Collection Officer

Position Summary

This position works with customers and outside agencies to provide Water & Waste bill collection and Tax Enforcement for the City of Regina. Collection officers initiate customer contact, respond to inquiries and service requests, negotiate payment arrangements, process disconnections, and tax enforcement actions. This position receives a high volume of escalated calls from Service Regina and provides knowledge and expertise relating to statutes, regulations, bylaws, policies, and procedures governing tax enforcement and water collections. This position is a member of the Collections Team and reports to the Coordinator, Tax & Utility Collections.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Responds to complex customer inquiries for all customer contact channels (in person, telephone, mail, fax, email, service request) and provides knowledge and expertise relating to Water & Waste and Tax Arrears.
• Calculates negotiates and monitors payment, maintains customer accounts and documents customer interactions with detailed notes.
• Initiates and maintains customer contact by phone, letters, reminders, notices and legal documents in accordance with internal processes and procedures and as required in governing statutes, regulations and bylaws.
• Maintains communication with customers, lawyers, mortgage companies, government agencies, collection agencies and internal departments.
• Prepares legal documents and corresponds with internal departments and government agencies for collection and tax enforcement purposes.
• Processes delinquent utility accounts, creates door knockers, charges fees, and creates and manages service orders in Banner.
• Identifies and processes accounts for assignment to collection agency, transfer to taxes or active account and processes multi residential and inaccessible curb box accounts.
• Maintains spreadsheets, monitors payments, and adds service and tax enforcement fees in Banner and TAS.
• Conducts Land Title, Corporate Registry and Personal Property Registry searches.
• Registers and withdraws liens with Information Services Corporation.
• Interpret and comply with all applicable corporate standards, bylaws, policies, and legislation such as The Cities Act, The Tax Enforcement Act, Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection or Privacy Act.
• Performs the duties of Commissioner of Oaths for Tax Enforcement documentation as required and other documents as required by the Department.
• Performs related work as required.

Key Qualifications

• Typically, the knowledge, skills and abilities are obtained through a Grade Twelve (12) Diploma with courses in introductory accounting combined with three (3) years of experience in a front-line customer service area. Preference would be given to experience in the collection of delinquent accounts.
• Enrollment or willing to enroll in the Professional Collector Certificate Program- Credit Institute of Canada
• Must be able to qualify to become a Commissioner of Oaths.
• General knowledge of The Tax Enforcement Act, statutory regulations and bylaws and other policies and procedures related to water/sewer and tax enforcement process and Privacy Legislation is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge and ability to utilize the City's computerized utility & tax billing system.
• Ability to accurately analyze accounts and determine the appropriate collection and enforcement activity required to meet the objectives of the stated collection policies and tax enforcement.
• Ability to exercise sound judgement of enforcing regulations and collecting delinquent accounts with firmness and impartiality.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to collect, organize and analyze information to respond to customer inquiries.
• Ability to professionally represent the City of Regina by applying customer service principles, practices, and techniques in communicating collection policies, procedures, and processes.
• Ability to accurately perform complex mathematical calculations and calculate required payment arrangements.
• Ability to work independently in a team based, environment with minimal supervision, demonstrating sound judgment and a high degree of concentration and composure in a stressful environment.
• Skill in the use of Internet, Windows-based software programs such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and email (Banner, Tas, and other Oracle-based applications would be an asset).