Assistant Tax Assessor

Summary

This position serves as the second-in-command of the Tax Assessors Office and must possess the knowledge, judgment, leadership ability, and technical expertise necessary to assume responsibility for the operation of the Tax Assessors Office in the absence of the Tax Assessor. The Assistant Tax Assessor provides operational leadership, technical expertise, employee development, and quality assurance to ensure the consistent, accurate, and legally compliant administration of the County's property tax system per North Carolina General Statute.

Performs advanced professional, administrative, technical, and supervisory work assisting the Tax Assessor or as the Tax Assessor in the Assessor’s absence in planning, organizing, directing, and administering all functions of the Tax Assessor's Office. Responsibilities include oversight of real property appraisal, personal property appraisal, motor vehicle assessment, land records, mapping, listing, exemptions, property ownership, and other assessment functions. Work involves supervising personnel, developing and implementing departmental policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with the North Carolina Machinery Act and other applicable laws, overseeing complex property ownership and valuation matters, and providing technical leadership, training, and quality assurance throughout the department.

Assists the Tax Assessor in planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and evaluating all operations of the Tax Assessors Office and serves as Acting Tax Assessor during the Tax Assessors absence, ensuring continuity of departmental operations and decision-making. Supervises, assigns, reviews, trains, mentors, and evaluates departmental personnel; assists with recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, performance management, and employee development. Assists in developing, implementing, and evaluating departmental policies, budgets, reports, procedures, workflow improvements, and strategic initiatives to promote efficiency, consistency, customer service, and compliance.

Assists in directing the listing, appraisal, mapping, assessment, and maintenance of all real property, personal property, and registered motor vehicles. Assists in planning, coordinating, and implementing countywide reappraisal projects, including the development and maintenance of schedules of values, valuation methodologies, appraisal standards, and quality control procedures. Reviews and jointly authorizes valuation adjustments, appeals, exemption & exclusion applications, clerical corrections, releases, refunds, and other assessment changes as authorized by law.

Monitors changes in North Carolina statutes, Department of Revenue policies, Property Tax Commission decisions, and applicable court rulings affecting property tax administration; recommends and implements procedural updates necessary to maintain statutory compliance.

Reviews complex chains of title, probate proceedings, boundary adjustments, parcel splits, parcel combinations, easements, and other ownership matters to ensure accurate ownership records, parcel maintenance, and compliance with applicable laws. Coordinates deed transfers, ownership changes, parcel maintenance, mapping updates, GIS data, CAMA records, deed certifications, bond justifications, plat review functions, and related land records activities to ensure accuracy and consistency throughout the department.

Oversees, maintains and provides technical review and guidance regarding the processing of deeds, plats, surveys, probate records, estate proceedings, court orders, legal descriptions, and other instruments affecting ownership or assessment to ensure accurate parcel creation, ownership transfers, and compliance with North Carolina property tax laws.

Maintains expert-level working knowledge of every operational function within the Tax Assessors Office and possesses the ability to independently perform the duties of every division. Serves as the departments primary technical resource for complex assessment, appraisal, land…