Negotiator

REALTY SPECIALIST II - NEGOTIATOR - IPR# 47417

Agency : Department of Transportation

Closing Date/Time: 07/11/2024

Salary: $4,316 - $7,534 Monthly

Anticipated Starting Salary Range: $4,316 - $5,816 Monthly

Job Type: Salaried

County: LaSalle

Number of Vacancies: 2

Plan/BU: NR916 Pro-Tech Teamsters

This position is a union position; therefore, provisions of the relevant collective bargaining agreement/labor contract apply to the filling of this position.

All applicants who want to be considered for this position MUST apply electronically through the illinois.jobs2web.com website. State of Illinois employees should click the link near the top left to apply through the SuccessFactors employee career portal.

Applications submitted via email or any paper manner (mail, fax, hand delivery) will not be considered.

Agency Mission Statement

The Illinois Department of Transportation is seeking to hire Negotiators.

The IDOT team works diligently to provide safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity, and protect our environment. We are problem solvers and leaders, constantly searching for innovations and improvements in support of our commitment to providing the best multimodal transportation system for Illinois.

Our team fosters a culture of inclusivity. We value diversity and hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards as we work together for a common purpose. Team members frequently collaborate with colleagues and others outside the department to best meet customer needs.

The department offers extensive training and career advancement opportunities. Employees also receive a robust benefit package including:

• Monday-Friday work schedule

• Flexible work schedules in several program areas (flexible time, hybrid scheduling)

• Health, Life, Vision, and Dental Insurance

• Pension Plan

• (12) Weeks paid Maternity/Paternity Leave

• Deferred Compensation Program and other pre-tax benefit programs (Medical/Daycare)

• Employees earn (12) paid Sick Days annually

• New Employees earn (10) paid Vacation Days their first year of service and can earn up to (25) paid Vacation Days annually

• Employees earn (3) paid Personal Days annually

• (13-14) paid holidays annually (based on start date)

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Employee Assistance Program and/or mental health resources

We invite qualified applicants to apply to become part of our team. We are confident that you will take pride in serving Illinois and its residents and visitors.

Job Responsibilities

This position is accountable for acquiring right-of-way parcels for highway construction projects, and property management and relocation functions.

This position reports to the Acquisition Manager. There are no subordinates reporting to this position.

This position is responsible for establishing parcel files and portfolios for presentation to property owners. Discussions with the property owners involve eminent domain proceedings and a monetary offer to the property owner for consideration.

Effective negotiations minimize the cost of acquisitions, reduce trial risks and condemnation expenses, and result in property owners receiving fair market value for their property. The incumbent should possess thorough technical knowledge concerning right-of-way acquisition for highway purposes and also possess the ability to interact well with others. Such knowledge and interactive skills are needed to explain the construction project details and real estate transactions to landowners, appraisers, title companies, banks, and others. Testifying in condemnation proceedings may be required.

Typical problems faced by the incumbent are legal, technical, and communicative in nature. The incumbent must establish effective communication with the property owners so that understanding is reached, confidence is developed, and negotiations are successfully completed.

Also, this position resolves questions and complaints from property owners or their attorneys with diplomacy to ensure good public relations. The greatest challenge is to conduct effective negotiations which result in the timely acquisition of assigned parcels while promoting public confidence in the acquisition process.

Job Responsibilities Continued

Functions personally performed by the incumbent include contacting property owners for the purpose of purchasing right-of-way needed for highway projects, explaining the nature of proposed improvements and the necessity for the acquisition, describing the appraisal process for valuing of the property, and explaining how the remaining property will be affected. When an offer is accepted, the incumbent must notarize the necessary instruments including warranty deeds, easements, mortgage releases, leasehold releases, and subordination agreements.

Upon acceptance of the offer and execution of all necessary instruments, the incumbent must then request a warrant for payment. Once the warrant has been received, documents must be recorded, and the property owner paid in full. The incumbent is responsible for the flow of documents and information through the acquisition process, and the interpretation of land acquisition documents for processing into the Land Acquisition System database.

