location and length of service. For detailed benefits information, please visit the benefits page.

Insurance

Health insurance

Eligibility for benefits begins the first of the month following employment date. The City of Minneapolis offers eligible employees one plan design with a choice of six provider networks, allowing you to select the best option for you. Available plans include Medica Choice Passport, Medica Elect, VantagePlus with Medica, Park Nicollet and HealthPartners Medical Group First with Medica, Ridgeview Community Network powered by Medica, and Clear Value with Medica.

Dental insurance

The City of Minneapolis offers dental insurance through Delta Dental of Minnesota and pays 100% of the monthly premium for eligible employees.

Life insurance

The city provides basic life insurance of one times your annual salary up to $50,000. You can elect to purchase optional life insurance.

Paid time off

Our generous leave package includes vacation, holidays and paid sick leave, which gives employees the opportunity to enhance their quality of life outside work. Amounts and accrual rates are based on years of experience and collective bargaining agreements.

Paid parental leave

City employees are eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in the event of a birth or placement for adoption of a child.

Retirement

City employees earn a pension and may choose to participate in additional retirement savings programs.

• Pension: The City of Minneapolis participates in the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA). Employees and the City both contribute a percentage of your pay to fund future benefits.
• Deferred compensation: Employees may choose to participate in pre-tax or after-tax savings plans through the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS).

Transportation

Eligible City employees may choose to participate in the following transportation programs:

• Metropass: The Metropass program allows eligible employees to enroll in a pass for unlimited bus or light rail rides at a discounted price.
• Parking or Van Pool: The City of Minneapolis Transportation Benefits Plan gives you options to pay certain commuting costs, such as qualified parking and van pool expenses, with pre-tax dollars.

Learning and development

To engage and develop employees, the City of Minneapolis offers classes in leadership, cultural agility, change management and more. Additionally, educational discounts at Augsburg University, Hamline University, St. Catherine’s, and St. Mary’s University of Minnesota are available to City employees.

Other perks

Employees can also take advantage of flexible spending accounts, the Emotional Wellbeing Solutions, health club discounts and more.

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