Connecticut Association of
Assessing Officers

Updated (6/19/2024)

** Update: Successful candidates must obtain Connecticut Municipal Assessor II within six months of employment. This certification is crucial to our operations, and proof of enrollment or intent to pursue it will need to be provided upon hire. **

POSITION DEFINITION

This is very responsible technical and administrative work involving direction of the real and personal property assessment function for municipal tax purposes.

Work involves responsibility for the evaluation of real and personal property and for the preparation of the annual Grand List. Duties include field inspections, assessment policy recommendations, department planning and the direction and administration of department activities. This position also has the responsibility for making difficult property assessment technical decisions. The work requires that the employee have thorough knowledge, skill and ability in all phases of property assessment work.

Works under the general direction of the Finance Director and in accordance with the Connecticut General Statutes, rules and regulations pertaining to property assessments.

Supervises employees involved in the assessment processes and providing related services to the public.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Conducts field inspections of property. Measures structures or additions/improvements to existing structures. Reviews and updates field cards and related records. Calculates appraisal value.
• Plans, organizes and directs department operations. Assigns work and responsibilities to staff. Oversees and evaluates assessment activities such as discovery of taxable property, residential property valuation, determination of property ownership, elderly tax relief and other mandated programs, preparation of Grand List and periodic reevaluation studies.
• Analyzes and values residential, commercial and industrial property by computing replacement costs or analyzing financial statements. Reads and researches transfer deeds where land divisions are indicated and recalculates property values. Utilizes and maintains valuations data management systems.
• Responds to taxpayer request for a review of assessment where property has been damaged by fire and recalculates property values if warranted.
• Maintains sales library. Reviews actual sales of property within the municipality and ascertains if the transaction will be considered as arms length or usable sale by the State of Connecticut for determining the equalized Grand List. Computes sale-assessment statistics and determines the sales ratio.
• Directs the updating and maintenance of engineering maps and variety of assessment records.
• Formulates and implements department policies, work methods and procedures.
• Evaluates new methods and techniques of assessment.
• Advises appropriate municipal administration boards, commissions and departments on assessment matters.
• Participates in assessment appeals by property owners and defends the department’s findings. Provides testimony in litigation pertaining to assessments.
• Oversees the compilation of assessment data and the preparation of a variety of reports.
• Prepares the annual division budget, presents and defends budget requests.
• Controls the expenditure of fund allocation within constraints of approved budget.
• Participates in employee selection, training, counseling and discipline.
• Makes final determination regarding taxpayer eligibility for a variety of tax relief adjustment or abatement programs.
• Recommends selection of reevaluation organizations based on research of companies which have responded to the municipality’s requests for proposals. Provides input for the preparation of a contract with the organization selected.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Thorough knowledge of property assessment principles and practices.
• Thorough knowledge of property assessment laws.
• Considerable knowledge of data processing technology as applied to a municipal assessment operation.
• Thorough ability in oral and written communication.
• Considerable ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with superiors, coworkers, subordinates, property owners and the general public.
• Considerable ability to complete work within deadlines.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS AND LICENSING

A bachelor’s degree in business, accounting or public administration from an accredited college or university, plus five to seven years increasingly responsible experience in real and personal property assessment, including supervisory experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Must have State of Connecticut certification as a Connecticut Municipal Assessor II and a valid Connecticut driver’s license.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Click here for full job description and on-line application

The Town of East Hartford is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.