TAX SPECIALIST

Job Description

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

The Tax Specialist serves as a subject matter expert responsible for overseeing complex tax collection activities and ensuring the City’s compliance with applicable laws and ordinances. This role is expected to independently manage advanced tasks related to tax billing, collection, delinquency management, and taxpayer relations, while providing guidance to less experienced staff and contributing to process improvement initiatives.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Administer and manage all aspects of municipal tax collection programs, including property taxes, and other city revenues.
• Oversee billing, collection, reconciliation, and reporting of tax accounts, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness.
• Serve as a primary contact for complex taxpayer inquiries and resolve escalated issues with professionalism and sound judgment.
• Analyze delinquent accounts and recommend appropriate enforcement actions, including legal remedies, in accordance with City policy and applicable laws.
• Monitor collection trends and prepare detailed reports and analysis for management to support financial planning and forecasting.
• Identify, recommend, and implement improvements to tax collection processes and systems to enhance efficiency and customer service.
• Ensure proper cash handling, reconciliation, and internal controls over tax revenue collections.
• Interpret and apply federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, and policies related to taxation.
• Collaborate with internal departments, auditors, legal counsel, and external agencies as needed to resolve tax-related matters.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to junior staff, including reviewing work for accuracy and compliance.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of taxpayer records and sensitive financial information.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

• Associate degree required; bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, public administration, or related field strongly preferred.
• Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible experience in tax collection, revenue management, or municipal finance, with demonstrated expertise in complex account management and regulatory compliance.
• Prior experience in a city, county, or other public-sector environment preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge of municipal taxation principles, methods, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Strong understanding of accounting, reconciliation, and financial reporting practices.
• Proven ability to handle complex tax collection issues and communicate effectively with taxpayers, elected officials, and senior management.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze financial data, identify discrepancies, and recommend corrective actions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear, concise reports and correspondence.
• High proficiency with financial software systems and Microsoft Office Suite; experience with tax collection software preferred.
• Ability to exercise sound independent judgment and maintain the highest standards of integrity and confidentiality.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is sedentary which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Visual Acuity: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions.