ROW/Real Estate Specialist

Position Summary

The ROW/Real Estate Specialist facilitates CoServ's right-of-way matters including easement encroachments, researching historical records, new easements, service contracts, and determine CoServ’s rights pursuant to existing easements and other instruments. The position works with Legal to prepare documents, organize and manage permitting activities, and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external customers.

Primary Position Responsibilities

• Utilizes processes for the consistent application, acquisition, and documentation of easements, service contracts, and ROW permits, i.e. railroad and Texas Department of Transportation.
• Makes recommendations regarding rights-of-way, easements, service contracts, platting, encroachments, and abandoning easements.
• Communicates with property owners for easements, service contracts, and rights-of-way.
• Works with Engineering, Operations, and Project Management teams in identifying projects with potential landowner issues and works with team to find resolution.
• Identifies the need for easements, service contracts, and/or rights-of-way.
• Determines CoServ's rights pursuant to existing easements and other instruments including service contracts.
• Coordinates with governing agencies on any necessary platting and planning.
• Protects CoServ's investment, title, and rights in its real property for both present and future use, preventing trespass, unauthorized encroachments, and maintenance concerns.
• Reviews and processes requests to use CoServ right of way for permitted encroachments and easements for third party uses such as utility crossings, parking, road crossings, pipeline crossing and other uses, preparing appropriate document for review and approval by work groups with execution by CoServ management.
• Manages processes to present and display easement, right of way and service contract information in a manner to support internal stakeholders.
• Works with Legal to draft and prepare documents such as easements, releases, exclusions, licenses, service contracts, permits, and encroachments.
• Reviews appropriate documentation for submittal including plans, drawings, maps, and design information and existing real estate documents for permits, easements, service contracts, platting, and utility reimbursements.
• Organizes, schedules, and manages permitting activities with associated agencies in a manner that supports construction project timelines.
• Receives, identifies and/or notes field drawings, engineering plans, and profile maps.
• Complies with established CoServ safety and operating rules, procedures and guidelines including reporting unsafe practices to a supervisor.
• Complies with established CoServ Information Security Handbook, policies, procedures, and guidelines including reporting suspected information security incidents to Tech Support.

Secondary Position Responsibilities

• Ensures that real estate documentation is recorded properly in land records and any various other databases.
• Researches historical records for real estate matters as necessary.
• Communicates with CoServ staff regarding permitting, inspections, and platting including providing guidance and assistance to Operations personnel on land and landowner issues.
• Manages easement, service contracts, encroachments, and abandonments with internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinates with state agencies on real estate matters as necessary regarding permits and reimbursements.
• Prepares and reviews letters, acquisition documents, service contracts and easements.
• Verifies data used across multiple platforms and reports for consistency and accuracy including the updating of GIS database to show adds, removals and boundary changes.
• Captures data from service contracts, easements, permits, or any other pertinent documents.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with internal and external customers.
• Serves as liaison between staff and attorneys and assists in the preparation of legal documents.
• Supports expert witness testimony at eminent domain hearings and trials.
• Performs other duties and activities as directed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None

Position Requirements

Experience, Education and Certifications Required

• High School Diploma or G.E.D equivalency.
• Bachelor’s degree and two (2) years of utility experience,
  • Or seven (7) years of utility experience related to role as substitute for education requirements,
  • Or equivalent IRWA Right-of-Way Agent (RWA) coursework as substitute for education requirements.
• Five (5) years of experience in real estate appraisal, easement acquisition, determining real estate needs for utility equipment, or a directly related field.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in an electric utility engineering and/or operations organization.

Experience, Education and Certifications Preferred

• Right of Way Professional (RWP) Designation.
• International Right of Way Association membership OR Licensed Texas Real Estate Agent.
• Texas Notary Public.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in an electric utility engineering and/or operations organization with six (6) years of real estate experience.

Skills and Abilities Required

• Possesses excellent writing and oral communication skills demonstrating excellent interpersonal skills through interface with internal and external stakeholders.
• Manages competing priorities and projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite.
• Ability to work in a team-based environment and achieve common goals.
• With minimal supervision, ability to work efficiently, plan, and schedule own work.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and be proficient with technical details.
• Ability to concentrate and complete procedures in an error free manner.
• Demonstrates a high level of independent judgment and responsibility.
• Understands and carries out complex oral and written instructions.

Skills and Abilities Preferred

• Paralegal skills and working knowledge of real estate law.
• Knowledge of RUS engineering design and specifications for distribution, transmission, and substations.
• Proficient knowledge of city, county, and state permitting requirements.
• Understands and follows maps, system maps, Grid Map and line design books and manuals.
• Effective negotiating and interpersonal skills.
• Working knowledge and understanding of CoServ policies and procedures
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of real estate law as well as real estate industry practices, procedures, documents, public real estate records, appraisal techniques.
• Knowledge of regulatory, engineering, and environmental rules and regulations.
• Demonstrable proficiency with Microsoft Office suite.

Physical Requirements

• Works in office 95% of the time.
• Ability to sit for long periods of time.
• Ability to lift a minimum of 25 pounds.
• Operates office equipment such as a computer, telephone, fax machine, copier, etc.

Other Requirements

• Ability to travel, if necessary, for business and training.