Director of Tax and Licensing
12 Days Old
Minimum Requirements:
- A Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, Public Administration, or a related field AND at least five (5) years of extensive experience leading teams through transition, mentoring staff, and collaborating with cross-functional departments.
- Equivalent professional experience will also be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.
Desired qualifications:
- Experience in client service and billing or collections.
- Experience with government payment systems, tax collection, or municipal finance.
It is the policy of the Allegheny County Treasurer's Office that in order to receive a final offer of employment, candidates must successfully pass a background check.
Position Summary:
The Treasurer's Office is responsible for billing and collecting taxes for Allegheny County as well as issuing dog, fishing, hunting, small games of chance, and bingo licenses as an agent of the state. The Director of Tax & Licensing will develop, manage, and lead three teams central to the County's financial management: Real Estate Tax, Special Taxes and Licensing.
The ideal candidate possesses a high-level proficiency with people management, process management, and customer service. Experienced and ready to lead an area that includes complex legacy processes, while developing a collaborative, forward-moving culture. Incumbent must have a strong attention to detail; personnel and team management skills; a collaborative nature for navigating relationships between various County offices and departments; and the ability to balance multiple tasks simultaneously to ensure that taxpayers and residents are receiving superior and accurate services.
Area of Oversight
Under the direction of the Director of Tax and Licensing:
Real Estate Tax - Handles the billing, reconciliation, and management of the County Real Estate Tax. There are about 590,000 properties subject to this tax which is expected to generate approximately $540M in revenue in 2025. The office issues a combination of electronic and paper billing to individuals, business, and escrow companies. This team uses MS Govern as the underlying tax software. In addition to core billing activities, this group:
- Administers County's Senior Tax Relief (approx. 20,000 participants) the Volunteer Service Tax Credit program (approx. 1,600 participants), along with other tax programs.
- Liaises with third-party collector for delinquent taxes.
- Processes refunds (approx. 21,000 in 2024)
- Staffs the office's Information Desk, including issuing tax certifications (approx. 1,000 per month)
- Works closely with the IT (MS Govern support), Processing Operations, and Customer Service Center teams within the office.
- Interfaces with the County's Office of Property Assessments, as there is data shared regularly and annually between the Tyler Technologies assessment module and MS Govern.
- This team is staffed with 12 colleagues including the manager, assistant manager and general clerks under our SEIU 668 CBA.
Special Taxes - Handles the billing, reconciliation, enforcement, and management of the County's Hotel, Drink, and Car Rental Taxes. There are about 2600 payers across the portfolio of taxes which generates over $100M annually in revenues. The office issues a combination of electronic and paper options for reporting and payment receipts. The underlying tax collection software is a custom program from Management Science Associates (MSA).
- Reconciles incoming payments (received through outsourced lock box or online payment) daily.
- Follows up with business owners and managers to promote accurate filings and minimize late payments.
- Liaises with the County Controller's Office related to audits of hotels.
- Ensures records of owners, managers, and related PLCB licenses (for the Drink Tax) are accurate via our three Treasury Agents who are out in the field daily to maintain such relationships.
- Works with office's Solicitor on delinquent accounts moving and in legal status.
- This team is staffed with seven colleagues including a manager.
Licensing - Issues dog, fishing, hunting, small games of chance (SGoC), and bingo licenses as an agent of the state.
- Public-facing cashier team (of two) handles customer transactions, inquiries, and concerns.
- Collaborates with Processing Operations (a group under the Director of Cash & Treasury) on annual dog licensing renewals.
- Ensures financial records are compliant with state requirements.
- Collaborates with the Public Affairs team (a group under the Director of Team Transformation) to ensure materials are accessible at community locations and that event staffing is appropriately allocated for each department.
- This team is staffed with five colleagues including a manager and three cashiers under our SEIU 668 CBA.
