FINANCIAL SERVICES TECH (BUSINESS LICENSE)

Job Description

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

The purpose of this classification is to assist in the collection of business/license revenue, enforce business/license code compliance for businesses operating within the city limits, and ensure compliance through appropriate action and written notices as provided by City ordinances. This position performs specialized administrative, customer service, financial, and regulatory work related to business licensing, occupational tax administration, alcohol licensing, and special permitting activities for the Planning & Community Development Department. Responsibilities include processing, issuance, renewal, compliance tracking, record maintenance, customer support, and other day-to-day functions associated with business licenses and regulatory permits within the City of Forest Park.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Processes new and renewal business license applications, occupational tax certificates, alcohol licenses, special permits, and other business and regulatory licensing applications in accordance with applicable City ordinances, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Processes a variety of documentation associated with licensing, permitting, customer account activities, and financial operations within designated timeframes and established procedures.
• Performs customer service functions by telephone, email, mail, or in person; provides information and assistance regarding City services, licensing procedures, documentation, fees, operational regulations, and other related issues; distributes, processes, and/or assists customers with completion of forms and documentation; responds to routine questions, complaints, and initiates problem resolution.
• Performs data entry and account management functions by entering, retrieving, reviewing, modifying, and verifying data within permitting, licensing, and financial software systems.
• Assists customers regarding rules, regulations, ordinances, and laws governing business licenses, alcohol licenses, occupational taxes, special permits, and other regulatory licensing functions.
• Processes documentation pertaining to billing and customer account activities; answers questions regarding customer accounts, charges, payments, due dates, and other information; updates account information; prepares and distributes bills, renewal notices, and delinquent notices; receives and posts payments; reconciles accounts and payments; and generates related reports.
• Reviews completed business license and regulatory permit applications for completeness and accuracy; coordinates departmental routing and approvals; issues approved licenses and permits; notifies applicants of applicable fees and requirements; and forwards revenues as appropriate.
• Assists with business license compliance efforts by monitoring expired licenses, delinquent accounts, incomplete applications, and unauthorized business operations.
• Assists with alcohol licensing administration, garage sale permits, special event permits, insurance-related revenue processing, and other regulatory permit activities as assigned.
• Maintains organized electronic and physical files, records, applications, correspondence, financial documentation, reports, and departmental records.
• Performs a variety of general accounting, bookkeeping, reconciliation, and administrative support functions associated with licensing and permitting operations.
• Prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, notices, logs, account records, audit documentation, and other related documents.
• Receives, reviews, completes, processes, forwards, and retains various forms, applications, reports, payments, invoices, correspondence, ordinances, policies, procedures, manuals, and other documentation as appropriate.
• Operates a personal computer, cash register, postage machine, and other general office equipment as necessary to complete essential functions, including the use of permitting, licensing, accounting, database, spreadsheet, email, Internet, and word processing software.
• Maintains confidentiality of departmental, financial, licensing, and customer information.
• Performs notarization of documents as required.
• Performs general clerical and front-counter duties, including answering telephone calls, assisting customers, typing documents, making copies, processing mail, and providing administrative support to the department as needed.
• Communicates with supervisors, employees, other departments, government agencies, vendors, customers, business owners, contractors, and the public to coordinate work activities, exchange information, and resolve issues.
• Cross-trains in multiple licensing and permitting functions to support operational efficiency and uninterrupted customer service.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Requires a High School Diploma or GED equivalent and a minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in business licensing, occupational tax administration, permitting, municipal revenue collection, accounts receivable, regulatory administration, alcohol licensing administration, customer service, or office administration, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Applicants should have knowledge of business license administration practices, NAICS code classifications, occupational tax assessments, alcohol licensing regulations, regulatory permitting procedures, and municipal licensing operations. Experience interpreting municipal ordinances, reviewing business operations for proper license classification, and processing business and regulatory licenses is strongly preferred.

Experience working in a municipal government environment and processing business licenses, alcohol licenses, permits, or regulatory applications is highly preferred.

Highly Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Business Administration, or Public Administration.
• Bilingual communication skills are a plus.

Special Qualifications:

May require possession and maintenance of valid State of Georgia Notary Public certification.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of business licensing practices, occupational tax administration, NAICS code classifications, alcohol licensing regulations, permit processing, insurance revenue tracking, and municipal customer service operations.
• Knowledge of municipal ordinances, licensing regulations, administrative procedures, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Ability to review, interpret, and explain licensing requirements, application procedures, City regulations, and operational standards.
• Ability to maintain accurate financial and licensing records and perform detailed clerical, administrative, and account management work.
• Ability to determine, calculate, tabulate, and summarize fees, taxes, penalties, percentages, and financial data; ability to reconcile accounts and perform related financial operations.
• Ability to effectively communicate and provide guidance, assistance, and interpretation to business owners, applicants, staff, elected officials, and the public regarding licensing requirements and regulatory processes.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, prioritize tasks, and maintain organization in a fast-paced public service environment.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, problem-solving skills, decisiveness, and professionalism when addressing customer concerns, regulatory issues, and operational matters.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and utilize permitting, licensing, accounting, database, spreadsheet, email, Internet, and word processing software.
• Ability to utilize a wide variety of references, descriptive, and advisory data and information.
• Ability to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form and exercise independent judgment in applying policies, procedures, and standards.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and maintain professionalism during difficult customer interactions.
• Ability to cross-train and perform multiple licensing-related functions to ensure uninterrupted departmental operations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is sedentary which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Visual Acuity: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work may be performed with exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as rude/irate customers.