EXEMPTION SPECIALIST chez Kitsap County, WA

About the Department

The Assessor's Office establishes the assessed value of all real and personal property for property tax purposes.  We are required by law to assess all taxable property at 100% of market value.  These values are used to calculate and set levy rates for the various taxing districts in the county, and to equitably distribute tax responsibility among taxpayers.  We also administer property tax exemptions and maintain tax parcel numbers, boundaries and subdivisions.  To learn more about the Assessor's Office please visit our website.

Position Duties

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma or GED; and 
• Three years of responsible clerical/office support experience including data entry and Microsoft Office products as well as providing customer service with the public, in-person and by telephone.
• NOTE: One (1) year of related education may substitute for one (1) year of experience.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, OR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Two years' experience with IRS Federal Income Tax or similar income documentation. 

Criminal Conviction Standards: 

• The successful incumbent will or may have access to a secured/confidential facility or computer system(s). As a result, Kitsap County will be conducting an extensive criminal background check by law enforcement agencies, which may include fingerprinting. 
  1. Please review the following list of disqualifying crimes and negative actions to determine if you meet our standard for this position: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/disqualifying-list-crimes-and-negative-actions

Required Licenses, Certificates, Examinations/Tests and Other Requirements 
Please note: The incumbent is responsible for obtaining and maintaining all the following required licenses, certifications and other requirements. 
 
Prior to employment the successful candidate must:

• Submit official transcripts from an accredited college or university if education is being used to meet the minimum qualifications.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

(The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Kitsap County provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• The duties in this position are performed in an office setting and may be required to lift at least 20 pounds.

Minimum Qualifications

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:  

• Administer property tax exemption and deferral programs including but not limited to, the Disabled and Senior Citizen programs, Current Use, Designated Forest Land and Nonprofits. 
• Performs income audits.  
• Review and calculate qualifying income from IRS tax forms and supporting documents. 
• Approve/deny and remove applicants from the exemption programs as well as defend decisions on behalf of the Assessor to the public and at the Board of Equalization.   
• Prepare metrics for supervisor and evaluate processes to meet deadlines.
• Process payroll and reconcile leave balances. 
• Accounts payable. 
• Order and maintain inventory of supplies. 
• Track budget line items.
• Create Assessor correspondence while maintaining confidentiality. 
• Act as SharePoint coordinator for the department.  
• Exhibit excellent customer service.  
• Assist senior/disabled applicants with completing necessary forms.  
• Provide communication and updates about application status.  
• Educate public on program criteria and requirements.

Other Qualifications

• Who May Apply: This position is open to the general public.   Applications will be screened for qualifications and completion of all the required materials and forms.  The most competitive applicants may be contacted for further steps in the selection process, which may include testing for office and computer skills.
• This position is classified as eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• This position is covered under a collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 1308. Internal applicants should be aware that a change in union status or bargaining unit may impact your benefits and accruals.   Please contact Human Resources if you have questions.
• Kitsap County is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please contact our Human Resources Office. 
• This recruitment is being used to fill an existing open position and may be used to fill future openings for up to six (6) months.
• Work hours for this position are Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Friday, 8:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.