Sr Assessment Auditor

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Manager, Assessment Audit and Equalized Assessment, the Senior Assessment Auditor is responsible for ensuring that municipal property assessments across Alberta are completed accurately, consistently, and in accordance with the Municipal Government Act (MGA). This position supports the integrity of Alberta’s property assessment framework through the delivery of annual and detailed audits, adjudication, and equalized assessment activities.

Key responsibilities include:

1. Conduct Annual Audits
•    Audit property assessment practices for all 330 Alberta municipalities through statistical reviews.
•    Monitor, review, and analyze municipal assessment data and valuation practices.
•    Determine compliance with Alberta’s legislated property assessment requirements.
•    Prepare audit reports with recommendations to improve municipal property assessment practices.
•    Collaborate with municipalities to support the implementation of audit recommendations.

2. Conduct Detailed Audits
•    Perform in-depth qualitative and quantative reviews of municipal property assessment practices .
•    Select and apply appropriate analytical methods to property valuation, including sales comparison, cost, and income approaches.
•    Evaluate assessor’s mass appraisal valuations for accuracy and reasonableness.
•    Prepare detailed audit reports with recommendations for Ministerial consideration and communicate findings to municipalities.

3. Support Provincial Assessment Framework and Policy Objectives
•    Monitor assessment practices to ensure fairness, equity, and legislative alignment.
•    Contribute to the development and implementation of departmental goals related to equitable property taxation and consistent assessment practices.

4. Adjudicate Compliance Review Complaints
•    Act in a quasi-judicial role to investigate and resolve disputes under sections 299 and 300 of the Municipal Government Act.
•    Apply administrative law principles and procedural fairness to ensure impartial decision-making.
•    Prepare written findings and recommendations for Ministerial review.

5. Support Equalized Assessment Activities
•    Confirm assessment levels that form the basis for provincial equalized assessment calculations.
•    Provide expert testimony at hearings where municipalities challenge their equalized assessment.
•    Collaborate with lawyers, assessors, and ministry representatives to defend Alberta’s equalized assessment determinations.

Please click on this link JR76802 Senior Assessment Auditor JD to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

•    Systems Thinking - Takes a long-term view towards organization’s objectives and how to achieve them. Must consider how different factors affect market and property values, how these factors were considered and implemented by municipal assessors and how they interact and influence property values over time.
•    Agility - Identifies and manages required change and the associated risks. Adjusts project timelines and deliverables in response to new executive requests
•    Develop Networks- Leverages relationships to build input and perspective. Leads working groups with municipal partners to improve data submission processes.
•    Creative Problem Solving - Engages the community and resources at hand to address issues

Qualifications

University Degree (Business with a focus in Real Estate Management, Economics, Statistics, Finance) plus 6 years of experience.

Equivalency: Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of:
•    1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or 
•    1 year of experience for 1 year of education.

Assets:

•    Designation from one of the following associations; Alberta Assessors Association (AMAA), International Association of Assessing Officers (CAE), Appraisal Institute of Canada (AACI)
•    Extensive experience (typically 6+ years) in municipal assessment with all valuation methods and assessment modeling, with an emphasis on defending assessments.
•    Experience working with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders, including municipalities, regulatory bodies.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. 
Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Applicants are required to submit a cover letter along with their resume. Only applications with a cover letter will be reviewed.

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.)

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

•    Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
•    Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
•    Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) - https://www.mepp.ca.
•    Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
•    Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
•    Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
•    Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
•    Leadership and mentorship programs.