Join the City of Marquette as a Senior Commercial Appraiser!
We're seeking a detail-oriented and motivated individual to join our team as an Appraiser. This full-time position offers a starting wage of $29.52, with a wage scale that reaches up to $34.30 (for the 2025 contract year). In addition to a supportive and engaging work environment, you'll enjoy a generous benefits package that includes 24 days of paid benefit time during your first year, 13 paid holidays, a MERS Defined Benefit Pension plan, BCBS health insurance, including Dental and Vision or an opt-out stipend, and more. This role also offers excellent opportunities for professional growth within the City.
POSITION TITLE: Senior Appraiser
REPORTS TO: Department Director
EFFECTIVE DATE: November 2025
JOB CLASS CODE: Non-Exempt / City Hall Bargaining Unit
POSITION SUMMARY
Demonstrates mastery of “City Appraiser” duties (see job description). This employee carries out ongoing duties with considerable independence according to established deadlines and procedures. The work is usually checked in process and/or upon completion through internal controls reviewing for accuracy and compliance with state law and City policies and procedures. This employee has the autonomy to act in the absence of the City Assessor on both Personal Property and Real Property issues.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed in this position. An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all the following, including the duties listed in City Appraiser. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this classification:
• Reviews and interprets complex building plans while creating accurate new records in a computer-assisted mass appraisal database.
• Prepares preliminary new construction data and verifies the information while performing onsite inspections during field work visits.
• Processes and performs data entry for new construction into the BS&A software for property value calculations from the onsite visits.
• Answers and responds to property owner inquiries.
• Enters Board of Review determinations into the appropriate assessing databases and runs final reports.
• Resolves questions with City departments involving property values and ownership.
• Serves as a liaison between the City Assessor and other City Departments in the absence of the Assessor of Record.
• Master of administrating Property Transfer Affidavits, including determining if a transfer occurs and implementing Proposal A of 1994 for uncapping status.
COMMERCIAL SENIOR APPRAISER SPECIFIC DUTIES
• Acts as the primary assistant to the Assessor of Record for reviewing, researching, and maintaining land division applications and processing the file after a determination has been made.
• Assists the Residential Senior Appraiser with the STC 20% Residential Property Inspections.
• Assists with the Personal Property Canvas and record entry.
• Processes and performs new construction inspections, data entry, parcel sketching, and valuation of all Commercial permits into the BS & A Assessing software.
NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Performs other related functions as assigned.
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT USED
• Accounting and bookkeeping ledgers, either manual or computerized.
• Standard computer software including word processing, databases and spreadsheet packages, and specialized financial management software, including APEX sketch.
• Standard office equipment including ten-key adding machine.
• Measuring wheel, 100-foot measuring tape, and camera.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
• At least five years in office and practical field experience at the MCAO certification level performing assessing duties for a municipality before consideration into this classification.
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of knowledge and experience in related field.
• Must be a Michigan Certified Assessing Officer (MCAO). Michigan Advanced Assessing Officer (MAAO) preferred.
• Must hold valid Michigan driver’s license.
• Ability to research, interpret and follow appropriate governing state statutes and State Tax Commission’s Administrative Rules and Procedures, and provide appropriate guidance and training to other office staff.
• Knowledge of the laws and regulations which govern the assessment of real and personal property in the state of Michigan.
• Knowledge of assessment and appraisal theory and practices.
• Excellent public relations skills and effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Understand and be able to draw out with BS&A or similar software, metes and bounds legal descriptions.
• Knowledge of basic office procedures and practices.
• Demonstrated proficiency with computer data entry, typing, and strong computer literacy, including spreadsheet and word processing software.
• Skill in operating standard office equipment.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with supervisor, coworkers, and the general public.
• Ability to work accurately with interruptions and while under pressure.
• Sound judgment and skill in problem-solving.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
• Lifting 20 pounds maximum, with frequent lifting and/or carrying objects weighing up to 10 pounds.
• Frequent sitting, standing, and walking.
• Ability to drive a motor vehicle and maintain Michigan driver’s license in order to operate a City vehicle.
• Must be capable of using hand (s)/feet for repetitive single grasping, fine manipulation, pushing, pulling and operation controls. Frequent bending, twisting, and reaching.
• Frequent bending, twisting, and reaching.
• Occasional squatting and climbing.
• Ability to communicate orally in a clear manner.
• Ability to distinguish sounds at various frequencies and volumes.
• Ability to distinguish people or objects at varied distances under a variety of light conditions.
• Ability to withstand various noise levels and noise changes in the work environment.
• Physically able to work seated in front of a computer for long hours at a time and also walk long distances to complete required fieldwork.
This job description should not be interpreted as all-inclusive. It is intended to identify the major responsibilities and requirements of the job. The incumbents may be asked to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this job description.
