Career Opportunity

Chief of Real Property - Office of the Assessor-Recorder (0931) - (165971)

Recruitment: RTF0165964-01110425

Published: June 12, 2026

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

About:

This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A. Learn more about the City’s hiring process here: https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/process/

Specific information regarding this recruitment process are listed below:

• Application Opening: Friday, June 12, 2026
• Application Deadline: Friday, June 26, 2026 (11:59 PM PST)
• Compensation Range: $158,210 - $201,942 (Range A)
• Recruitment ID: PBT-0931-165971

San Francisco is a vibrant and dynamic city, on the forefront of economic growth & innovation, urban development, arts & entertainment, as well as social issues & change. This rich tapestry of culture and ideas is sustained by our City's commitment to heighten the quality of life for the diverse population of San Franciscans and residents of the greater Bay Area. Our employees play an important role not only in making our City what it is today, but also in shaping the future of San Francisco.

Our Office

The Office of the Assessor-Recorder is responsible for fairly and accurately executing property assessment functions in accordance with the State Constitution and State and local laws. Our core responsibilities include identifying all taxable property in the City and County of San Francisco, establishing a taxable value, and applying all legal exemptions. Property broadly includes real property as well as personal property owned by businesses.

The Office is also responsible for recording documents and securing public records. We ensure each document meets recording requirements and make them accessible to the public. We record over 400 different types of documents annually, including deeds of trust, reconveyances, liens, maps, and public marriage certificates.

Additionally, the Office is responsible for collecting any transfer tax due upon a change in property ownership and performing audits to ensure the correct property value basis for taxation.

In all that we do we seek to advance the values of fairness, care, equity, and excellence in service to our diverse constituents and communities.

What We Do

Each year we prepare an assessment roll that reflects the taxable values of land, improvements, and personal property. The assessment roll is the basis for San Francisco’s property tax revenue. We enroll property tax value by discovering new construction or changes in ownership. The work of our Office in enrolling property valued at approximately $352 billion generates an estimated $4.1 billion in property tax revenue for the City and County of San Francisco. Property tax revenue represents over one-third of the City's General Fund which pays for crucial services ranging from public safety, affordable housing, and education to neighborhood improvements and health and family support services.

Our success is grounded by our Office's investment in our four strategic pillars: people, systems, services, and engagement. We prioritize a climate and culture where belonging and inclusion are advanced, staff can be their authentic selves and pursue pathways for career growth, and diverse constituencies are equitably supported with a meaningful and seamless experience through care in customer service and efficient technology systems. In line with these values, we are taking significant steps to modernize our operations, including leading a cross-departmental effort to replace the legacy property assessment system currently used to manage the City’s hundreds of billions of dollars in assessed property value. This modernization work will provide for increased security and service as well as greater integration with other City systems utilized by the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector and the City Controller’s Office.

We are committed to developing an organization that works to address the pervasive and persistent inequities resulting from systemic racism in our society. This extends to our external engagements where our Office seeks to increase access to resources across multiple constituencies by hosting presentations, workshops, attending events, tabling at resource fairs, and more to ensure that all San Franciscans know what our office can do for them.

Role description

Under the direction of the 0953 Deputy Assessor of Operations, the 0931 Chief of Real Property (“Chief”) is a key member of the Assessor-Recorder’s senior leadership team. The Chief oversees the day-to-day operations of the Real Property Section, ensuring that appraiser, analytical, and clerical staff fairly and accurately appraise and manage the property tax assessments that form the foundation of San Francisco’s annual property tax revenue.

Each year, the Office prepares an assessment roll reflecting the taxable value of land, improvements, and personal property. This roll – valued in the hundreds of billions – has recently generated over $4 billion in property tax revenue, representing as much as one‑third of the City’s General Fund and supporting essential public services. The Chief ensures that assessments resulting from new construction and changes in ownership are properly enrolled and that appraisal practices remain consistent, equitable, and compliant with all legal standards. The Chief also ensures the city is expertly represented in assessment appeals hearings.

The Chief oversees multiple Real Property teams supported by deputies and supervising Principal Appraisers, reviews all appraisals of properties valued at $200 million and above, and may personally conduct the most complex real property appraisals. The Chief helps lead personnel decisions for the division, develops training plans, sets and enforces division standards, and establishes data driven work assignments and performance expectations that align with the department’s goals and objectives. The Chief may also represent the Assessor-Recorder before the Assessment Appeals Board as well as in other forums.

The Chief contributes to the Office’s strategic pillars - people, systems, services, and engagement - including cultivating a culture where management, supervisors and staff all have open communication, mutual respect and a shared purpose and goals so that there is no sense of misalignment between executive, managers and frontline staff. The Chief will also lead to help foster an inclusive and supportive workplace culture; advance continuous improvement in systems and services; and support meaningful collaboration with other city departments including the Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector and the Controller’s Office. The Chief also plays a role in the Office’s commitment to addressing systemic inequities and expanding access to information and services through community outreach, presentations, workshops, and resource events.

