Principal Real Property Appraiser - Jefferson County

TARGET CLOSE DATE:

06/13/2025

PAY GRADE:

Grade 26

TYPE:

Full time

JOB SUMMARY:

Jefferson County is seeking to highly qualified Principal Real Property Appraisers to appraise both residential and commercial properties in order to establish fair market value for ad valorem taxation, in accordance with state and federal guidelines. This role requires a high level of professional judgment throughout the valuation process and strict adherence to established policies, procedures, and applicable laws. Appraisals are conducted across the county, necessitating regular travel to various sites. Principal Appraisers operate with a high degree of independence and play a key role in shaping departmental goals, policies, procedures, budgets, and legal compliance. In addition to conducting appraisals, Principal Real Property Appraisers supervise and coordinate the activities of Property Appraisers and Senior Property Appraisers within the Birmingham and Bessemer Divisions of the Board of Equalization, focusing on commercial property assessments. Responsibilities include training staff, assigning and reviewing work, providing performance feedback, and ensuring overall quality and consistency in appraisal practices. This position reports to the Property Appraisal Manager and work is evaluated for thoroughness and compliance with relevant policies and standards.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

The following are job-related qualifications that are required for employment consideration for this position:

Option A:

• Driver's license.

• Real Property Appraiser Certification from Alabama Department of Revenue.

• Experience guiding, directing and/or reviewing the work of appraisers using the Alabama Department of Revenue Plan for Equalization (i.e., lead worker).

• Work experience valuing commercial real estate properties using the three approaches to value (i.e., Cost, Income, Sales Comparison).

• Completion of at least 2 of the following courses offered by the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO): Course 112 - Income Approach to Valuation II, Course 201 — Appraisal of Land, Course 300 — Fundamentals of Mass Appraisal, Course 311 — Real Property Modeling Concepts , Course 312 — Commercial/Industrial Modeling Concepts, Course 331 — Mass Appraisal Practices and Procedures, Course 332 — Modeling Concepts, Course 333 — Residential Model Building, Course 334 — Application of Mass Appraisal to Non-Residential Properties, Course 400 — Assessment Administration.

Option B:

• Driver's license.

• Real Property Appraiser Certification from Alabama Department of Revenue.

• Experience guiding, directing and/or reviewing the work of appraisers using the Alabama Department of Revenue Plan for Equalization (i.e., lead worker).

• Work experience valuing commercial real estate properties using the three approaches to value (i.e., Cost, Income, Sales Comparison).

• At least 24 college credit hours in coursework in Business, Engineering, Real Estate or a closely related field.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

The following are job-related qualifications deemed desirable by Jefferson County. These qualifications may be considered when reviewing applications and inviting candidates to participate in subsequent steps in the selection processes.

• Alabama Real Estate Board Appraiser license.
• Certified Assessment Evaluator.
• At least four years of experience supervising appraisal staff.
• College degree in Business, Real Estate, Engineering, or a closely related field.

TYPICAL JOB DUTIES:

• Performs administrative duties (e.g., writing reports, maintaining files, drafting mail correspondence, communicating information, providing assistance) in order to maintain efficient departmental operations.

• Gathers evidence and reviews documentation (e.g., income and expense statements, private appraisals, deeds, liens, mortgages, market trends, attorney general opinions, case law, blueprints, sketches and drawings, legal descriptions) in order to obtain relevant information related to citizen protests of assessed property values and/or related court cases.

• Engages in activities designed to ensure professional development, awareness of developments in the field, and knowledge of relevant practices, rules, laws, policies, and/or guidelines.

• Completes valuations and/or assessments of real properties on behalf of the Board of Equalization by analyzing appraisal data, calculating value estimates, and monitoring market trends in order to determine the amount of property tax owed by