Principal Appraiser

YOU MUST BE AN ALAMEDA COUNTY EMPLOYEE TO APPLY

THIS IS A NEW PROMOTIONAL ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION.  The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended. Qualified applicants must be current county employees and have completed the equivalent of six months of continuous service following a regular appointment in the Alameda County classified service (non-classified includes the District Attorney’s Office, the Medical Center, and the Superior Court) by the last day of filing.  A regular appointment does not include provisional, TAP (Temporary Assignment Pool), or STEP-UP appointments.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.

Applications will only be accepted online.

THE AGENCY

The primary mandated services of the Assessor's Office include: locate and identify the ownership of all taxable property in Alameda County; determine the taxability of all property; determine the re-appraisability of property changing ownership or having new construction added; annually assess all real estate in accordance with the provisions of Article XIIIA of the State Constitution (Proposition 13); annually assess all taxable personal property at its fair market value; determine and apply all legal exemptions against these assessments; and surrender an accurate assessment roll to the Auditor's Office prior to July 1st each year.

The Assessor’s Office mission is to provide timely and accurate appraisal services in a manner resulting in fair and equitable treatment for all Alameda County taxpayers. With a proposed staffing level of 175.47 full‐time equivalent positions, this team of professionals provides mandated assessment services performed in accordance with the California Constitution, Revenue and Taxation Code, Government Code, and State Board of Equalization guidelines and directives.

THE POSITION 

Under general direction, the Principal Appraiser will be assigned to plan, organize, and direct the operation of the Real Property Appraisal Section.  The Principal Appraiser participates in the development of appraisal and office procedures. The Real Property Appraisal Section appraises residential, rural, commercial, and industrial properties.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

The Principal Appraiser is in charge of a departmental section.  This class differs from the next higher class of Chief, Appraisal Division and Chief, Appraisal Services Division, by the Chiefs having responsibility for coordinating and administering all appraisal programs.  This class differs from the next lower class, Supervising Appraiser II, by the lower class serving as a Unit Supervisor either of an Appraisal Unit or an Appraisal Services Unit.

For more detailed information about the job classification, visit: Principal Appraiser (#2630)

EITHER I

Experience:

The equivalent of two (2) years of experience in the class of Supervising Appraiser II, or the equivalent of three (3) years in the class of Assessor Representative, Training Officer (Assessor’s Office), and/or an equivalent or higher-level classification in the Assessor’s Office, in the Alameda County classified service.                                                                  

OR II  

Experience:  

The equivalent of five (5) years of experience in the appraisal of major and complex real properties, at least two (2) years of which were responsible supervisory experience equivalent to a Supervising Appraiser II in the Alameda County classified service (non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts); or the equivalent of five (5) years of experience in the administration of an assessment office in the State of California.

License: Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's license.

Certification: Appraiser's certificate issued by the State of California Board of Equalization.

NOTE:    The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Duties and responsibilities the County Assessor's Office.
• Principles of organization, administration and management.
• Appraisal principles, terminology, methods and procedures.
• California property tax law and provisions of the Assessor's Handbook concerning assessment practices and standards.
• Economic and environmental factors affecting the real property value.
• Fundamentals of statistics, management, training and supervision principles.
• Modern property record-keeping systems and practices.

Ability to:

• Plan, direct and coordinate the work of a section of the Assessor's Office.
• Organize and supervise training; evaluate the technical staff's job performance.
• Analyze appraisal and assessment programs and select and implement those that will best improve the existing system.
• Deal effectively with the public; prepare correspondence and write reports.
• Represent the Assessor's Office before governmental boards, property owners, and technical groups.
• Interpret and explain property appraisal and assessment techniques and evaluating assessment practices.
• Communicate effectively in writing. Incorporate and apply the appraisal functions with the computer-based appraisal information system.

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

1. A review of the candidates’ application to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.
2. An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidates’ final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this recruitment. 

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness, and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work. 

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well-being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @jobaps.com, acgov.org, Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions, please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Erika Beams, Human Resources Analyst 
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
Analyst Email Address Link: ERIKA.BEAMS@ACGOV.ORG | Phone: 510-272-6393
www.acgov.org/hrs

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law.  Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect.  Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.