Lead Right of Way Agent (In-House)

Primary Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead agent shares partial responsibility for the management and supervision of field office staff and operations
• Makes calls on resistant property owners and/or complex ownerships and their representatives
• Trains junior agents and assures that they understand and carry out their assigned duties
• Assists in the mediation and resolution of issues that arise between landowners, agents, clients, subcontractors
• Reviews and evaluates the work of agents and junior agents
• Monitors project budget and prepares forecasts, expenses, milestones and other reports for client and Coates corporate office
• Testsifies as expert witness in court during condemnation and other legal actions
• Contacts landowners throughout the project for a series of acquisition tasks
• Documents all contact with landowners (mail, telephone, e-mail, personal visits)
• Secures permission from landowner for various types of surveys and studies on and across public or private lands
• Secures required subordination agreements
• Obtains maps and tax roll information
• Secures ownership information from variety of sources
• Maintains assigned parcel files from beginning to end of project
• Provides liaison between landowner and other contractors such as construction crews, inspectors, surveyors, archaeologists
• Settles damages before, during and after construction
• Maintains assigned parcel files from beginning to end of project

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• In-depth knowledge of legal terminology that applies to land acquisition
• Expertise in negotiations, conflict management, mediation
• Knowledge of turnkey project management, from initial activities such as ownership research through negotiations, acquisition, relocation, construction, damage settlement, condemnation
• The ability to read, understand and communicate property valuation information to landowners, as contained in formal real estate appraisals prepared by professional state certified appraisers
• The further ability to render independent land value judgments and determine when compensation beyond the value outlined in an appraisal is justified

Minimum Requirements

• Proficient in programs necessary to maintain documentation and produce reports
• Skilled in variety of research methods, particularly internet, courthouse and recorded documents
• Knowledge of how to determine valuations of crops, trees, pastures, etc. for damage settlement
• Oral and written communication skills must be above average, as well as the ability to interpret, analyze and assimilate diverse bits of information
• Must be computer literate, capable of maintaining detailed information in software programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Access, skilled in researching information on the internet and communicating via e-mail