The incumbent assists with property management duties, which includes negotiating leases for department owned property, reviews requests for the department to sell property, and other duties. The incumbent assists with coordination of persons or businesses that must be relocated due to a highway improvement project.

The incumbent operates within the guidelines of the Land Acquisition Policies and Procedures Manual, Bureau of Design and Environment Manual, Uniform Relocation and Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policy Act of 1970, and Illinois Revised Statutes.

Contacts within the department are with personnel in the Studies and Plans and Programming Sections in the Bureau of Program Development, Traffic and Maintenance Sections in the Bureau of Operations, Construction Section of the Bureau of Project Implementation, central Bureaus of Local Roads and Streets and Land Acquisition. Contacts outside the department are with title and abstract companies, consulting staff, landowners and/or their attorneys, other government agencies, and the general public. Districtwide travel is required.

The effectiveness of this position is measured by the timely and effective completion of land acquisition activities which result in the free flow of information, meeting of construction letting schedules, and avoidance of condemnation cases.

Principal Accountabilities

1.Conducts negotiations for acquiring rights-of-way.

2.Makes available complete and accurate records, records processing, payment processing, payment processing of title commitments, title insurance policies, information regarding negotiations, and information regarding title clearance.

3.Answers inquiries concerning present and past acquisition problems.

4.Determines relevant data, inputs that data, and extracts information for reports out of the Land Acquisition System database.

5.Maintains records on the acquisition of title information and follow-ups.

6.Determines what documents need to be executed in order to obtain a clear title and reports this information to the Acquisition Manager.

7.Establishes and maintains good working relationships with all contacts.

8.Performs local agency project certification, property management, and relocation functions.

9.Maintains and follows the district's record retention policy.

10. Performs duties in compliance with departmental safety rules, and in a manner conducive to the fair and equitable treatment of all employees.

11. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Position Requirements

1.Education/Experience

a. Completion of two years of college majoring in engineering, construction management, or related field PLUS one year of professional experience in real estate, surveying, title work, land acquisition, appraisal, negotiation, property management, relocation assistance, or a combination thereof OR

b. Two years of professional experience in real estate, surveying, title work, land acquisition, appraisal, negotiation, property management, relocation assistance, or a combination thereof.

2.Notary Public license, or ability to obtain Notary Public license within six months of hire date.

3.Valid driver's license.

4.Districtwide travel.

5.Successful completion of a background screening.

Position Desirables

1.Knowledge of real estate appraising process, negotiations and condemnation process, property management, and relocation principles.

2.Ability to communicate clearly and effective.

3.Ability to exercise sound judgment.

4.Ability to read and interpret maps, plans, plats, legal descriptions, and title abstracts.

5.Ability to establish and maintain effectual working relations with property owners, attorneys, and governmental officials.

Work Hours: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday-Friday

Work Location: 700 E Norris Dr, Ottawa, Illinois, 61350

Office: Office of Highways Project Implementation/Region 2/District 3/Program Development

Agency Contact: DOT.CONTACTHR@ILLINOIS.GOV

Posting Group: Transportation ; Fiscal, Finance & Procurement

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Use the "Apply" button at the top right or bottom right of this posting to begin the application process.

If you are not already signed in, you will be prompted to do so.

State employees should sign in to the career portal for State of Illinois employees - a link is available at the top left of the Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon.

Non-State employees should log in on the using the "View Profile" link in the top right of the Illinois.jobs2web.com homepage in the blue ribbon. If you have never before signed in, you will be prompted to create an account.

If you have questions about how to apply, please see the following resources:

State employees: Log in to the career portal for State employees and review the Internal Candidate Application Job Aid

Non-State employees: on Illinois.jobs2web.com - click "Application Procedures" in the footer of every page of the website.

Seasonal and temporary workers should use a personal e-mail address when applying for jobs.

The main form of communication will be through email. Please check your "junk mail", "spam", or "other" folder for communication(s) regarding any submitted application(s). You may receive emails from the following addresses:

• donotreply@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com
• systems@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com

Nearest Major Market: Ottawa