Introduction
The State of Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) is hiring for two Property Agent 1 positions to join the Farmland Preservation Unit of the Bureau of Agricultural Development and Resource Preservation.
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
- Visit our newState Employee Benefits Overview page!
- The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
- Professional growth and development opportunities.
- A healthy work/life balance to all employees.
POSITION HIGHLIGHTS
- Monday - Friday.
- Full Time, 35 hours per week.
- First Shift.
- Location: 450 Columbus Boulevard in Hartford.
- Hybrid telework schedules available (combination of in office and remote work).
- Frequent days spent outdoors conducting on-site fieldwork and analysis are expected.
THE ROLE
The Property Agent 1 will support the Farmland Preservation Program through the stewardship of farmland parcels that the CT Department of Agriculture has Purchased the Development Rights (PDR) on. The successful candidate will independently perform a full range of tasks in technical phases of conservation easement acquisition, monitoring, and stewardship of conservation easements.
NOTE: This role does not require involvement with the appraisal of real property. Real estate appraisal courses, a current Connecticut Real Estate Appraiser license and either a residential and/or general appraiser certification are not required by this position.
The Property Agent 1 can expect to:
- Engage with farmers and farmland owners.
- Conduct field investigations.
- Read and apply property deed terms.
- Work in Excel to calculate formulas. Review, and create Geographic Information System (GIS) maps, and apply learned knowledge to write stewardship monitoring reports.
- Coordinate with and provide outreach to farmers, federal agencies, municipalities, non-profit land trusts, soil scientists, attorneys, and other organizations involved in farmland preservation, farmland access, and long-term land stewardship.
- May also assist and periodically engage with the Connecticut Farmlink Program.
ABOUT US
The mission of the Department of Agriculture is to foster a healthy economic, environmental and social climate for agriculture by developing, promoting, and regulating agricultural businesses; protecting agricultural and aquacultural resources; enforcing laws pertaining to domestic animals; and promoting an understanding among the state's citizens of the diversity of Connecticut agriculture, its cultural heritage and its contribution to the state's economy.
Watch the video below to see what it's like to be a State of Connecticut employee!
Selection Plan
TO APPLY
- In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
- The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
- This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
- In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
- For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
- Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
- Please select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
- All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING
- Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AFTER YOU APPLY
- This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
- Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
- Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
- Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
- Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
- The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
CONNECT WITH US
- Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Brittney Woodley at brittney.woodley@ct.gov.
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
In a state agency having a property acquisition and leasing function this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of tasks in technical phases of property acquisition, disposal, commercial leasing and revenue management.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
- Conducts negotiations necessary to secure property, property rights and commercial lease agreements;
- Conducts title searches and related research;
- Prepares deeds and draws maps from survey notes;
- Collects and analyzes data in property market values;
- Conducts site inspections of proposed land acquisitions;
- Prepares leases agreements, easements and other agreements related to land acquisition, property management and revenue development;
- Processes disposal and sale of state owned land and buildings;
- Maintains records and prepares reports;
- May recommend items for salvage in properties to be demolished;
- May supervise maintenance of buildings and grounds of acquired property;
- May assist in municipal grants in aid programs;
- Performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
- Knowledge of
- principles and practices of land acquisition by purchase or condemnation;
- principles and practices of real property title examination, abstraction and conveyance;
- commercial lease agreements and revenue management;
- relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
- property values and appraisal methods;
- deed and tract restrictions, zoning ordinances, setbacks, assessments and encroachments and their effect on property values;
- Considerable
- interpersonal skills;
- oral and written communication skills;
- Ability to utilize computer software.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
Six (6) years of technical experience in rights of way, real estate appraisal, land acquisition, sale of real property, commercial leasing or property management.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED
- College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
- Certification by the International Right of Way Association as a Senior Right of Way Professional may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
- Successful completion of a Connecticut Careers Trainee program approved by the Department of Administrative Services may be substituted for the General Experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience interacting with municipalities, land conservation organizations, or farmers, including farm businesses.
- Experience creating and modifying GIS maps using GIS software.
- Experience preparing stewardship reports or baseline documentation reports.
- Experience independently being outdoors or working in inclement weather conditions.
- Experience with farmland access.
- Experience reviewing legal real estate documents, including property deeds and property boundary surveys.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Incumbents in this class involved with the appraisal of real property must successfully complete agency specified real estate appraisal courses and possess and retain a current Connecticut Real Estate Appraiser license and either a residential and/or general appraiser certification as required by the position.
- Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
- Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.
Conclusion
AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
As defined by Sec. 5-196of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group ofpositions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a singletitle for administrative purposes. Assuch, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/orresponsibility.