Essential duties include but are not limited to:

• Use performance data to plan, organize, and administer the activities of a subsection of the Real Property Division to achieve maximum operational efficiency, improve technical performance and reduce overall operating costs.
• Responsible for the quality and efficiency of the section’s customer service functions including providing accurate information and related services to the general public either in person, over the phone, and by mail or email.
• Interact with and coordinate the activities of the Real Property Division and represent the department in working with the City Attorney’s Office, the State Board of Equalization, Assessment Appeals Board, other divisions within the Assessor-Recorder Office, other City departments and the general public to resolve complex problems and issues involving real property tax and/or taxpayer complaints, often under stressful conditions.
• Responsible for the training, monitoring, evaluating, and coaching of subordinate employees engaged in the daily activities of the Real Property Division to meet all service expectations and commitments and improve performance.
• Interpret and enforce California laws, City ordinances, and regulations governing real property taxes and assessments and their applications as set forth by the California Revenue and Taxation Codes.
• Use real property assessment and appraisal systems, supervise and verify difficult and complex accounting, financial and operational records and documents pertaining to real property; ensure department’s standards and procedures are followed by subordinate staff: work with colleagues to revise procedures as technology and policies change.
• Responsible for the implementation of Division strategic goals, objectives, performance measures, policies, procedures and guidelines, and input into their development.
• Responsible for the maintenance of taxpayer records and operational reports as mandated by State and local laws and ensure the proper use of the department’s document management system.
• Participate in the Department’s management team, developing and implementing the Department’s strategic plans, goals, and objectives.
• Assist in the development, improvement and maintenance of the department’s website to provide the general public, especially non-English speaking taxpayers, with reasonable and timely access to important and updated information pertaining to real property assessments.
• Analyze new and proposed legislative changes to property tax laws and related activities to determine operational impact and make appropriate recommendations.
• Work with other managers and staff to evaluate and implement goals, responsibilities, policies and procedures of the division and department.
• Coordinate with the Information Technology division in development and implementation and operation of new property tax software solutions.

How to qualify

These minimum qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification. Please note, additional qualifications (i.e., special conditions) may apply to a particular position and will be stated on the exam/job announcement.

• Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree in Real Estate, Finance, Accounting, Business or Public Administration, Economics, Political Science, or a closely related field; AND

• Experience: Six (6) years of professional experience in the appraisal and assessment of real property for property tax purposes; this experience must include at least:
  • Two (2) years of experience appraising large commercial, industrial, or income producing properties; and
  • Three (3) years of experience supervising professional staff, which may include appraisers, analysts, or other staff engaged in real property assessment or valuation work.

Substitution:

Additional qualifying professional experience in real property appraisal or assessment may substitute for the required education on a year for year basis up to a maximum of two (2) years.

Desirable Qualifications:

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred to hiring.

• Extensive leadership experience in real property appraisal, assessment, or valuation within a government agency.
• Experience managing complex assessments involving large commercial, industrial, or income‑producing properties.
• Five (5) or more years of supervising professional staff in a high‑volume appraisal or property tax environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead in a data-driven culture, bridging the gap between analytics and strategic, human-centered decision-making.

Verification of Education and Experience:

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications.

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Selection Procedures:

1. Job Application - Applicants must fully complete the job application. Information from resumes does not substitute for the information on the job application or preliminary questionnaire. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility or disqualification.

2. Preliminary Questionnaire (Qualifying) - During the application process, candidates will be prompted to complete a Preliminary Questionnaire as part of the online employment process. Please answer the Preliminary Questionnaire carefully and thoroughly. The purpose of the Application and Preliminary Questionnaire is to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's education, experience, and training in relation to the Minimum Qualifications for this position. It is essential that an applicant provide complete information in identifying their education, experience, and training. After you have completed the Application, you will then be asked the questions for the Preliminary Questionnaire.

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

3. Supplemental Questionnaire (Weight: 100%)

Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be sent a Supplemental Questionnaire. The Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to measure the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position. All candidates’ responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire are subject to verification. All relevant experience, education and/or training must be included in the responses in order to be reviewed in the rating process.

Note: A passing score on the Supplemental Questionnaire must be achieved in order to be placed/ranked on the Eligible List. Candidates will be placed on the eligible list in rank order according to their final score.

What else should I know?

Eligible List/Score Report:

A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of six (6) months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see the city’s Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments.

Certification: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of the List. The hiring department may administer additional position-specific selection procedures prior to making final hiring decisions.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:

Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis’ for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Where to Apply:

All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ and begin the application process.

• Select the “I’m Interested,” or “Apply Now” button and follow instructions on the screen.

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall,1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues.

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@careers.sf.gov that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the recruitment analyst, Stella Choi at stella.choi@sfgov.org. Recruitment ID: 165971

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.