Real Estate Assistant/Drainage Clerk

Real Estate Assistant/Drainage Clerk: Full-time position available with the Cerro Gordo County Auditor’s Office.  The purpose of this position is to maintain the county’s real estate tax parcel base for assessment & taxation purposes; analyze, process & document transactions of real estate parcels; maintain accurate transfer book and mapping layers; and analyze legal descriptions.

High school diploma or GED, supplemented by up to one (1) year previous experience and/or college level work or vocational training in office administration, secretarial or word processing, and spreadsheet skills.  Background in County Auditor, Assessor, or Recorder office preferred.  Experience working with real estate or legal descriptions preferred.

Applications will be accepted until position is filled with first review of applications on July 29, 2026. Pre-employment physical, drug screen, reference checks, and a criminal background check required.  Cerro Gordo County is an EOE.  Applications can be completed online by visiting our website at: 

Posted July 15, 2026

CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IOWA

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Real Estate Assistant / Drainage Clerk

Department: Auditor

Immediate Supervisor: Auditor

Shift: Normally 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday-Friday; overtime as needed

Location: Cerro Gordo County

FLSA: Non-exempt/Union Position

Salary: $23.97 to $25.89 per hour depending on previous related experience

Approved by: Board of Supervisors

Date: 07/14/2026

Summary:
Under the direction of the County Auditor, performs technical and administrative work related to maintaining the county's real estate tax parcel records and drainage district administration. Processes real estate transfers, parcel changes, credits, exemptions, legal descriptions, and mapping updates while ensuring compliance with Iowa law and county policy. Serves as clerk for drainage districts by coordinating maintenance activities, communicating with landowners and contractors, maintaining records, and supporting drainage trustees. Provides administrative support and exceptional customer service to the public and county departments. Assists with election administration.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide prompt, professional customer service to the public and county staff in person, by telephone, email, and mail.
• Perform reception duties, answer and direct telephone calls, greet visitors, and relay messages.
• Maintain and update county real estate databases, ownership records, parcel information, legal descriptions, GIS layers, and related records.
• Process recorded real estate transfers, parcel splits, subdivisions, annexations, vacations, and right-of-way acquisitions.
• Research property ownership history, plats, legal descriptions, and parcel information using available resources.
• Create and maintain GIS mapping products for internal and external users.
• Receive reports of drainage district concerns and create work orders.
• Coordinate drainage maintenance and repair projects with contractors, inspectors, trustees, and landowners.
• Maintain drainage district records, maps, GIS layers, and supporting documentation.
• Assist with agendas, notices, correspondence, and records for drainage district activities.
• Provide clerical and accounting support, process mail, replenish office supplies, maintain public records, perform notary duties, and maintain county website information.
• Assist with voter registration, election preparation, ballot proofing, and absentee ballot processing as assigned.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
None

Qualification Requirements:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty. The requirements listed as follows are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required.

Ability to learn the real estate assessment and taxation cycle and understand real estate records including plats of survey, plats of subdivisions, legal descriptions, real estate tax parcel construction and mapping.

Ability to interpret and apply department policies, county ordinances, and state requirements related to real estate transfers, subdivisions, annexations, and other recorded documents affecting the real estate tax parcel base.

Ability to use computer databases and software including Microsoft suite, ESRI products, Harris/Sidwell products, and other applicable tools.

Ability to read, interpret, comprehend, and draft real estate legal descriptions and real estate ownership.

Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; ability to utilize principles of fractions.

Ability to accurately handle cash transactions and subsequent receipting and posting functions according to established procedures.

Ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and analyze data and information.

Ability to produce reports with proper format, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and using all parts of speech. Requires the ability to communicate with and before others using correct English.

Ability to represent Cerro Gordo County in a professional manner.

Ability to interact and deal effectively with coworkers and the general public.

The requirements and duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Education and Experience:
High school diploma or equivalent required. One year of experience in office administration, local government, real estate, GIS, land records, legal descriptions, accounting, or a related field is preferred. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.

Preferred experience in a County Auditor, Assessor, Recorder, Treasurer, GIS, Engineering, Planning and Zoning, Surveying, or similar governmental office.

Language Skills:
Ability to communicate effectively with co-workers and the general public.

Ability to deal with the general public in a tactful and courteous manner.

Ability to properly and effectively communicate verbally and in writing.

Reasoning Ability:
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions in written, oral, or diagram form.

Ability to apply common sense to solve problems or achieve work objectives.

Ability to recognize work situations that require special attention.

Ability to think critically, to conceptualize, to understand, to describe, and to solve practical and technical problems.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
Ability to obtain Iowa Notary Public commission required.

Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be physically able to start, stop, operate, and monitor a variety of automated office machines and equipment.

Must be able to move or carry job-related objects or materials. Tasks involve the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (20-30 pounds).

Physical demands are consistent with sedentary office work. Some tasks require visual perception and discrimination, and may involve extended periods at a keyboard or workstation.

Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to physical harm caused by an emotional consumer or the general public.

Tasks are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.

Work is normally performed in an office environment. Headaches, eyestrain, carpal tunnel, and related occupations hazards associated with computer work reflect most common potential for injury.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Comments:
Must have a valid Iowa Driver's License and have reliable transportation. Must be insurable for driving under county insurance company policies.

Applicant will be subject to post offer, pre-employment drug and physical testing.

Cerro Gordo County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages prospective employees and incumbents to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. Cerro Gordo County is subject to and has adopted a policy in compliance with the 2008 Smokefree Air Act.

Cerro Gordo County participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.