Realty Specialist II

Overview

Department: Department of Natural Resources

Hourly Wage: $22.17-$24.97/Regular/Full-Time

The Yakama Nation Trust Real Estate Services Program has a trust responsibility to protect and improve trust assets of the Yakama Reservation and Yakama Public Domains. The duties performed assist in carrying out the trust responsibility as stated in PL-93-638 Scope of Work and the Franchise Fee and Land Buy Back Mission Statement, 25 CFR, 43 CFR and other applicable federal and tribal laws, regulations, resolutions, and land use plans.

As such, all documents become the property of the United States.

• Provide research in Probate matters, including coordinating with the Yakama Nation Enrollment office or other tribal departments and agency offices to research family information.
• Communicate verbally and in writing with families and government offices; encode family data, trust land and money data into TAAMS.
• Encode date of death in TAAMS; request updated Certified BIA/INV for decedent; research lease or income information as needed.
• Assist Realty Specialist III; in their absence, assume responsibility for more difficult cases and clear discrepancies on regional and national reports.
• When probable heirs are not Yakama Nation members or are non-Indian, request appraisals of date of death fair market value in AVIS (Appraisal Valuation Information System).
• Coordinate with Branch of Forestry to obtain timber cruises for appraisal requests when needed.
• Research family history for Freedom of Information Access (FOIA) requests.
• Gain access to ITSQ and other governmental systems as needed to perform duties.
• Assist Realty Specialist III with lease writing and review all lease documents for approval considerations.
• Prepare appraisal requests on leases/permits that expire annually and rental reviews within AVIS; provide required documents for valuation reports.
• Prepare lease documentation with cited approval authority and ensure legal requirements are met; verify signatures, file landowner consents, and attach Land Committee Actions; create permanent lease files and encode/scan into TAAMS.
• Assist with daily distributions of land income reports, TSRs and ITIs (Individual Tribal Interests); review and confirm payments entered in TAAMS and process distributions to landowners; verify ownership prior to distribution.
• Counsel and assist Yakama landowners in gift conveyance, negotiated sales, and partition of Yakama trust lands; process related documents for trust acquisition and disposal or Land Buy Back.
• Encode and scan land acquisition and disposal of Yakama trust properties in the TAAMS A&D Module for A&D and/or Land Buy Back Section; prepare acquisition and disposal correspondence; notarize acquisition and disposal deed documents for gift conveyance and negotiated sales.
• Record satisfaction of mortgages for Yakama Nation Credit and Bill of Sale for Yakama Nation Housing Authority.
• Cross-train in Acquisition and Disposal, Tenure and Management, Land Buy Back and Probate Sections.

• Knowledge of 25 CFR, 43 CFR, federal and tribal laws, Indian Land Consolidation Act.
• Knowledge of American Indian Probate Reform Act and Yakama Inheritance Act of 1946.
• Knowledge of Yakama Treaty 1855 and probate laws and codes affecting cases, trust and personal probate processes.
• Knowledge of reading, writing and platting legal descriptions; locating land on maps.
• Knowledge of appraisal processes, AVIS requests and report review.
• Knowledge of TAAMS system for encoding leases, payment processing, death dates and acquisition/disposal.
• Knowledge of general office procedures, filing and correspondence.
• Knowledge of Yakama Nation traditions, customs and practices.
• Skills in personal computer use, software, and office equipment operation (copiers, printers, scanners, faxes, calculators).
• Skill in processing a trust land sale and gift conveyance.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to interact respectfully and professionally with coworkers and external offices/agencies; work with discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to proofread and ensure adherence to laws and policies in documents.
• Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and meet deadlines; handle stress and heavy workloads.

• Bachelor's Degree in Natural Resources, Business Administration or related field.
• Five years of experience in Indian trust real estate services or a related field.
• Notary certification within six months from date of hire.
• Favorable screening from the BIA Security Clearance investigation for access to trust asset data within probationary period; failure to meet requirement may be grounds for termination.
• Valid Washington State Driver's License with ability to obtain a Yakama Nation Driving permit.
• Pre-employment drug test required.
• Enrolled Yakama Preference; all qualified applicants encouraged to apply.

• Training related to real estate services, natural resources, cultural or other…