Right of Way Agent

Coates Field Service, Inc. is seeking an experienced Right of Way Agent to support a client’s distribution and transmission projects. The successful candidate will be experienced in acquiring linear right of way for private landowners and able to adapt to tight deadlines. The office location is near Binghamton or Elmira, NY. Per diem is available. Multiple positions are available.

Responsibilities

• Investigate, negotiate, acquire, defend, and ensure legal recording and enforcement of property rights required for electric, gas, or communication infrastructure.
• Utilize existing and future software and physical files to document all communication with landowners, including in-person meetings, email, and phone, as well as capturing project updates and progress on each affected parcel.
• Engage landowners to mitigate encroachments on rights of way.
• Prepare or assist in preparing and securing specific state, highway, railroad, County, Town, City, Village permits for use of lands owned by governmental agencies, the public, or other utilities, including tree-clearing permits.
• Investigate, negotiate, and acquire leases, licenses, and permits for Networks infrastructure, staging areas for storm or construction laydown areas, railroads, and canal crossing permits.
• Responsible for document management involving legal document filing, recording, parceling, indexing, and retrieval.
• Coordinate and process payments to landowners for certain property rights through internal workflow.
• Investigate electric and gas franchise agreements and boundary lines.
• Obtain right of entry and survey permission from private landowners; potentially negotiate and acquire property rights required for transmission and distribution projects.
• Respond to internal and external stakeholder inquiries related to property rights.
• Review and process executed documents according to client requirements, which may include requesting payment remittance, recording, etc.
• Serve as a legal witness as necessary for condemnation or other proceedings.
• Other job duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

• Knowledge of real estate principles gained through education and experience.
• Must have NY Notary Public License or the ability to obtain that license within 3 months of hiring.
• Ability to travel regularly.

Skills

• Preferred:
• Working knowledge of drafting and negotiating property rights documents, including rights-of-way, easements, leases, purchases, and sale agreements.
• Strong understanding of electric transmission, sub-transmission, and distribution principles as related to right-of-way and land rights.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to utilize multiple forms of technology, including project databases, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Earth, etc.
• Ability to plot metes and bounds descriptions of property and read a variety of maps, both electronic and paper.
• Ability to evaluate, interpret, and analyze engineering and right-of-way drawings.
• Ability to interpret and research (abstract) legal documents.
• Skilled in property rights research methods, including courthouse searches for recorded documents and internet research.
• Ability to determine valuation of crops, timber, etc., for damage settlement.

About the Company

Coates has a 75-year history providing comprehensive land acquisition and right-of-way services to municipalities, utilities, energy providers, and oil and gas companies nationwide. The first firm of its kind, Coates is widely recognized as a leader in the land and right-of-way acquisition industry. A national corporation, Coates has the depth of knowledge and agility to respond to client needs in all 50 states. Coates is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with regional offices located throughout the United States.

Benefits

• Comprehensive and generous benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability (STD/LTD) insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Paid time off and company-paid holidays.