Property Agent, Senior

The City of Seattle is seeking a civic-minded, passionate, and skilled Senior Real Property Agent (Sr. RPA) to join our team and strengthen the City’s real estate oversight and planning functions. This role provides critical support for both public property and commercial real estate activities within the Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) and other City departments.

The ideal candidate will bring strategic insight and expertise to responsibilities that include site acquisition, property reuse and disposition, complex research, and negotiating landlord and tenant leases. At FAS, this work involves close collaboration with other City departments and external agencies, maintaining a citywide real property database, and contributing to the development of City real property policies.

This position involves technical and regulatory work to comply with federal, state and local guidelines on legal aspects of property transactions. The work requires a high level of intellectual curiosity, cultural sensitivity and independent judgment. Day-to-day responsibilities include fielding customer service inquiries about City-owned property, contracting for due diligence activities, creating maps using GIS, drafting legislation for City Council and preparing reports and presentation materials for senior staff, the FAS Department Director and elected officials and their staff.

The Real Estate and Planning Services Division (REPS) within the Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) is a dynamic, collaborative team dedicated to ensuring the highest and best use of City property. Our work is guided by an inclusive approach and a strong commitment to racial and social equity.

REPS oversees citywide real estate management, which includes maintaining property records, conducting research and appraisals, acquiring and disposing of City-owned property, and negotiating and drafting leases and use permits.

FAS is often the public's first interaction with the City of Seattle, operating as a customer-focused front door that assists with everything from paying utilities or reporting a pothole to requesting public information or even adopting a new pet.

The 500-plus employees of FAS span across 10 divisions and work behind-the-scenes providing critical functions, like managing 120 City facilities—including police and fire stations—overseeing the City's neighborhood customer service centers and Customer Service Bureau and making sure minority-owned businesses can equitably compete for City contracts. No matter the need, FAS is here—at your service.

Projects range from the simple to the complex, a sampling of which includes drafting use permits, commercial lease negotiation and execution, property acquisition for a new fire station, site searches, and assessment of the City’s long-term training space needs. All of our projects consider equity, race and social justice for the City. Specific duties include:

• Identify leasing criteria and needs of City department clients. Work independently and with real estate brokers to conduct site searches and solicit landlord proposals.
• Negotiate and draft letters of intent, leases and related documents representing City Departments as tenants or as the landlord.
• Prepare documents required to complete real estate transactions such as property legal descriptions, recommendation reports, purchase and sale agreements, deeds, easements, interdepartmental agreements and legislative packages. Coordinate review of documents with Law Department and Risk Management, as needed.
• Represent the City or Department at interagency meetings, site visits and community meetings involving real property matters.
• Prepare consultant contracts and coordinate specialized consultant work, including commercial broker representation, tenant relocation plans, surveying, title, escrow, environmental site assessments, and property valuation and appraisals.
• Maintain collaborative intra- and inter- departmental teamwork, customer relations and communication, providing updates to division and department leadership.
• Conduct property research and market comparisons and real estate due…