Assistant Tax Assessor

McDowell County•McDowell County Services Building, NC

8d•Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as the second-in-command of the Tax Assessors Office and must possess the knowledge, judgment, leadership ability, and technical expertise necessary to assume responsibility for the operation of the Tax Assessors Office in the absence of the Tax Assessor. The Assistant Tax Assessor provides operational leadership, technical expertise, employee development, and quality assurance to ensure the consistent, accurate, and legally compliant administration of the County's property tax system per North Carolina General Statute. Performs advanced professional, administrative, technical, and supervisory work assisting the Tax Assessor or as the Tax Assessor in the Assessor’s absence in planning, organizing, directing, and administering all functions of the Tax Assessor's Office. Responsibilities include oversight of real property appraisal, personal property appraisal, motor vehicle assessment, land records, mapping, listing, exemptions, property ownership, and other assessment functions. Work involves supervising personnel, developing and implementing departmental policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with the North Carolina Machinery Act and other applicable laws, overseeing complex property ownership and valuation matters, and providing technical leadership, training, and quality assurance throughout the department.

Requirements

Possession of a valid North Carolina drivers license.
Certification as a North Carolina Real Property Appraiser and Personal Property Appraiser, or the ability to obtain certification within the timeframes established by the North Carolina Department of Revenue.
Successful completion of all North Carolina Department of Revenue courses and certifications required to perform the essential functions of the position.
Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply the North Carolina Machinery Act, North Carolina General Statutes, Property Tax Commission decisions, Department of Revenue policies, and applicable legal opinions.
Demonstrated ability to independently perform and provide technical leadership in all operational areas of the Tax Assessors Office, including but not limited to: Real Property Appraisal, Personal Property Appraisal, Motor Vehicle Assessment (NCVTS), Land Records, Deed Processing, Ownership Transfers, Probate Review, Parcel Maintenance, Mapping/GIS, CAMA administration, Audits, Reports, Present-Use-Value qualifications, and all Exemptions & Exclusions applications.
Bachelors degree in business administration, public administration, accounting, finance, economics, geography, geographic information systems (GIS), surveying, real estate, or a closely related field, and/or a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in North Carolina property tax administration, real property appraisal, personal property appraisal, land records, mapping, or a related field, including at least two (2) years of supervisory or lead-worker experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Responsibilities

Assists the Tax Assessor in planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and evaluating all operations of the Tax Assessors Office and serves as Acting Tax Assessor during the Tax Assessors absence, ensuring continuity of departmental operations and decision-making.
Supervises, assigns, reviews, trains, mentors, and evaluates departmental personnel; assists with recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, performance management, and employee development.
Assists in developing, implementing, and evaluating departmental policies, budgets, reports, procedures, workflow improvements, and strategic initiatives to promote efficiency, consistency, customer service, and compliance.
Assists in directing the listing, appraisal, mapping, assessment, and maintenance of all real property, personal property, and registered motor vehicles.
Assists in planning, coordinating, and implementing countywide reappraisal projects, including the development and maintenance of schedules of values, valuation methodologies, appraisal standards, and quality control procedures.
Reviews and jointly authorizes valuation adjustments, appeals, exemption & exclusion applications, clerical corrections, releases, refunds, and other assessment changes as authorized by law.
Monitors changes in North Carolina statutes, Department of Revenue policies, Property Tax Commission decisions, and applicable court rulings affecting property tax administration; recommends and implements procedural updates necessary to maintain statutory compliance.
Reviews complex chains of title, probate proceedings, boundary adjustments, parcel splits, parcel combinations, easements, and other ownership matters to ensure accurate ownership records, parcel maintenance, and compliance with applicable laws.
Coordinates deed transfers, ownership changes, parcel maintenance, mapping updates, GIS data, CAMA records, deed certifications, bond justifications, plat review functions, and related land records activities to ensure accuracy and consistency throughout the department.
Oversees, maintains and provides technical review and guidance regarding the processing of deeds, plats, surveys, probate records, estate proceedings, court orders, legal descriptions, and other instruments affecting ownership or assessment to ensure accurate parcel creation, ownership transfers, and compliance with North Carolina property tax laws.
Maintains expert-level working knowledge of every operational function within the Tax Assessors Office and possesses the ability to independently perform the duties of every division.
Serves as the departments primary technical resource for complex assessment, appraisal, land records, mapping, deed processing, ownership, probate, CAMA, and statutory compliance matters.
Develops, coordinates, and administers comprehensive cross-training programs for departmental staff.
Trains, mentors, and evaluates employees in all functional areas of the department, including: Real Property Appraisal, Personal Property Appraisal, Motor Vehicle Assessment (NCVTS), Land Records, Deed Processing, Ownership Transfers, Probate Review, Parcel Maintenance, Mapping/GIS, CAMA Administration, Exemption & Exclusion application review.
Develops, maintains, updates, and periodically reviews written standard operating procedures, workflow documentation, training manuals, and reference materials for all departmental functions.
Conducts routine quality assurance reviews and audits of work performed throughout the department to verify consistency, accuracy, statutory compliance, and adherence to established procedures.
Provides coaching, retraining, and technical guidance as needed to ensure uniform application of departmental standards, maintain the integrity and quality of departmental operations, and promote continuous improvement in employee performance.
Responds to complex taxpayer inquiries and resolves difficult property ownership, valuation, mapping, exemption, and assessment issues through sound professional judgment and effective customer service.
Represents the County before the Board of Equalization and Review, the North Carolina Property Tax Commission, governmental agencies, and other public meetings as assigned.
Coordinates with County departments, municipalities, attorneys, surveyors, engineers, title companies, the Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and state agencies regarding matters affecting property ownership, valuation, mapping, assessment, and tax administration.