Real Property Agent 1

Job Overview:

The Real Estate Specialist is responsible for managing the real estate leasing, licensing, and cabin site sales programs within the unit. Program administration involves coordinating fieldwork; awarding and managing vendor contracts; budgeting; providing technical assistance to guide processes; resolving problems or conflicts associated with state land; following policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations; and representing state interests to the public. This position also administers lease programs related to recreation, grazing, agriculture, and mineral projects within its unit. This position reports to the Unit Manager and does not supervise other agency personnel.

Essential Functions (Major Duties or Responsibilities): These job functions are the essential duties of the position and are not all-inclusive of all the duties that may be assigned to the incumbent.

A. Program Management (45% of time)
Serves as the unit’s liaison to coordinate fieldwork (including land surveys and environmental reviews); provide technical assistance to lessees (or potential lessees); and resolve problems or conflict to effectively administer real estate leasing, licensing and cabin site sales programs in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and DNRC policies and procedures.

Coordinates and/or conducts necessary fieldwork to execute residential or commercial leases, cabin site sales, easements, and land use licenses or other department initiated projects on these classified “Other” lands. This includes, but is not limited to, coordinating appraisals and land survey site visits, verifying stakes on lot boundaries, site cleanup, and conducting public hearings or other public sessions and/or meetings as necessary. Leads environmental review projects to comply with the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and ensure informed decision-making. Verifies documentation is accurate and complete, and includes the scope and magnitude of the proposed action, disclosure of all relevant facts, potential impacts, and any reasonable alternatives and mitigation measures to consider if necessary. Solicits and responds to public feedback as required by MEPA. Identifies and resolves residential, commercial, or special land use conflicts or problems (including high-value or controversial issues). This involves interpreting and applying language in established lease agreements; conversing with affected parties; performing site visits or inspections to ensure compliance with contractual agreements and legal obligations; hiring surveyors to resolve boundary disputes; and working with legal and law enforcement to resolve more complicated, unprecedented, and/or contentious disputes. Negotiates terms and writes or amends agreements to establish or renew leases or licenses, and to avoid or resolve any discrepancies. Manages the solicitation process to award contracts for conducting fieldwork (e.g., inspections, demolitions, etc.) Participates on proposal scoring teams and coordinates final documents for signature to award contracts. Develops and administers contracts for fieldwork to ensure deliverables are met in compliance with contract terms and state and federal regulations. Prepares and manages the unit’s program-related budgets to meet program objectives. Authorizes unit-level program expenditures and oversees program funds. Maintains records and prioritizes, reallocates, and tracks expenditures. Provides technical assistance to lessees (or potential lessees) in order to educate them on the lessee application process, program goals, regulations, environmental concerns, land access issues, improvement requests, and other issues affecting activity on state lands. Serves as Unit liaison with department and bureau staff (including the Real Estate Management Bureau), other state, federal, city, and county agencies, tribal authorities, bank officials, title companies, community planners, contractors, adjacent landowners, special interest groups, and the public, etc. to facilitate communication, resolve conflict, and create long-term mutually beneficial solutions to authorize short- and long-term use of state trust land. Serves on committees and attends public meetings to provide input on real estate management objectives and represent the interests of the department including, but not limited to local-level planning and zoning district activities potentially impacting long-term disposition of state trust land within the Unit. Provides input on new opportunities and requirements that may benefit or hinder the programs’ long-term goals, objectives and operations. This includes assessing real estate trends, and new laws, rules, and regulations affecting land leasing or licensing, and a variety of other program-related issues. Maintains and disposes of all land use records for the Unit in compliance with the Secretary of State records management guidelines and general retention schedules.

B. Residential Lease Program (20% of time)
Administers residential leases to ensure compliance with applicable policy and regulations, and adherence to the department’s strategic objectives, community planning interests, resource conservation efforts and public interests. Includes coordination with the Bureau and Land Office on cabin-sites sales, abandonments and lease cancellations. 

Manages leases, coordinates inspections to ensure compliance, amends agreements as necessary, and conducts fieldwork to assess and either approve or deny new improvement requests. Manages abandonments and lease cancellations within the Unit. Works closely with title companies to clear titles on abandoned property and negotiates with banks to lease state land after banks take ownership of cabins or abandoned improvements. Works with the Bureau and legal staff in following the Department’s improvements assumption process. May secure and administer required permits and/or hire contractors to clean up the land or to complete unfinished improvements on the land. Coordinates with the Bureau to manage the bid auction process for cabin site sales within the Unit. Coordinates with cabin owners (if applicable) and reviews online cabin site information to ensure complete and accurate legal descriptions, current record of ownership, and acknowledgment of any environmental issues or concerns, etc. Gathers all relevant documentation to support the lease or sale (e.g., surveys, inspections or appraisals). Reviews bid packages, and initiates and writes agreements for new leases. Develops marketing material and industry relationships to increase interest and overall revenue opportunities for residential leases and other Bureau programs. 