Overview:
The Office of the Treasurer strives to provide excellent customer service to the citizens of Allegheny County while fulfilling the duties and responsibilities mandated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Home Rule Charter of Allegheny County, with efficiency, transparency, and collaboration.
We are a newly established administration, dedicated to cultivating a collaborative work environment where positivity thrives, and every team member can excel. We value individuals who share our core values and embrace this vision.
- Respect and empathy : We believe in treating every individual with dignity, respect, and empathy. We value team members who actively listen, seek to understand diverse perspectives, and demonstrate kindness in their interactions.
- Fostering a safe workplace : Bullying, harassment, or discrimination of any kind have no place in our workplace. We value team members who actively promote a culture of kindness, compassion, and acceptance, and who intervene to prevent or address any form of bullying or harassment.
- Equity and Fairness : We are committed to promoting equity and fairness in all aspects of our work. We value team members who advocate for equal opportunities, challenge biases, and strive to create a level playing field for all individuals, regardless of their background or identity.
- Passion for growth : We seek individuals who are enthusiastic about personal and professional development, continuously seeking opportunities to learn and grow.
- Integrity and Transparency : Honesty and integrity are at the core of everything we do. We value team members who are transparent in their communication and actions.
- Innovation and Creativity : We encourage innovative thinking and creativity. We value team members who are not afraid to challenge the status quo, bring fresh ideas to the table, and collaborate with individuals and organizations outside of our Office.
- Team Player Mentality : Collaboration is key to our success. We value individuals who are supportive team players, willing to contribute to the collective goals of the team.
- Diversity and Inclusion : We believe in the power of diversity and inclusion. We value team members who respect and embrace diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. If you share these beliefs and embody these personalities, we encourage you to apply and join our dynamic team.
Duties:
- Manages three direct reports, who are managers with approximately 20 indirect reports. Fosters a collaborative and efficient environment designed to maximize strengths and identify and develop areas of need.
- Leads the transition to more modernized and consistent billing and payment experience across groups.
- Oversees the collection, analysis, and utilization of data to inform strategic decisions, improve operations, and ensure data integrity and compliance across all functions.
- Ensures productive and collaborative relationships with third-party delinquent tax collector.
- Builds and strengthens our collaborative relationships with our partners in the Controller's Office and Department of Budget & Finance. This is the foundation for our continued improvement of many underlying interdepartmental processes.
- Envisions, plans, and implements a future state that is forward-looking, and technology focused. This will include a transition of our underlying real estate tax software over the next 1-4 years as well as implementing more modern adjacent systems and processes for payment collection.
- Works closely with the Treasurer's Leadership Team as we move forward with the Office's work environment, services, and functions. This team includes the Treasurer, Chief Deputy Treasurer, Director of Team Transformation and Director of Administration & Customer Service.
- Develops a deep understanding of the responsibilities and duties of each manager and department function, including ability to back-up managers during absences, if needed.
- Supports the Treasurer in her efforts to offer a consistent & easy-to-use online payment options for residents and taxpayers that will help serve as a model for departments across the county.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of:
- Request for Proposals (RFPs)
- JD Edwards and similar accounting software products
- Government payment systems (property tax software and treasury management systems)
Skill in:
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
Ability to:
- Lead and develop high performance teams.
- Proficiently draft and prepare Request for Proposals (RFPs) and lead or support the process through contracting and on-boarding.
- Initiate and implement system and process changes.
- Evaluate and improve system processes.
- Manage stress in a composed manner and demonstrate patience.
- Identify and resolve complex problems effectively.
- Perform efficiently under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
- Demonstrate reliability, dependability, and the ability to work dependently with minimal supervision.
- Collaborate effectively within a team environment.
- Multi-task and prioritize workload effectively.
- Lift up to 35 lbs.
Residency: Allegheny County within 1 year.
Veterans' Preference: Will be awarded to eligible candidates.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER - M/F/V/D
- Location:
- Pittsburgh