Title:  Manager, Customer Service & Assessment

Summary of Duties:

Reporting to the Division Manager, Taxation and Revenue, the Manager, Customer Service and Assessment is responsible for the management of municipal issues related to property assessment, resultant assessment appeals and tax appeals, rebate programs and special charges, as well as daily operation of the public information unit responsible for taxation and property assessment.

Work Performed:

• Provide leadership in the coordination and delivery of programs, initiatives, policies and projects that contribute to the implementation of strategic initiatives for the Financial Services to meet the Council’s Strategic Plan.
• Manage employees including hiring, administration, training, and performance aspects of reporting employees. Respond to sensitive and confidential human resource issues as required.
• Ensure compliance with assessment and taxation legislation.
• Provide leadership in the execution and delivery of services and programs in the following areas of accountability: 
  • provision of public information services related to taxation and assessment
  • provision of property assessment appeal board decision recalculation and administration under the Assessment Act and Municipal Act
  • administration of assorted tax rebate programs
  • administration of tax appeal program under the Municipal Act
  • provision of assessment roll audit function including municipal assessment appeals
  • administration of tax/assessment related functions required under the Local Improvement Act, Drainage Act and Tile Drain Loans Act.
  • administration of assessment updates for various Business Improvement Areas
• Demonstrate commitment to anti-racism, anti-oppression, and human rights through interactions with community partners, employees and individuals and implementation of policies, programs and protocols that reflect this commitment. 
• Demonstrate commitment and adherence to health and safety legislation and programs; and actively promote a culture of safety with direct reports.
• Identify, recommend, adapt and implement innovative and effective work practices and procedures to improve service delivery and the business responsibilities related to assessment and tax legislation.
• Analyze, identify potential impacts, and educate employees in relation to changes to property tax and assessment legislation
• Recommend and develop processes and tools needed to increase efficiencies and improve the effectiveness of services provided by the Customer Service and Assessment Team.
• Encourage and support employee participation and commitment to individual, divisional, and organizational objectives.  Actively mentor, provide development opportunities and build a high-level team performance with direct reports.
• Implement strategies to track performance measures for team deliverables, using appropriate data collection and analytics. 
• Engage in opportunities to work across Divisions and Service Areas in support of enterprise-wide collaboration.
• Provide updates, information and recommendations to the divisional leadership on priorities with responsibility to operationalize identified goals and strategies.
• Assist with administration of GIS and planning initiatives associated with assessment.
• Identify, research and propose changes to public information and assessment procedures.

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• Identify and recommend internal controls in the form of policies, procedures, practices in relation to the general and specific risks of the Corporation; ensures internal controls are implemented, monitored and reported on specific to the Division.
• Provide input to the development of the annual operation budget for the Financial Services Division and with expenditure and revenue control related to property assessment budgets.
• Attend meetings of City Council, Infrastructure and Corporate Services Committee, and Standing Committees, as required and advise on matters relating to property assessment, the assessment roll and tax adjustments.
• Represent the Division at various meetings regarding tax appeal, customer service, and assessment issues.
• Prepare reports for Council and various Committees as required.
• Promote and foster working relationships with employees and bargaining units and ensure consistent application of the collective agreements.
• Liaise with unions on issues that affect bargaining unit employees and represent the unit at mediation and arbitration proceedings as required.
• Act as primary liaison with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. 
• Prepare a response to inquiries from elected officials, media and the public as requested by the Manager, Director or Deputy City Manager of the Service Area.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Completion of three-year Bachelor’s Degree majoring in Geography, Economics or Business and Professional Property Assessment Designation or equivalent combination of education and related professional and lived community experience.
• Five to seven years related experience including management responsibilities. 
• Experience in municipal taxation and assessment preferred.
• Member of the Institute of Municipal Assessors of Ontario.

Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the fields of taxation, assessment and customer service with an understanding of the area’s programs and services and how the work of the area aligns with the objectives of the Division. 
• Demonstrated analytical and business planning skills with a proven track record for effectively implementing and monitoring programs and services. 
• Demonstrated positive and proactive leadership capabilities, adept at leading a group of employees, contracted services and consultants; demonstrated commitment to developing high performance teams. 
• Highly developed interpersonal and customer services skills, including conflict resolution and problem solving; demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with diverse populations within the community; experience working collaboratively with organizations and clients. Political acumen to identify and manage issues.
• Demonstrated ability to inspire the people they lead through productive and honest dialogue, with personal integrity and actions. 
• Ability to be a trusted advisor and/or advocate in sensitive and/or emotionally charged situations. 
• Demonstrated perseverance and resilience in addressing and escalating as required, challenges and emergent issues. 
• Proven commitment to the safety of employees with knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and applicable regulations as it relates to the position. 
• Ability to provide a high level of attention to detail, make sense of data and solve problems. 
• Ability to understand the importance of service delivery; implement initiatives that support the section’s customers in a timely and effective way.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office, and related software and database applications.
   

Compensation & Other Information:

$99, 156 - $129, 818

This posting is for one (1) permanent, full-time position.

Standard hours of Work: Monday - Friday from 8:30a.m. to 4:30p.m.

Work Arrangement: 100% in office

These hours of work and work arrangement are subject to change in accordance to business requirements.

Police Record Check

The successful candidate will be required to complete a Criminal Record Check.