TAX ENFORCEMENT SPECIALIST

** THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO CURRENT CITY OF MILWAUKEE EMPLOYEES ONLY**

Under the direction of the Tax Billing and Collection Manager, the Tax Enforcement Specialist provides administrative support, performs tasks related to tax enforcement, vacated judgments, bankruptcy administration, and customer relations.

Delinquent Tax Enforcement:         

• Maintain appropriate enforcement status and in rem number coding for all delinquent tax accounts.        
• Identify and flag delinquent property tax accounts eligible for in-rem foreclosure in accordance with the City’s adopted policies and procedures.         
• Maintain in-rem foreclosure file database.         
• Prepare all required documents for each foreclosure action.         
• Prepare all required documents for each request to vacate a foreclosure judgment.        
• Prepare all required documents relative to proceeds of sale of foreclosed properties.         
• Confer with taxpayers and their legal counsel regarding tax account status, payments, complaints, ownership difficulties, and vacated judgments through office visits, written correspondence, and/or telephone contact.        
• Maintain working relationships with various City departments and elected officials relative to tax enforcement actions being contemplated or in progress.

Bankruptcy Administration:         

• Research accounts affected by bankruptcy actions using City Assessor, Munis Tax System, and City Clerk-License Division database information.         
• Monitor multiple and serial filers and requests lift of stays when deemed necessary.         
• Monitor debtor payment plans for compliance.         
• Check status of cases in bankruptcy using court voice index system, or Public Access to Court Electronic Records System (PACER).  
• Create statistical reports regarding bankruptcy administration for department management.         
• Process payments received monthly from various bankruptcy trustee, as well as daily mail and over-the-counter payments, in accordance with bankruptcy allotted interest rates on an individual case-by-case basis.        
• Prepare, submit, amend, or withdraw proof of claims to federal bankruptcy court electronically for delinquent property tax amounts due and maintains the database of active and closed bankruptcy case files.         
• Monitor debtor payment plans for compliance.         
• Confer with legal counsel regarding discrepancies in the debtor’s plans.

Coordination and Monitoring of Collection Agent Services:         

• Serve as a department liaison to the City’s collection agent relative to property tax collection matters.         
• Identify and flag delinquent property tax accounts eligible for transfer to the collection agent in accordance with the City’s adopted policies and procedures.         
• Review tax account data files prior to transmission to the collection agent to assure accuracy and appropriateness and effectuates the data transfer after data file review.         
• Receive and review all collection agent correspondence and reports relative to bankruptcy filings, judgments taken, and uncollectible accounts, and enters and maintains the appropriate coding on the respective tax accounts on the tax collection system after review of source documentation.         
• Reconcile the Financial Management Information System (FMIS) general ledger collection agent accounts receivable account on a monthly basis.         
• Maintain the agent’s collection activity files.

Vacated Judgment Administration:         

• Perform all tasks related to vacating judgments taken by the City to enforce the collection of delinquent property tax accounts in accordance with the City’s policies and procedures, which includes, but is not limited to meeting with the former owner and going over the application and answering any questions.         
• Notify departments of receipt of application, submit application to the Common Council through the Legistar On-Line Submission System, and prepare all documents and mailings required relative to taxpayers’ application to vacate judgments taken.         
• Process property tax payments made over the telephone and in-person at the service counter.

Tax Billing and Collection:        

• Make tax account adjustments and status changes required upon request by the Customer Services Division staff.         
• Prepare delinquent property tax collection and enforcement activity reports for department management.         
• Process property tax payments made over the telephone and in-person at the service counter.        
• Process escrow agent property tax payment files.

Financial Services:         

• Control the inventory and monitor the use of the check stock utilized for the accounts payable and payroll accounts.         
• Monitor the daily printing of accounts payable checks.         
• Enter monthly and quarterly property tax settlement vouchers in FMIS.         
• Prepare annual bill payment documents for animal license fee revenue, allocating expenditures to the appropriate accounts, and makes the requisite FMIS entries.

Office Administration:         

• Store, cull, and dispose of division records in accordance with the department’s record retention schedule.         
• Draft correspondence for review and approval by the Tax Billing and Collection Manager or Tax Collection and Enforcement Coordinator.         
• Answer the division’s telephones.         
• Obtain information, documents, and reports from outside the department.         
• Service general office fax machine and copier as a principal key operator, and assist department personnel in the use of the machines.         
• Monitor and report general office photocopier charges by account code on a monthly basis and prepare the monthly vendor bill payment vouchers.        
• Serve as the division’s messenger, pick up or deliver items.
• Monitor the department’s office supply room inventory to assure that needed items are readily available, while minimizing the cost.

