Real Estate Acquisition Specialist

The Real Estate Acquisition Specialist is an experienced level position that operates under minimal supervision under the direction of the Real Estate Supervisor. This role receives ongoing training on updated internal procedures, as well as continued education in key functional areas including title review, plan reviews, appraisal reviews, negotiations, relocations, escrow oversite and condemnation oversite. In addition, the position performs routine administrative, office and field duties.

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented and highly organized professional with a strong foundation in real estate, property rights, and public infrastructure projects. This individual demonstrates a thorough understanding of the right-of-way acquisition process while maintaining full compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. The candidate would possess a bachelor's degree, an SR/WA or equivalent and have five years of experience in a related field.

At the City of Goodyear, you will be a part of an organization that values its employees as its greatest asset. You will become part of a dedicated team of Real Estate professionals that will be challenged to learn and grow in an environment that values employee development and career-building. You will thrive in a culture of innovation. We believe that successful employees are those that possess six core values:  

Integrity - Initiative - Empathy - Optimism - Innovation - Adaptability

EXAMINATION PROCESS

Only a limited number of the most highly qualified applicants meeting the City's requirements will be invited for an interview. The examination process for this position will include a panel Interview and may include a written assessment.

 All communication regarding application status and interview notifications will be sent via email- please monitor your junk/spam email for communication as messages will come from a system generated source.

This information is intended to be descriptive of the key responsibilities of the position.  The following functions do not identify all duties performed by the incumbent. Other duties and responsibilities will be performed as assigned.

• Planning and organizing right of way acquisition activities for city’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and other city acquisitions.
• Conducting site visits, plan reviews, and preparing acquisition budgets, schedules and the scope of work. 
• Performing market and title analysis, appraisal reviews and related reports
• Drafting legal and transactional documents, negotiating with property owners, and managing escrow/condemnation processes
• Completing routine administrative, office, and field duties in support of right of way functions

• Formal Education/Knowledge:  Work requires broad knowledge in a general professional or technical field.  Knowledge is normally acquired through four years of college resulting in a Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• Experience:  Minimum three years of experience in a related field.
• Certifications and Other Requirements:  Valid Driver’s License.
• Reading:   Work requires the ability to read general correspondence, memorandums, letters, and various documents from other department, inter-agency and vendors, and interpret appraisals, real estate law, and escrow documents.
• Math:   Work requires college level math, to include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, financial formulas and projections.
• Writing:   Work requires the ability to write correspondence, memorandums, letters, and reports; and produce written documents with clearly organized thoughts using proper English sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar.
• Managerial:  Job has no responsibility for the direction or supervision of others but may provide advice/direction to an employee with less experience/skill or tenure.
• Policy/Decision Making:  Significant - The employee normally performs the job by following established standard operating procedures and/or policies.   There is a choice of the appropriate procedure or policy to apply to duties.  More complex work as well as decisions with more significant impacts are typically reviewed prior to being finalized.
• Technical Skills:  Comprehensive Application - Work requires a comprehensive, practical knowledge of a technical field with use of analytical judgment and decision-making abilities appropriate to the work environment of the organization.
• Interpersonal/Human Relations Skills:  High - Interactions at this level usually impact the implementation of policies. Contacts may involve interpretation of how policies are implemented and may require discussion and the support of controversial positions or the negotiation of sensitive issues or important presentations.  During interactions on policy implementation, contacts may also involve stressful, negative interactions requiring high levels of tact and the ability to respond to aggressive interpersonal interactions

First month of employment: 

1. Attend Goodyear Employee Orientation (GEO) and complete all assignments, trainings, and meetings associated with GEO.   
2. Become familiar with the city’s vision, mission, and core values.   
3. Become familiar with the real estate request system and file location and structure.
4. Attend and be an active member in the visual management board huddles

First 3 months of employment:  

1. Gain an understanding of the city's overall Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects and the priorities.
2. Meet with each of the CIP staff members to become familiar with the individual projects and the real estate needs.
3. Gain an understanding of the department strategic plan activities that are assigned to the real estate division.
4. Learn the processes to submit invoices, purchase orders, and vendor set ups.
5. Become familiar with the standard acquisition documents to be able to draft and present offers to property owners with management review.
6. Review and identify title conflicts that impact the acquisition transactions with management review.

 First 6 months of employment: 

1. Lead real estate coordination meetings with project managers.
2. Maintain and manage the scope, schedule and budget sheets for all CIP projects.
3. Understand the real estate vendor contracts, including title, appraisal, and outside legal counsel.

First 12 months of employment:  

1. Independently order, review and identify title conflicts that impact the acquisition of land rights and identify and clear unacceptable encumbrances.
2. Independently review and comment on all plan submittals.
3. Independently order, review and comment on appraisal reports.
4. Independently prepare and present offers and negotiate with property owners.
5. Prepare administrative settlements to be presented to the Real Estate Supervisor and Deputy Director.
6. Independently oversee escrow closings.

Salary : $76,232 - $113,167