Job Specification Details

Supervisory, technical, and administrative work involving the regulation of property taxes in Vermont, including the Use Value Appraisal program (Current Use). Incumbent supervises the program and its staff, establishing policies and procedures to provide consistent, fair, and equitable application of statutes and rules. Work is performed under the direct supervision of the Division Director.

Supervise staff carrying out the administration of the Use Value Appraisal program (Current Use) program.

Plan, organize and direct division efforts, including improving workflows and processes and participating in modernization efforts.

Issue property determinations with sometimes significant financial and legal implications for taxpayers and the state.

Ensure all assigned programs are administered according to current federal, state and department regulations and procedures. 

Develop and maintain technical, operational, and professional expertise in the Current Use program.

Determine eligibility for continued enrollment or discontinuance in Current Use program, in the most complex and high-value cases.

Interpret policies and make determinations on difficult, controversial or unusual cases. 

Provide expert technical assistance to public officials and taxpayers on program requirements and implications of changes to the programs. 

Leverage data analysts and work cooperatively with other department experts, as well as other state agency experts in agriculture, forest management, natural resources, commerce and community development, as well as members of the real estate, forestry and legal community.

Work to resolve conflicts between impacted taxpayers and department policies and determinations.

Prepare and provide expert testimony for appeals and Vermont Legislature.
Serve as Division spokesperson at stakeholder meetings, professional and educational events.

Hire, assign and supervise staff, including identifying staff training needs.
Train, develop, motivate and mentor staff on any property tax program.

Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) on technology and process improvement projects. 

Perform other duties as required.

Duties are largely performed in an office setting. Strong and conflicting public opinions may be encountered on a regular basis. Workload pressure may vary over a period of time. Some degree of telephone, letter, and face-to-face contact with irritated taxpayers may be anticipated.

Expert knowledge of one or more of the following:  Current Use, Property Tax, forestry rules and guidance, Vermont statutes, rules and regulations.
Strong ability to work with co-workers, private citizens and public officials in a professional manner.

Considerable knowledge of program planning, management and supervisory principles and practices. 

Considerable knowledge of state and federal laws, regulations and programs pertaining to Use Value Appraisal. 

Strong ability to research and apply statutes of considerable complexity and ambiguity.

Ability to establish program objectives, prioritize and allocate resources, maximize efficiency, evaluate program outputs and effectiveness and measure and make progress towards program objectives.

Strong ability to read and interpret maps, surveys, deeds and surveyed drawings.

Ability to perform mathematical computations accurately with a strong understanding of statistics.

Ability to plan, organize, supervise and evaluate the work of internal staff. 
Extensive ability to work independently with minimum direction, and to lead groups.

Extensive ability to work independently on difficult and complex tasks and prioritize among multiple competing deadlines.

Expertise in Excel, Word, Outlook and an aptitude to gain proficiency in customized databases.

Highly effective oral and written communication.

Outstanding supervisory abilities dealing with compliance and technical staff, internal and external stakeholders, municipal officials, and the general public.

Ability to handle stress, deadlines, and multiple staff members in a positive and constructive manner.

Ability to interpret and correctly apply regulations of considerable complexity.

Considerable knowledge of Property Valuation & Review programs.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Attention to detail and accuracy.

Six (6) or more years of experience  in public administration, programmatic or fiscal management, or similar and one (1) year in a supervisory or management role.

Bachelors degree or higher in public administration, fiscal management or a related field.

Bachelors degree or higher in public administration, fiscal management or a related field.