SENIOR REAL PROPERTY AGENT

THE JOB: Under direction, negotiates high-value leases; manages real property workload within assigned functional areas; performs contract preparation and administration methods and practices; communicates directly with County Counsel and executive management throughout the County; coordinates Board of Supervisors approval process; conducts real property work to develop County facilities; ensures real property activities are conducted in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations; and estimates project costs and timelines; performs high-value complex appraisals and negotiations for acquiring property and rights of way; may assign, supervise and review the work of others for projects or for training new employees; performs office and field work to appraise and negotiate for acquiring and disposing of real property or property rights for public use; prepares documents to secure clear title; examines, prepares and oversees the execution of legal documents such as deeds, easements, leases, options and right of entry; manages County owned real property leased to others and negotiates leases for property for County use; performs relocation assistance services and prepares relocation reports; prepares appraisals for use by attorneys in condemnation proceedings and other acquisition transactions; prepares or reviews environmental impact reports and related documents; makes public presentations; prepares reports and correspondence; may input, access and analyze data using a computer; may appear in court as an expert witness for valuation matters;  and to do other work as required. There is currently one vacancy in the Department of Public Works, Real Property Division. The list established from this recruitment will be used to fill the current and future vacancies during the life of the eligible list.

THE REQUIREMENTS: Special Requirements: Possess and maintain a valid California Class C Driver License.

Training and Experience: Any combination of training and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and abilities, is qualifying. A typical way to obtain these knowledge and abilities would be:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in business administration, real estate, civil engineering, or a related field, and five years of experience in lease negotiations, property management, relocation, and appraisals and negotiations of advanced difficulty for the purchase of land, improvements, and property rights for the public use in a public agency. Desirable qualifications include a Certificate from the International Right of Way Association (IRWA) certifications and possession of a California Real Estate Broker’s License. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)

OR

Four years performing the duties comparable to a Real Property Agent with Santa Cruz County.

Knowledge: Thorough knowledge, as it specifically applied in a public setting, of the following: principles of real property management and appraisal techniques; legal description of real property and general engineering terms and symbols; the laws, legal documents and procedures for appraising and acquiring real property; techniques, laws and procedures required for relocation assistance; and federal, state, and local regulations governing relocation, acquisition and disposition of real property in a governmental setting.

Ability to: Conduct negotiations in a persuasive manner; interpret maps, engineering plans and legal documents pertaining to property; learn to perform difficult appraisals; establish and maintain cooperative relationships with others; collect and analyze data, develop and administer plans; interpret, explain, apply and enforce applicable laws, rules and regulations; formulate, evaluate and make recommendations on real property acquisitions; prepare and present effective oral and written presentations; learn to access, input and analyze data using a computer; perform difficult appraisals; learn to supervise and train others; negotiate high-value leases of real property, prepare lease documents, and coordinate review and inter-departmental approval process; implement residential and business relocation projects in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations; conduct reviews of contract appraisers and prepare right of way certification documents for federally funded projects; prepare terms and documents for negotiated settlements relating to property acquisition, management, and relocation; and assist and advise the Chief Real Property Agent with work plan, financial analysis, project cost estimating, and interdepartmental communications.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:
ANNUAL LEAVE – 22 days first year, increasing to 37 days after 15 years.  Available after six months for vacation and/or sick leave.
HOLIDAYS – 12.5 paid holidays per year.
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE – 3 days paid in California, 5 days paid out-of-state.
MEDICAL PLAN – The County contracts with CalPERS for a variety of medical plans.  For most plans, County contributions pay a majority of the premiums for employees and eligible dependents.
DENTAL PLAN – County pays for employee and eligible dependent coverage.
VISION PLAN – County pays for employee coverage. Employee may purchase eligible dependent coverage.
RETIREMENT  – Pension formula 2% at age 60 or 2% at age 62 as determined based on provisions of the CA Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013(PEPRA). Pension benefit determined by final average compensation of three years. County participates in Social Security. 
LIFE INSURANCE – County paid $20,000 term policy.  Employee may purchase additional life insurance.
SDI – Employees in the General Representation Unit participate in the State Disability Insurance (SDI) program. This program is funded 100% by employee payroll deductions.
DEPENDENT-CARE PLAN – Employees who make contributions for child or dependent care may elect to have their contributions made utilizing “pre-tax dollars.”
H-CARE PLAN – Employees who pay a County medical premium share of cost may elect this pre-tax program.
HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ALLOWANCE (HCFSA) – Employees may elect this pre-tax program to cover qualifying health care expenses.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION – A deferred compensation plan is available to employees.
OTHER – Other pay and benefit items apply to certain positions or assignments, such as Bilingual Pay and Night Shift Differential.

THE EXAMINATION: Your application and supplemental application will be reviewed to determine if you have met the education, experience, training and/or licensing requirements as stated on the job announcement. If you meet these criteria and are one of the best qualified, you may be required to compete in any combination of written, oral and/or performance examinations or a competitive evaluation of training and experience as described on your application and supplemental application. You must pass all components of the examination to be placed on the eligible list. The examination may be eliminated if there are ten or fewer qualified applicants. If the eligible list is established without the administration of the announced examination, the life of the eligible list will be six months and your overall score will be based upon an evaluation of your application. If during those six months it is necessary to administer another examination for this job class, you will be invited to take the examination to remain on the eligible list.  

HOW TO APPLY: Apply Online Now!  Click on the link below; or print out an application and supplemental questionnaire and mail/bring them to: Santa Cruz County Personnel Department, 701 Ocean Street, Room 310, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060.  For information, call (831) 454-2600.  Hearing Impaired TDD/TTY: 711.  Applications will meet the final filing date if received in one of the following ways:  1) In the Personnel Department by 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date, 2) submitted online before midnight of the final filing date.  For application materials, contact County of Santa Cruz Department of Public Works Personnel Division, (831) 454-2607. Following a review for minimum qualifications, applicants who are selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be notified that they must submit a completed conviction history questionnaire in order to continue to the examination phase of the process.

Women, minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. If you have a disability that requires test accommodation, please call (831) 454-2600.  

To comply with the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, Santa Cruz County verifies that all new employees are either U.S. citizens or persons authorized to work in the U.S.  

Some positions may require fingerprinting and/or background investigation.  

NOTE: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract.