Senior Auditor-Appraiser

About the role

The Office of the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Senior Auditor-Appraiser.

Responsibilities

• Make site visits to businesses to audit their books, records, and financial reports, and to make appraisals to determine assessment valuations.
• Provide direction to Auditor-Appraiser I/II staff including assigning, directing, and reviewing their work.
• Perform the most difficult audits and appraisals of the largest and most complex properties for assessment purposes.
• Successfully present appraisal reports at the Assessment Appeals Board.
• Appear as an expert witness before the Assessment Appeals Board as to property values.
• Review other assessment issues, in compliance with the Revenue and Taxation Code.
• Perform out-of-state audit assignments in a variety of geographic locations, as necessary.
• Lead a team on an out-of-state airline audit, or major biopharmaceutical audits, as necessary.

Requirements

• Possess excellent computer skills, including advanced working knowledge of MS Office, specifically Excel and Word.
• Demonstrate outstanding interpersonal relations and customer service skills.
• Acquire within one year of appointment a permanent Property Tax Appraiser Certificate issued by the California State Board of Equalization.
• At least two years of experience as an Auditor II performing a full range of audits and appraisals or has experience performing more advanced level audits and appraisals of tangible and taxable property for tax assessment purposes.
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with upper division coursework in accounting, auditing, appraising or cost estimating.

Qualifications

• Licensure/Certification: Acquisition within one year of appointment of a permanent Property Tax Appraiser Certificate issued by the California State Board of Equalization.
• Experience: At least two years of experience as an Auditor II performing a full range of audits and appraisals or has experience performing more advanced level audits and appraisals of tangible and taxable property for tax assessment purposes.
• Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with upper division coursework in accounting, auditing, appraising or cost estimating.

Skills

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted during work.
• Audit complex financial books and records to determine ownership, segregate costs of property, and evaluate property owner declarations.
• Read, interpret, and apply rules, policies, and procedures.
• Use initiative and sound independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Audit and appraise complex property for tax purposes.
• Organize and plan time for completion of audit and appraisal workload.
• Discover and resolve audit and appraisal problems.
• Travel to a variety of geographic locations throughout the country according to regular schedules, as well as, on demand.
• Work independently.
• Analyze data and draw logical conclusions.
• Train in proper techniques and procedures of auditing and appraising property.
• Select and make appropriate adjustments to property.
• Accurately determine historic, reproduction, and replacement costs.
• Accurately identify and measure depreciation and obsolescence.
• Measure income producing characteristics of property and appropriately capitalize the income stream into value.
• Identify and classify various types of land, sites, buildings, structures, manufactured homes, vessels, aircraft, trade fixtures, and property interests in an accurate and uniform manner.
• Produce effective presentations.
• Maintain complete and accurate records and prepare written audit narratives and appraisal reports.
• Operate standard office equipment, including departmental applications.

Benefits

Information about the California State Board of Equalization can be found at: https://www.boe.ca.gov/.

This is an exciting time to consider career advancement as a Senior Auditor-Appraiser. The Assessor's Office is currently involved in several major projects, including the development of a new Automated Property Assessment and Tax System, and the appraisal and assessment of several large-scale commercial, manufacturing, research and development, and mixed-use developments being built throughout San Mateo County.

Pay

Tentative Recruitement Schedule:

• Closing Date: Continuous
• Application Screening: Tuesday, March 17, 2026
• Panel Interviews: Week of March 30, 2026

Schedule

Continuous Recruitment

Application

All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense. Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.