Assistant to the Assessor

Assistant To The Assessor

Centrally located in the heart of Iowa, Ames is a vibrant, progressive community with more than 66,000 residents providing an excellent quality of life. Home to Iowa State University, Ames offers year-round recreation opportunities, diverse cultural offerings, a stable economy, safe neighborhoods, and a high-achieving school district.

Under the direction of the Ames City Assessor, the Assistant To The Assessor assists the Assessor with various aspects of the assessment process and administrative duties.

In order to be considered for this position, all applicants must submit their online application by the deadline listed on this posting. Your application includes complete responses to the supplemental questions. Please keep in mind that submission of a resume in lieu of work history on your application or answering the supplemental questions is not sufficient.

Compensation Philosophy : The City of Ames has a compensation philosophy for our merit salary ranges that provides growth for employees as they gain experience and expertise in their roles. The minimum pay of each range is intended to reflect an employee's qualifications that meet the position's minimum requirements. The median of any range is for an employee who can reasonably meet all expectations of the position responsibilities without initial or extensive training. The City may consider a candidate's education, experience, and skills that are above the minimum requirements when considering a salary closer to the median. The median salary for this position is $91,716. Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits package can be viewed at the City of Ames Benefits website.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program : The PSLF Program is a federal program that is intended to encourage individuals to work in public service by forgiving the balance of their federal student loans. To qualify, the individual must have made 120 qualifying payments while employed by a qualifying employer. For more information, please visit the PSLF Program website.

The following duties are typical for this position but are not to be construed as exclusive or all inclusive. Other job-related duties associated with this position may be required or assigned. All duties and responsibilities to be completed with a very high degree of accuracy and detail while conforming to all statutory laws, policies, and office procedures. Review tax credit applications for proper qualifications and recommendation of approval or denial; update tax credit valuations and information in various systems and databases; review and update urban revites, minimum assessments, and other tax credit schedules; enter grain handled in Tyler; review wind tower values annually. Assist with preparing information for PAAB / court, finding comparables and other necessary information to show assessment equity. Review processed transfers, DOVs, splits and combinations for errors in Cama and Tyler; review and submit DOV information in the Iowa Department of Revenue (IDR) portal; Enter property attributes in IDR's DOV portal as necessary; Review IDR Sales List for missing or inaccurate DOV data and determine corrections; Update List of Ag sales for ISU Survey including type of ground, total acres, and sale price. Updates website as necessary. Serves as backup for Appraisal Clerk and Appraisal Technician as needed, answering phone calls and interacting with customers who requires assistance in the office. Assists Appraisers with property appraisals and assessments as needed. Performs any other work as assigned by the Assessor. Each employee is expected to continually strive to bring shared values to life through our Excellence Through People organizational culture.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required. Required Education and Experience : Associate degree (A.A.) or equivalent from two-year College or technical school; or 12 to 18 months related experience and / or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, including but not limited to Outlook, Excel, Word; or equivalent software programs. Within 24 months of hire, must complete the following courses : Basic Assessment, Legal Descriptions, Course 101 : Fundamentals, Course 102 : Income Approach, Course 201 : Appraisal of Land, course 300 : Fundamentals of Mass Appraisal, Course 400 : Assessment Administration, Course 402 : Tax Policy. Preferred Education and Experience : Working knowledge of Vanguard CAMA software, ESRI software (ArcGIS Pro), Beacon / Schneider and Tyler (Incode) software. Working knowledge of appraising or assessing commercial and industrial type properties. ICA Designation or IAAO Designations strongly desired or the desire and ability to acquire the ICA designation. Licenses and Certificates : Must possess a valid Iowa Driver's License. The employee must be able to comply with the requirements established by the Conference Board to receive mileage reimbursement and drive a motorized vehicle to various locations to measure and list property and attend classes or conferences. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Necessary to Perform Essential Functions : Language Skills : Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from a group, manager or superior, clients, customer, and the public. Must have excellent communications skills, including written, verbal, and listening. Mathematical Skills : Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference and fundamentals of geometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations. Ability to use and read a tape measure. Reasoning Ability : Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardizations exist. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

General Physical Characteristics : While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel crouch or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to lift and / or move objects up to 25 pounds. Required Physical Activities : The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Vision Requirements : Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust to focus. Environmental Conditions : The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Due to the nature of the office function, there may be times when the employee will be under stress from external sources. Occasionally it may be necessary to work beyond a traditional day including Saturdays. Some work is performed outdoors in hot and / or cold conditions. EQUIPMENT : Ability to operate computer, calculator, copier, scanner, fax machine, postage meter and multi-line telephone. Willingness to learn new programs.

Selection Process : The selection process consists of an evaluation of education and experience; phone interview; on-site interview, which will include a manager meeting and written exercise; and completion of reference checks and a criminal background check, which includes a sex offender registry check. All candidates will be notified by email of their application status.

Preference may be given to applicants possessing qualifications above the minimum.

Depending on the number of qualified candidates, the City may forego phone interviews.

Veteran's Preference Points : The City of Ames provides Veteran's Preference Points for Civil Service positions. A copy of your DD214 and, if applicable, proof of disability, must be attached with your application (or faxed to 515-239-5294) prior to the close date of the posting in order to receive Veteran's Preference Points.

E-Verify Process : The City of Ames participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each applicant's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. All candidates who are offered a position with the City of Ames must complete Section 1 of Form I-9 along with the required proof of their right to work in the United States and proof of their identity on their first day of employment. Please be prepared to provide required documents on your first day of employment. For additional information regarding acceptable documents for this purpose, please contact Human Resources at 515-239-5199 or go to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services web page at : http : / / www.uscis.gov.

NOTE : Applicants with disabilities may submit requests for ADA testing or interview accommodations to the Human Resources Department prior to the test or interview.

The City of Ames is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, marital status, disability, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against.