Tax and Collections Manager

Coordinates, manages, and organizes the day-to-day activities of one of the divisions engaged in collections work within the department;Reviews the work activities of an assigned division to determine that all policies and procedures are being followed;Manages the work activities of a support center; the preparation and distribution of customer bills; the collection, acceptance, and processing of County revenues and/or billings; and/or the accounting and reconciliation of property tax assigned revenue accounts;Plans, organizes, and manages complex accounting systems with multiple revenue streams;Analyzes and prepares various statistical, management, and financial reports, as required, to support operational needs;Manages the collection of delinquent revenue due to the County, including "hard to recover" collection accounts, returned checks, etc.;Ensures technical and administrative collection processes and procedures meet necessary requirements to be defensible in Small Claims Court on behalf of the County, including presenting the County's case, as needed;Coordinates with the Office of the County Counsel to assure all administrative procedures are completed successfully and in a timely fashion related to all other legal collection processes on behalf of the County;Coordinates the billing and collection activities of the assigned division with those of other divisions or departments concerned with revenue collections; confers with officials of other divisions on the establishment of new billing schedules and collection procedures;Confers with customers or their representatives on complex revenue collection problems or irregularities;Explains the technical requirements of various laws, ordinances, policies, and procedures; investigates complaints or irregularities; determines and implements any adjustments in billing;Selects, directs, assigns, supervises, and evaluates professional, technical, and administrative support staff, and provides for their training and understanding of how to carry out the department's mission;Recommends and assists in the implementation of new technology to maintain or improve the effectiveness and efficiency of collecting, processing, and tracking payments for compliance;Develops and implements policies and procedures to maximize the effectiveness of billing and collection operations;Plans, schedules, organizes, and conducts the public auctions for the sale of tax-defaulted properties;Reviews the preparation and publication of legal notices and property tax materials;Maintains accounting control over collections and disbursement of money;Directs and assists internal and external auditors in developing and ensuring proper accounting of all funds, mandated programs, and other services in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations;Serves as a resource and subject matter expert to department and staff in matters related to tax and collections;Manages changes to systems and/or policies with outside entities and related departments;Conducts periodic staff meetings with subordinate supervisors to discuss problems affecting work activities, suggests solutions to such problems, and serves as technical expert;Reviews complex collection problems arising in the assigned division, determines legality and appropriateness of recommended adjustments, and approves appropriate adjustments;Prepares and submits recommendations to superiors for changes in policies, procedures, laws, or ordinances;Represents the department in meetings with the courts, contractors, cities, special districts, other departments and agencies, boards and commissions, and may chair committees related to the work;Responds to inquiries and resolves complaints related to division matters; interprets and explains laws, codes, ordinances, and procedures to County staff and the public related to billing and collection processes and procedures, etc.;Travels to various locations within and outside the county to meet the program needs and to fulfill the job responsibilities;May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker (DSW), as required*;Performs other related duties, as required.

Qualifications Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks, plus the possession and direct application of the following knowledge and abilities: Training and Experience Note: The required knowledge and abilities are attained through training and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's degree, preferably in Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Public Administration, or related field.

Relevant analytical, administrative, lead, supervisory, or management experience that includes interpreting rules and regulations, gathering data and formulating recommendations, and report writing can substitute for education on a year-for-year basis;ANDFour (4) years of professional level experience in collections, accounting, and/or customer service in a tax or collections environment, plus one (1) year of experience supervising and/or managing employees.

Supervisor/management experience may be inclusive of collections experience, accounting experience, and/or customer service experience in a tax or collections environment.

Experience in the public sector or customer service oriented organization is highly desirable. Special Requirements Ability to travel to alternate locations in the course of work.

If driving, possession of a valid California driver’s license prior to appointment and the ability to qualify for and maintain a County driver authorization.*As a condition of employment, pursuant to California Government Code Sections 3100-3109 and Local Ordinance, all County of Santa Clara employees are designated Disaster Service Workers (DSWs), including extra help.

A DSW is required to complete all assigned DSW-related training, and in the event of an emergency, return to work as ordered.

Knowledge of: Principles and practices of effective employee supervision, including selection, training, evaluation, discipline, motivation, team building, and employee development programs;Developing and implementing goals and objectives and applying them to guide and define division and employee performance through division and individual work plans;Principles and practices of billing, accounting, collection, and payment remittance processing for California municipal governments;Laws and regulations governing assigned collections and accounting functions; Principles and methods of finance administration, particularly in the areas of accounting, auditing, and forecasting methods;Information systems applications for managing collections and billing processes;Appropriate internal accounting and cash handling controls;English usage, style, grammar, punctuation, and spelling;Common computer systems and applications.

Ability to: Interpret and apply laws and regulations governing assigned collections function;Apply the requirements of local ordinances, collective bargaining agreements, and personnel guidelines;Write clear and concise reports, including for financial analysis and reporting;Plan, organize, assign, direct, review, and evaluate the work of assigned staff; motivate staff to develop a strong customer service ethic in the workplace;Effectively utilize information systems;Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures;Produce operations manuals, prepare memos, and respond to inquiries from outside agencies;Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, at all levels, including colleagues, the public, and representatives of other agencies;Travel to various locations within and outside the county, as necessary.