EXEMPTION SPECIALIST

OVERVIEW

The Assessor's Office establishes the assessed value of all real and personal property for property tax purposes. We are required by law to assess all taxable property at 100% of market value. These values are used to calculate and set levy rates for the various taxing districts in the county, and to equitably distribute tax responsibility among taxpayers. We also administer property tax exemptions and maintain tax parcel numbers, boundaries and subdivisions. To learn more about the Assessor's Office please visit our website .

Under the direction of the assigned supervisor, the Exemption Specialist administers the property tax exemption & deferral programs including the senior citizen & disabled persons, nonprofit, open space, farm & agricultural and designated forest land.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma or GED; and
• Three years of responsible clerical/office support experience including data entry and Microsoft Office products as well as providing customer service with the public, in-person and by telephone.
• NOTE: One (1) year of related education may substitute for one (1) year of experience.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, OR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Two years' experience with IRS Federal Income Tax or similar income documentation.

Criminal Conviction Standards:

• The successful incumbent will or may have access to a secured/confidential facility or computer system(s). As a result, Kitsap County will be conducting an extensive criminal background check by law enforcement agencies, which may include fingerprinting.
• Please review the following list of disqualifying crimes and negative actions to determine if you meet our standard for this position: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/disqualifying-list-crimes-and-negative-actions

Required Licenses, Certificates, Examinations/Tests and Other Requirements
Please note: The incumbent is responsible for obtaining and maintaining all the following required licenses, certifications and other requirements.

Prior to employment the successful candidate must:

• Submit official transcripts from an accredited college or university if education is being used to meet the minimum qualifications.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

(The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Kitsap County provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• The duties in this position are performed in an office setting and may be required to lift at least 20 pounds.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE OF DUTIES

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Administer property tax exemption and deferral programs including but not limited to, the Disabled and Senior Citizen programs, Current Use, Designated Forest Land and Nonprofits.
• Performs income audits.
• Review and calculate qualifying income from IRS tax forms and supporting documents.
• Approve/deny and remove applicants from the exemption programs as well as defend decisions on behalf of the Assessor to the public and at the Board of Equalization.
• Prepare metrics for supervisor and evaluate processes to meet deadlines.
• Process payroll and reconcile leave balances.
• Accounts payable.
• Order and maintain inventory of supplies.
• Track budget line items.
• Create Assessor correspondence while maintaining confidentiality.
• Act as SharePoint coordinator for the department.
• Exhibit excellent customer service.
• Assist senior/disabled applicants with completing necessary forms.
• Provide communication and updates about application status.
• Educate public on program criteria and requirements.

OTHER POSITION RELATED INFORMATION

• Who May Apply : This position is open to the general public. Applications will be screened for qualifications and completion of all the required materials and forms. The most competitive applicants may be contacted for further steps in the selection process, which may include testing for office and computer skills.
• This position is classified as eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• This position is covered under a collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 1308. Internal applicants should be aware that a change in union status or bargaining unit may impact your benefits and accruals. Please contact Human Resources if you have questions.
• Kitsap County is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please contact our Human Resources Office.
• This recruitment is being used to fill an existing open position and may be used to fill future openings for up to six (6) months.
• Work hours for this position are Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Friday, 8:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

At Kitsap County, we strive to take care of our team! Our employees are the greatest asset of Kitsap County, and we take pride in offering a highly competitive compensation and benefits package to all eligible employees.

County Paid Benefits Include:
Medical - Kaiser Permanente (HMO) or Aetna (PPO)
Dental - Delta Dental or Willamette
Vision - VSP
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Life Insurance - Basic, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Voluntary Term Life Insurance (VTL)
MetLife Long Term Disability
Voya Voluntary Insurance
Transportation incentives
Employee Assistance Program
Travel Assistance Program
Wellness program https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Wellness.aspx
Benefits become effective on the first calendar day of the month following the month in which the employee is hired except if the employee's hire date is the first calendar day of the month, benefits begin on the day of hire. More information about employee benefits is available on the county's website at: https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Benefits.aspx or the Kitsap County Digital Benefits Guide .

*Voluntary benefit options also available at the employee's expense

Retirement:
Employees are covered under the PERS retirement plan provided through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and Social Security.

Deferred Compensation (IRS Plan 457b): tax-deferred savings program

Holidays
11 paid holidays and 2 additional floating holiday per year, 1 additional floating holiday after 10 years of service.

Vacation Leave
New employees are credited with 48 hours of annual leave upon hire and will be begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 360 hours from one calendar year to the next. Annual leave accrual will increase upon tenure, as follows:

Upon completion of 2 years: 15 days per year (10.00 hours per month)
Upon completion of 5 years: 20 days per year (13.33 hours per month)
Upon completion of 10 years: 25 days per year (16.67 hours per month)
Sick Leave
All new hires will be credited with 48 hours of sick leave upon hire and will begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 1200 hours from one calendar year to the next.

***Part-time employees benefit contributions and leave accruals will be prorated***

Additional compensation that you may be eligible for:
Shift differential
Overtime
Stand by pay
Call-back pay

Current County Employees
If you are transferring or promoting into this position you are responsible for reviewing these benefit changes; prior to accepting a position. In addition, it is your responsibility to notify the Auditor's Payroll Division of a change in union status.

Union Membership
This position is covered under AFSCME Local 1308 Courthouse Employees collective bargaining agreement. To view the bargaining agreement please visit our website: https://www.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Collective-Bargaining-Agreements.aspx

NOTE: This is a general overview of the benefits offered through employment with Kitsap County, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts or is incorrect with the provisions of the Personnel Manual, applicable laws, policies, rules or official plan documents they will prevail. The Personnel Manual is available at: https://www.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Personnel-Manual-2019.aspx

Closing Date/Time: 9/14/2025 8:00 AM Pacific

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• KITSAP COUNTY

• 360.337.7185

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