Connecticut Association of
Assessing Officers

Job Summary:

This position is accountable for planning, organizing, and administering the appraisal and assessment of real and personal property and motor vehicles for the purpose of taxation in the town.

Printable Job Description

Examples of Essential Duties:

• Supervises and performs valuations of real property, personal property, and motor vehicles in order to determine tax liabilities, including motor vehicles registered to town residents and business residents;
• Coordinates activities with the Tax Collector, Town Clerk, Director of Land Use, and Chief Building Official to ensure uniformity in receiving and recording property information;
• Conducts site inspections of real property, improvements made to real property, and property under construction to determine its assessment value;
• Distributes personal property declaration forms to business property owners and audits responses to ensure accuracy and compliance with assessment laws;
• Conducts the periodic revaluation of all property;
• Consults with the Town Attorney on appeals and appears as town appraisal expert in court-contested appraisals;
• Directs external consultants performing town-wide revaluations and other special assessments;
• Reviews and analyzes appraisal work performed by private appraisal firms;
• Assists members of the public in applying for tax exemptions and tax relief programs and records tax exemption information into an assessment information system;
• Maintains up to date records of valuations and provides information as required;
• Maintains updated information concerning land, motor vehicle and personal property in the form of assessment maps, records, lists and automated assessment systems, using specialized software systems;
• Attends quarterly Board of Selectman meetings and Board of Finance and other commission meetings as required to ensure transparency and accountability;
• Coordinates the exchange of statutory information and general data with groups like but not limited to the Office of Policy and Management and the Southwest Council of Governments.
• Oversees the maintenance of the department website content;
• Represents Assessor’s Office and actively participates at professional meetings and conferences;
• Speaks to civic, cultural, and social service organizations on assessment policies, procedures and exemptions;
• Supervises and evaluates staff;
• Performs related duties as required; is responsible for maintaining and improving upon the efficiency and effectiveness of all areas under their direction and control; continue training and professional development and keep current with trends; and assist other department staff as needed to promote a team effort to serve the public.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in business administration or a closely related field plus six (6) years of progressively responsible experience as an appraiser or real property assessor, including formal supervision of others is required. With a degree in an unrelated field, incumbents may have a combination of experience, knowledge, and education plus certification that would demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of the position. Incumbents in this position may be required to travel.
• Incumbents in this position are required to possess and retain a valid motor vehicle operator license.
• Incumbents in this position must possess a Certified Connecticut Municipal Assessor (CCMA I) designation, with acquisition of the CCMA II required within 3 years of hire.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Expert knowledge of the theory, principles, methods, and techniques of real and personal property assessing;
• Considerable knowledge of and ability to interpret state statutes pertaining to property assessment and appraisal;
• Considerable knowledge of tax and assessment laws of the state and town ordinances;
• Considerable knowledge of methods and procedures used in interviewing and/or investigating;
• Considerable knowledge of assessing techniques and procedures;
• Considerable knowledge of the terminology and practices of financial, commercial, and industrial institutions;
• Knowledge of accounting principles;
• Considerable interpersonal skills and oral and written communication skills;
• Presentation skills for delivering information to the public using a variety of delivery formats;
• Ability to apply principles of assessment in order to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions;
• Ability to interpret and apply laws and ordinances to problems relating to property appraisal, assessment and review;
• Ability to supervise others and to establish effective working relationships;
• Ability to utilize specialized computer software;
• Ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Application Procedure

Applications may be emailed to kdunn@darienct.gov (Reference “Tax Assessor” in the subject line and submit attachments in Word or PDF format) or mailed to Ms. Karen Dunn, Human Resources Department, Town of Darien, 2 Renshaw Road, Darien, CT 06820. Please submit the following three (3) documents:

1. Cover Letter;
2. Typed Town of Darien Employment Application (available here)
3. Resume.

The Town of Darien is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, ancestry, present or past history of intellectual disability, learning disability or physical disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or criminal record. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Town will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the Town when necessary.