Legal Assistant - Tax and Revenue Unit

Company Description

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The City of Philadelphia Law Department acts as general counsel for the entire City government structure. We provide legal advice to all City officials, employees, departments, agencies, boards, and commissions concerning any matters related to the exercise of their official powers.

The Law Department's civil practice includes unique issues involving public interest in business, health, safety, commerce, civil rights, taxation, and community development. We employ more than 220 attorneys and 100 professional staff to support seamless operations, reduce legal liability for the City, and challenge threats to quality of life impacting the taxpayers of Philadelphia.

We are an ever-evolving Department where all are empowered to reach their full potential, to collaborate with clients as true partners, and to see their work have real impact on the city of Philadelphia. We celebrate the diversity of our staff, the City’s workforce, and the residents whom we serve and promote an environment of comradery, accountability, and inclusiveness.

The Tax and Revenue Unit represents the City, as plaintiff, seeking to collect taxes and certain other amounts owed to the City, and represents the City as defendant in cases where taxpayers dispute their liabilities. The Department of Revenue is responsible for collecting all taxes due to the City and to the School District of Philadelphia, and for collecting water and sewer charges and certain other debts to the City. From time to time, the Law Department seeks professional services providers to assist it in its work, including third-party collection services. The Department of Revenue is selected to administer these contracts, in conjunction with the Law Department’s Tax Unit, because of its expertise in the field of taxation and because of its experience in hiring tax collectors.

Job Description

Position Summary:

The Law Department is seeking a well-organized Legal Assistant who can provide top-quality administrative support to the Tax and Revenue Unit. The Legal Assistant will serve as support for attorneys within the Unit as well as a liaison between the staff and visitors, including members of the public, taxpayers, clients, witnesses, and opposing counsel. The Legal Assistant will be required to arrange appointments, access the services needed by taxpayers and direct them to the appropriate attorney or case worker. The Legal Assistant will also interact with building security and other support staff to arrange for members of the public to access our offices. This position is in-office five days a week from 8:30AM to 4:30PM. The Legal Assistant must demonstrate a high level of professionalism, ethics and confidentiality as this person will be handling sensitive matters daily. The ideal candidate is expected to provide administrative support by performing clerical functions such as preparing and reviewing correspondence, greeting and directing visitors to the appropriate location, arranging conference calls, and scheduling meetings and trainings.

Essential Functions:

The Legal Assistant’s responsibilities include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Work independently on clerical tasks
• Effectively communicate to the public
• Be attentive and detail-oriented
• Greeting and directing visitors to the appropriate location
• Define and establish clerical procedures to accomplish work requirements
• Arrange appointments and maintain appointment calendars
• Maintain records to prepare accurate reports
• Exercise good judgment, courtesy, and tact in receiving office callers and in making proper disposition of problems
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff and the public
• Operate standard office equipment, including software for word processing and spreadsheets
• Attend meetings and take notes and provide a detailed summary of the meeting to attendees
• Prioritize multiple tasks, work efficiently within time constraints and deadlines, and handle stressful situations
• Handle inquires via email, telephone and in-person from other departments within the Social Services Group when there is a need and directed to by the Chair
• Reports to the Office Manager
• Customer Focus- Dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers
• Approachability- Spends the extra effort to put others at ease; builds rapport; good listener
• Drive for Results - Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; very outcome focused; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.
• Listening- Practices active and attentive listening; has the patience to hear people out; can accurately restate the opinions of others even when they disagree

Qualifications

• Education equivalent to an Associate’s degree.
• Two years of customer service experience or administrative experience.
• Qualified candidates must be hard working, organized, attend to detail, and have an eager, helpful attitude.
• Knowledge of City procedures is a plus.

Additional Information

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume.

Salary Range: Up to $56,587 - Commensurate with education and experience

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 6 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx