Real Property Agent III en King County, WA

About the Department

Come make a difference and join team Metro!

King County Metro Transit is hiring an experienced Real Property Agent III to join the Transit Real Estate and Environmental work group in the Capital Division. The Real Property Agent Ill is responsible for a variety of real property work associated with public transit capital and operating projects. 

Recruitment Information: 

This recruitment will be used to fill 1 Career Service vacancy. In addition, this selection process may be used to generate an eligibility pool for future Career Service vacancies that may occur in this classification within the Capital Division. The eligibility pool will be retained for 12 months from the time it is established and may be extended or used at the discretion of the hiring authority.  

Who may apply:

We welcome applications from all interested candidates, including current King County employees and the public. Please refer to the "Supplemental Information" section of this job bulletin for the required application materials.

Position Duties

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all of King County employees.  In this role you will apply equity and social justice principles to all aspects of the work.

• Recommend and help develop strategies, plans and schedules for right-of-way and property projects in coordination with project team; identify the need for permits, property acquisition and relocation; obtain property rights and permits; and monitor project construction.
• Perform comprehensive legal research into proposed transactions such as deeds, contracts, easements, title searches, right-of-way restrictions, zoning and land use requirements, encumbrances, value appraisals and price analysis, environmental impact, complex capital project permits, escrow accounts, and franchise rights. 
• Contact property owners; discuss projects and potential displacements; make purchase offers as determined by management; evaluate owners’ counterproposals; recommend administrative settlements; and prepare legal instruments regarding compensation, terms and conditions of acquisitions.
• Make recommendations to more senior, supervisor and/or managerial level positions for the prioritization of real estate program goals/objectives; frame budgetary, statutory and operating conditions of real estate related programs; assist in the final determination of budget schedule and scope of real estate related project or program.
• Review work or lead other staff; provide advice and/or training to staff.
• Review and understand engineering drawings and plans.
• Perform complex property lease negotiation and management duties in support of large capital and/or real property projects throughout the County.  
• Develop and coordinate the acquisition of complex permits from multiple regulatory bodies and partner agencies for large capital project agreements, including negotiating terms and conditions, for highly visible and often politically sensitive enterprise-wide real estate related capital or asset management programs.
• Coordinate interdisciplinary project teams.
• Ensure that permit conditions and requirements are met during project construction and post-construction.
• Review and evaluate appraisals done by consultant appraisers.
• Initiate consultant selection procedures and monitor contracts to ensure compliance with consultant selection and administration procedures.
• Acquire property rights for County Capital Projects.
• Prepare legal documents; consult with attorneys, engineers and other experts regarding the impact of legal and technical problems involved in complex acquisitions, permitting or other real estate transactions; act as an expert witness to provide litigation support.
• Track and document grant compliance with external funding agencies and support federal, state, and internal audits.
• Prepare economic feasibility studies.
• Recommend, develop, and implement new techniques, procedures, policies and applications.
• Represent King County at community meetings and public hearings; make presentations before other jurisdictions and community groups.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

We are looking for candidates who meet the following minimum qualifications:

• 5 years of increasingly responsible land use, permitting, property management, right of way, and real estate experience
• Ability to be innovative and creative and contribute to the development and implementation of new procedures, practices, and policies.
• Ability to manage complex processes (such as permitting and acquisition), meeting deadlines and achieving goals.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Must be able to effectively communicate with members of a diverse community and work effectively with property owners, public officials and other agencies in the land use/permitting, property management, and problem-solving processes.
• Ability to effectively present complex technical information to a wide variety of audiences including, but not limited to, elected officials, engineers, and other professionals and to the public.
• Ability to act independently and proactively to meet the needs of the Division, to make independent decisions and to provide quality customer service.
• Demonstrated knowledge of land use laws and permitting processes, real estate interests, property dedication processes, title analyses, and the title clearing process.
• Demonstrated knowledge of contracts and contracting; ability to read and interpret contract terms.
• Demonstrated knowledge of negotiation techniques/strategies.
• Demonstrated knowledge of escrow and appraisal techniques.
• Demonstrated knowledge of property management.
• Basic knowledge of construction and engineering practices related to capital project design and construction projects.
• Ability to prepare budgets, detailed scopes of work and cost estimates.
• Ability to procure and manage consultants.
• Ability to foster positive, proactive work relations in a diverse, collaborative work environment.
• Demonstrated skill in successfully advocating a position and achieving a desired result through negotiation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite tools including Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, and PowerPoint.
• Valid Washington State Driver's License (or ability to obtain Washington State driver's license upon hire) or alternative mobility to off-site locations.

• International Right of Way Association Credentialing, RWA, RWP and SR/WA - highly desirable
• A bachelor's degree in a related field
• Knowledge of FTA rules and regulations
• Knowledge of and/or experience with transit operations, functions and/or facilities

Other Qualifications

To Apply:

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact Kam Kaur, Talent Advisor at [email protected]. 

Required Application Materials:

• Submit an online application through our careers site. Update your application with all relevant work history going back at least 10 years (or more if necessary), including detailed job duties, dates of employment, and clear explanations for reasons for leaving.
• Attach a cover letter that highlights how your experience, knowledge, and skills align with the position's responsibilities. Your cover letter should also clearly articulate your interest in this position.
• Thoroughly respond to all required Supplemental Questions within the application.

Selection Process:

Applications and required documents will be reviewed for clarity, thoroughness, competitiveness, and writing skills. Your application must confirm and support your answers to the supplemental questions and any experience mentioned in your resume. If responses cannot be validated within your application, or if applications are missing the required materials listed in this job announcement, candidates may be removed from consideration.

The most competitive candidates may be asked to participate in one or more panel interviews. Final scores may be weighted to consider overall application materials, relevant experience, and interview scores. Offers and start dates will be finalized after completing any required pre-employment screenings, such as reference checks and/or internal record reviews.

Work Schedule:

Our regular business hours are 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. However, work outside of these hours may occasionally be required. This position is classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and therefore, is not eligible for overtime pay. We may also consider flexible hours.

Work Location:

The main work site associated with this position is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St, Seattle WA 98104.

Telecommuting Requirement:

This is a hybrid role, requiring a combination of remote and onsite work at various King County facilities where employees will have access to shared workspaces. A County-issued laptop will be provided, and employees must maintain a dedicated workspace with reliable internet access to perform their duties efficiently and remain accessible during scheduled work hours. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Union Membership: TEA (Technical Employees Association) 

Job Code: 265003 

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King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.