Tax Assistant I - Collections

Tax Assistant I - Collections

Salary

$22.44 Hourly

Location

Houston, TX

Job Type

Regular Full-time

Job Number

17014

Department

Tax Assessor Collector

Opening Date

07/23/2026

Closing Date

9/30/2026 11:59 PM Central

Max Number of Applicants

200

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Position Description

Job Summary:

The Collections Tax Assistant is responsible for accurate processing, balancing, and research of property tax payment transactions. This position requires strong attention to detail, excellent customer service skills, and the ability to effectively manage payment discrepancies. The role involves working closely with taxpayers, tax office departments, and external institutions, including banks and bill pay systems, to ensure timely and accurate processing of payments. Additionally provides overflow telephone support and ensures that all payment documentation is organized and maintained in compliance with established standards.

Essential Duties

Payment Transaction Processing

• Prepare and Reconcile Property Tax Payments: Process and manually enter transactions, ensuring that payments are accurately applied to taxpayer accounts and tax years, and reconciling property tax payment transactions daily to maintain accuracy and compliance.
• Performed Property Tax Transfers and Cancellations: manually updating payment records to ensure accurate account maintenance and compliance with statutory requirements.
• Sort Bank Transactions: Manage the receipt and sorting of all documents from the bank, which include processed/rejected payments and other correspondences for further processing.

Customer Service and Research

• Taxpayer Assistance: Provide outstanding customer service to taxpayers and other departments, addressing inquiries and resolving issues related to property tax payments and transactions.
• Payment Research: Investigate payment discrepancies, including those submitted through the bank or bill pay systems, to ensure accuracy and proper application to taxpayer account.

Telephone Support

• Overflow Telephone Relief: Provide assistance for phone coverage during overflow periods for the property tax and voter departments, ensuring that all incoming inquiries are handled efficiently.

Check Scanning and Documentation

• Remote Lock-box Scanning: Operate the remote lock-box scanner to process and scan checks, ensuring all payment data is accurately recorded and uploaded into the system.
• Maintain Payment Documentation: Manage and maintain records of processed payments and related correspondence in compliance with the record retention standards.

Payment Research and Corrective Action

• Corrective Workstation Research: Investigate and resolve payment discrepancies flagged by the bank through the Corrective Workstation, ensuring that errors are promptly addressed.
• Bill Pay System Research: Review payments submitted via the bill pay system, ensuring accuracy in payment application and resolution of any discrepancies.

About the Tax Assessor-Collector

The Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector's Office is essential for ensuring the proper administration of tax laws and providing vital services to the community. The office plays a key role in local government, handling various financial and administrative tasks including:

• Property Tax Collection: Assess and collect property taxes for all eligible commercial and residential property owners and entities. Calculate property taxes based on appraised values and ensure collection and distribution to the appropriate entities.
• Motor Vehicle Services: Manage commercial and residential vehicle registration, issue license plates, and handle vehicle title transfers, including the collection of associated fees.
• Voter Registration: Oversee voter registration within the county, issue voter registration certificates, and maintain an accurate voter registration roll.
• Additional Revenue Collection: Collecting certain fees, fines, and revenues related to permits or state mandates, depending on the county's needs.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements

Education:

• High school diploma or GED equivalent from an accredited U.S. institution.

Experience:

• Minimum of three (3) experience in customer service, banking, collections, or property tax-related role

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Customer Service: Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to handle inquiries and resolve issues efficiently and professionally.
• Attention to Detail: Strong attention to detail, ensuring the accuracy of payment processing, research, and documentation.
• Problem Solving: Ability to analyze and resolve payment discrepancies, ensuring that issues are identified and corrected promptly.
• Time Management: Effective time management and ability to prioritize tasks, especially during high-volume periods.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) and experience with payment processing software or banking systems is preferred.
• Telephone Support: Ability to manage phone support efficiently, particularly during overflow periods, and provide helpful assistance to callers.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Preferences

Preferences:

• Knowledge of property tax payment processes and relevant legal or procedural guidelines.
• Experience with payment processing, payment research, and customer service.
• Familiarity with payment systems, including remote lock-box scanning, bill pay systems, and corrective workstations.

General Information

Work Environment:

• Work is performed primarily in an office setting subject to frequent interruptions with extensive work at a computer workstation and site visits to various Tax Offices, Harris County and community facilities, both outdoors and indoors.
• Flexibility to work evening and weekend hours and occasional overnight travel to conferences and training sessions required.

Physical Demands:

• This role is a standard office role that requires remaining stationary for long periods of time. At times, boxes or equipment must be transported weighing up to 30 lbs.

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

HARRIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Harris County offers a highly competitive benefits program, featuring a comprehensive group health plan and defined benefit retirement plan.

The following benefits are offered only to Harris County employees in regular (full-time) positions:

Health & Wellness Benefits

• Medical Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Wellness Plan
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Ten (10) days of vacation leave per year (accrual rate increases after 5 years of service)
• Eleven (11) County-observed holidays
• One (1) floating holiday per year
• Paid Parental Leave*
• Sick Leave

Retirement Savings Benefit

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are available to Harris County employees in full-time and select part-time positions:

• Professional learning & development opportunities
• Retirement pension (TCDRS defined benefit plan)
• Flexible work schedule*
• METRO RideSponsor Program*
• Participation may vary by County department. The employee benefits plans of Harris County are extended to all eligible participants across various departments with the exception of the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, for which the cited Health & Wellness Benefits are administered through the State of Texas.

In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, group health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Harris County Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the Countys behalf as needed.

For plan details, visit the Harris County Benefits & Wellness website:

www.benefitsathctx.com

01

Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position? Qualifying information must be documented in the Education section of your application.

• High School or GED diploma
• Associate Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree or higher
• None of the above

02

Please describe your educational background (i.e., diploma, degree, certifications, technical training, etc.), including the level of education completed, area of study, and completed major and minor programs.

03

Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience in customer service, banking, collections, or property tax-related role? (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history)

• Less than three (3) years
• Three (3) years or more
• I do not have this experience

04

Please provide details about your verifiable experience in customer service, banking, collections, or property tax-related role. Do not use "Please see Resume" or "See Resume" (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history) Please include your (a) role(s), (b) types of organizations, (c) scope of duties and responsibilities If you do not have this experience, please type "None" in the space provided.

05

Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions:

Advanced:

A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data. Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.

Intermediate:

A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel. Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.

Basic:

A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup. Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it.

Entry Level:

A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel. Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents. Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.

• Advanced
• Intermediate
• Basic
• Entry Level
• Not proficient

06

Which of the following best describes your additional knowledge & experience as it relates to this position? Select all that apply

• Knowledge of property tax payment processes and relevant legal or procedural guidelines.
• Experience with payment processing, payment research, and customer service.
• Familiarity with payment systems, including remote lock-box scanning, bill pay systems, and corrective workstations.
• I do not have this experience

07

If you made a selection in regards to the previous question(s), please describe your verifiable experience. NOTE: Please DO NOT use "See Resume" as we do not use resumes for qualifications. (Type N/A if not applicable)

Required Question

Employer Harris County

Address 1111 Fannin St

Ste. 600

Houston, Texas, 77002

Phone 713-274-5445

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx