State of Maryland

An Acquisition Specialist Senior Advanced is the advanced level of work planning, organizing, directing and monitoring commercial real estate projects of State agencies for the Office of Real Estate, Department of General Services.  Employees in this classification function as a technical specialist in a specific commercial real estate area, such as land acquisition and disposal or lease management and procurement and are responsible for managing complex projects from inception to completion.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.  

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a program manager or other designated official in the Office of Real Estate.  Employees may be required to work evenings and weekends.  The work may require travel throughout the State to property locations and land record offices.  

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of a class specification.  

The Acquisition Specialist Senior Advanced is differentiated from the Acquisition Specialist in that the Acquisition Specialist Senior Advanced function as technical subject matter specialists in commercial real estate land acquisition and disposal or lease management and procurement under general supervision while the Acquisition Specialist perform special complex leasing projects under general supervision.  The Acquisition Specialist Senior Advanced differs from the Acquisition Specialist Senior Lead in that the Acquisition Specialist Senior Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains Acquisition Specialists.

Plans, organizes, directs and monitors commercial real estate projects of State agencies for the Department of General Services;

Obtains and interprets documents pertaining to ownership, zoning, districts, topography, and operational financial data;

May present items before the Board of Public Works;

(Land Acquisition and Disposal Function)

Directs and completes commercial real estate land acquisition and disposal project transactions including but limited to proposal preparation and evaluation, pre-acquisition site evaluation and property assessment, due diligence requirements, contract negotiations and preparation, and facilities planning for State agencies’ capital program development;

Directs, completes and coordinates land acquisition and disposal projects that require resolving complex legal and valuation issues, determining financial requirements, and rendering decisions that effect the timing and the provide the most favorable terms for the State;

Confers with executives, managers and administrative staff concerning real property and facility needs and priorities, and makes appropriate recommendations concerning overall feasibility of property transactions;

Participates in public and closed meetings and conferences at the request of elected and appointed officials of the State, local governments, and special interest/civic groups;

Acts as liaison between property owners and State agencies and the Board of Public Works to resolve problems that may prohibit a successful Agreement of Sale;

Evaluates complex technical issues concerning appraisal valuation, title information, survey plats, environmental reports, and historical trust claims for real property acquisitions to ensure proper due diligence on behalf of the State;

Designs, constructs, and administers Requests for Proposals for design build, purchase of sale, and disposals of real property through entire procurement process;

Provides advanced site and building searches, evaluates financial and programmatic feasibility of options, and provides technical property analysis for consideration by acquiring departments/agencies;

Prepares Purchase/Sales Agreements, Right of Entries, Post Occupancy Agreements, and drafts of other various legal documents for submissions to Legal Division for review and appropriate changes;

Administers the Federal Relocation law for each acquisition including, but not limited to determining eligibility of moving, relocation, and/or reestablishment costs, reviewing and approving actual costs submitted for reimbursement, and all federal/state reporting requirements;

Coordinates real property condemnation processes through the Attorney General Office;

Performs other related duties;

(Lease Management and Procurement Function)

Directs and completes commercial real estate lease management and procurement transactions including but not limited to reviewing proposals, verifying needs, determining fiscal and operational requirements, planning and implementing plans, organizing and conducting negotiations, and the coordinating leasing transactions for State agencies in order to ensure conformity to comparable market values;

Directs, completes and coordinates commercial real estate lease management and procurement negotiations that require resolving of complex legal issues, determining financial requirements and developing conditions and terms with officials and representatives from the private and public sectors that obtain the most favorable terms and conditions for the State;

Conducts field inspections of proposed and leased facilities, interprets and monitors lease/contract provisions and enforces landlord compliance with said provisions;

Prepares Requests for Proposals, lease agreements, contracts, license agreements, memoranda of understanding, lease management status reports and Board of Public Works Agenda Item;

Confers with property owners and representatives, contractors and architects to develop space plans for various types of commercial space requirements and monitors the build out and acceptance of space;            

Reviews agencies request for space to determine compliance with State standards, correct any deficiencies and overstated requirements as necessary;                      

Reviews cost estimates for labor and materials for modifications/renovations to existing leasehold space;            

Reviews required construction budget for excess fit-up costs to be incurred by agencies for newly acquired leasehold space;           

Analyses proposed rates from a market and projected cash flow basis in financial analysis of complex financing methods currently being utilized in the real estate industry;                 

Determines if leased space requests may be accommodated in State owned facilities to effect budget savings;            

Serves as the State consultant to property owners and/or representatives, contractors and architects in developing space plans for various types of commercial space requirements and progress meetings to monitor the build out of leasehold space;            

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of State commercial real estate laws and regulations;

Knowledge of State procurement regulations;

Knowledge of contract preparation and negotiation strategies and techniques for the acquisition of real property and leaseholds;

Knowledge of building design, construction procedures and methods;

Skill in conducting negotiations with owners or landlords, attorneys, real estate brokers, government and private sector officials;

Skill in interpreting commercial real estate market information and trends;

Skill in interpreting real estate survey plats, land records, zoning maps and deed records to determine property ownership and other facets of property acquisition or leasing;

Ability to interpret and apply State procurement laws and regulations;

Ability to interpret departmental policies and procedures;

Ability to assign, review and approve the work of and train Acquisition Specialists;

Ability to exercise sound judgment in making decisions and recommendations in accordance with established laws, rules, regulations and policies;

Ability to communicate effectively;

Ability to use word processing, spread sheet and network applications;

Ability to establish and maintain professional, effective and harmonious working relationships with the general public, government and private sector officials and representatives;

(Land Acquisition and Disposal)

Knowledge of the methods, techniques and practices applicable to commercial real estate land acquisition and disposal;

Knowledge of property appraisal techniques and practices;

Knowledge of State relocation laws and practices applicable to the acquisition of property for public projects;

(Lease Management and Procurement Function)

Knowledge of the methods, techniques and practices applicable to commercial real estate property management, leasing and procurement;

Knowledge of property valuation techniques;

Knowledge of commercial real estate finances methods and techniques

Education:   Graduation from accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Six years of experience in commercial real estate, three years of which must include the performance of governmental real estate transactions involving the application of state and local laws, regulations, practices and procedures in the acquisition, disposal, development, management or leasing of real property.

Notes:

1. Eighteen credit hours in business administration, real estate, property management, real property marketing or related courses from an accredited college or university may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for up to two years of the required general experience.

2. A current real estate broker’s license may be substituted for two years of the required general experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.  

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.