C. Commercial Lease & Land Use License Programs (20%of time)
Administers commercial leases and Land Use Licenses, including Special Recreational Use Licenses as appropriate to ensure compliance with applicable policy and regulations, and adherence to the department’s strategic objectives, community planning interests, resource conservation efforts and public interests. 

Coordinates fieldwork and manages projects to fulfill commercial lease, land use license, or special recreational use license requirements. Ensures projects are completed according to established deadlines and comply with statutory regulations, conservation requirements, community planning and zoning laws, board directives, and land use program objectives, as well as address the needs of other key stakeholders (e.g., other agency program goals, adjacent landowners, special interest groups, etc.). Writes agreements and provides technical assistance in developing operating plans for industrial commercial leases, land use licenses, and special recreational use licenses (including terms for navigable waters) to meet diverse economic objectives between State interests and affected parties, and comply with applicable rules and regulations. Collects license fees to ensure timely and accurate payments. Responds to, negotiates, and amends non-complex commercial lease, land use license, and special recreational use license contract agreements, including writing amendments for land use, navigable waters stipulations, and mitigation measures. Participates in responding to, negotiation, awarding, and managing complex commercial leases. Reviews sublease, estoppel, attornment, bonding provisions, and other contract implementations and changes. Provides input on new commercial lease opportunities, participates in responding to interested parties, and assists REMB in resolving entitlement issues and developing plans to secure contracts for commercial lease revenue.  Serves as the Unit expert for administering commercial leases, land use licenses, and special recreational use licenses by understanding and delivering the intent, goals, and objectives within the programs.

D. Other Lease Programs (10% of time)
Administers lease programs related to grazing, agriculture, minerals, and general and commercial (concentrated) recreational use projects to ensure compliance with applicable policy and regulations, and adherence to the department’s strategic objectives, community planning interests, resource conservation efforts and public interests.

Administers Unit-wide planning and administration of lease and license programs related to grazing, agriculture, minerals and general and commercial recreational use projects. This involves coordinating site inspections and managing site treatments and reclamation projects based on individual project characteristics and circumstances. Ensures consistency in lease and license program standards and guidelines and maintains quality control through evaluation and monitoring of the unit’s minerals, agriculture, grazing, and general and commercial recreational use authorizations. Identifies potential deficiencies, coordinates corrective measures, and monitors lessee practices on state lands. Applies consistent standards and guidelines to each project. Implements program objectives related to grazing, agriculture, mineral, and general and commercial recreational use. Interprets Department and Bureau policies and standards to meet unique and varying situations associated with each project. Coordinates efforts to identify problems and determine appropriate solutions. Accommodates special project needs and requests when appropriate, and explains and interprets required or modified courses of actions to affected parties. Coordinates billing and payment collections for leases, licenses, permits, bonds, letters of credit and other documentation assigned by the Bureau. Tracks billing cycles, oversees billings and tracks payments, and implements follow-up and cancellation actions related to non-compliance situations. 

Application Materials Required:

Online State of Montana application Resume  Cover Letter

HELPFUL HINT: You must check the “relevant document” box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application.

Benefits:

Paid Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays Health, Dental, Prescription, and Vision Coverage Retirement Plans Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) – Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF. 

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):
Requires education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, real estate, resource management, or a related field and between two to four years of progressively responsible experience with program management, real estate and/or contract/lease administration. 

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:
This position requires working knowledge of the Trust Land Management System (TLMS); DNRC Real Estate Management related statutes, rules, policies and procedures; as well as knowledge of Trust Land Management Division program functions and activities. Requires working knowledge of the concepts and theories of business administration, real estate appraisal and marketing, real estate terminology, transactions and procedures; standard property management practices, land record systems and the various land description methods; contract administration; MEPA; and accounting and financial management.

This position requires considerable organization skills to facilitate work on multiple complex projects simultaneously; as well as requires critical thinking, problem-solving, negotiating skills, and public speaking skills. This position requires skill in research analysis and appraisal calculation; and proficiency in the use of personal computers (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, and other Microsoft Office programs and business-related software).

This position requires the ability to communicate effectively (both verbally and in writing) with people of varied technical levels, as well as the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse people sometimes in adverse environments. This position also requires the ability to negotiate and manage conflicts effectively; learn and apply DNRC and state or federal rules, regulations, policies and procedures; prioritize assignments; and work under deadlines.

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