We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities who are interested in employment and will make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

1. Regular status as a City of Milwaukee employee, having successfully completed a probationary period for a civil service position, or status as a City of Milwaukee employee in a fixed term position.      
2. Associate degree in business administration, finance, or legal studies and a minimum of three years of professional level clerical experience or Program Assistant II level or above.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To receive credit for college, transcripts are required and must be received by the application period closing date. College transcripts should be attached to your online application. Applications without transcripts will be considered incomplete and will be rejected. Your transcript must be legible and include your college/university name, your name, the degree completed (if applicable) and the date completed.

Technical         

• Sound understanding of City operating and accounting procedures and the information system application in use.         
• Ability to understand state statutes and City Ordinances applicable to tax enforcement.         
• Ability to understand federal statutes applicable to bankruptcy administration.         
• Knowledge of office systems and procedures.         
• Ability to read and interpret budget publications, summaries, and City policies.         
• Intermediate-level proficiency using Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.         
• Familiarity with office equipment, including telephones, computers, copiers and fax machines.         
• Ability to learn and effectively utilize Munis Tax System, City Clerk-License Division database information, employee data systems such as Human Capital Management (HCM) and Financial Management Information Systems (FMIS) in order to produce reports and to retrieve data.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills        

• Knowledge of customer service best practices and the ability to incorporate them into operations.         
• Ability to cope with department staff and taxpayers under adverse conditions.         
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively on the phone and in person.         
• Skill in all aspects of customer service to build and maintain customer satisfaction.         
• Written communication skills to write correspondence, documents for foreclosure, proofread documents so that they are publication-ready; knowledge of and ability to apply grammatical and punctuation conventions.         
• Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships with department staff, taxpayers, various government agencies, other City departments, and outside contractors.         
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity; ability to work cooperatively, effectively, and fairly with co-workers and citizens whose backgrounds may differ from one’s own.

Organizational and Critical Thinking Skills         

• Ability to perform accurate data entry.         
• Ability to maintain complete and accurate records.        
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and to work within tight time constraints.         
• Ability to identify opportunities for process improvement.         
• Ability to approach problems in a logical manner and develop and implement solutions.         
• Superior organizational skills, including the ability to maintain multiple filing systems, correspondence, confidential documents, reports and other material.         
• Ability to think critically and analytically.         
• Ability to work with sensitive information.        
• Ability to exhibit exemplary professionalism.        
• Integrity and the ability to maintain complete confidentiality.

 

The current starting salary (6NN) is $45,013-$51,547 annually, and the resident incentive starting salary for City of Milwaukee residents is $46,363-$53,094 annually. Appointment will be made in accordance with the City of Milwaukee salary ordinance.

THE SELECTION PROCESS will be job-related and will consist of one or more of the following: an evaluation of related education, experience, and accomplishments, a written test, an interview, or other assessment methods. The Department of Employee Relations reserves the right to call only the most qualified candidates to oral exams, performance tests, or personal interviews. Information from the selection process will be used to make a hiring decision. Selected candidates will be transferred and/or promoted to the position.

INITIAL FILING DATE – The selection process will be held as soon as practical after Monday, August 23, 2021. Receipt of applications may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the needs of the City have been met. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the selection process at the time and place designated by the hiring authority.

NOTE: Transfer/Promotional Opportunities and Promotional Examinations are not open to Milwaukee Public Schools employees or to the public. Only current City of Milwaukee employees and civilian personnel in MFD and MPD hired through a City Service Commission process who have successfully passed a probationary period for a Civil Service position will be considered. Individuals with exempt, provisional, temporary, or emergency appointments are not eligible for transfer.

APPLICATIONS and further information may be accessed by visiting, www.jobapscloud.com/MIL.         

• Applications and transcripts should be submitted no later than the deadline listed above.         
• If you would like assistance completing an application, please contact the Department of Employee Relations at (414) 286-3751 or staffinginfo@milwaukee.gov.         
•  The Department of Employee Relations is located at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St, Room 706, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

EEO 603

The City of Milwaukee values and encourages diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.