Customer Service Specialist

Customer Service Specialist

Crow Wing County is seeking a Customer Service Specialist to join the Land Services Department and serve as a key resource for the public. This position provides a wide range of customer service and administrative support, including processing payments, permits, licenses, vital records, and other transactions that are governed by local, state, and federal requirements. The ideal candidate is organized, resourceful, detail-oriented, and comfortable learning and applying technical regulations and procedures. If you enjoy working with people, navigating a variety of responsibilities, and making a difference through excellent customer service, we encourage you to apply!

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Program Responsibilities as assigned

• Document Recording: Apply specialized knowledge and skills in record maintenance in compliance with Minnesota Statutes relating to Abstract and Torrens documents. Maintains a comprehensive computer indexing system, prepares new or updated Torrens Certificate of Titles, analysis of documents submitted for recording and communicates with the County Examiner of Titles, title companies and other applicable parties to ensure proper recording process. Performs complex real estate transactions in the Abstract and Torrens systems, including legal description interpretation and identification of parcels with the county GIS and tax systems.
• Vital Records: Assist the public with the acquisition of vital records including birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage license applications. Ensures compliance with application and information acquisition requirements. Accesses county, state and federal databases to process applications and acquire requested documents.
• Tax Payments: Serve as primary public resource for questions relating to property tax statements and payment processes including onsite, telephone, electronic and written inquiries. Calculate and process real estate, and personal property taxes due on a delinquent, full and pre-paid basis. Calculate penalties, interest due and other associated adjustments as needed. Access county database to properly account for payment transactions.
• General Payments: Receive and process a variety payments for various services and fees. Access county database to properly account for payment transactions.
• Permit Applications: Serves as primary public resource for questions relating to building and septic permits and associated land use permits. Provides first level support on questions relating to ordinances and codes associated with the permit application process. Assists customers with the permit application process and reviews applications for completeness, requesting additional information as needed to ensure required information is provided with the application. Accesses county database and ordinances to properly process permit applications.
• Board of Adjustments: Serve as administrative resource to the Planning Commission/Board of Adjustment. Prepare and distribute materials, fulfil public notice and document publishing requirements, make room arrangements, provide participant notifications, participant materials, meeting supplies, recording and transcription services, publication of minutes and other associated duties as requested.

General Administrative Responsibilities

• Customer Service: Respond to customer inquiries providing information and assistance relating to department programs and services in a professional and timely manner to ensure a high service environment.
• Document Processing: Review applications for accuracy and completeness, and processes documents in compliance according to department policy and procedures.
• Meeting Administration: Provide administrative support for all assigned meetings including required notices, scheduling, room arrangements, supplies, materials, minutes and other related duties as assigned.
• Program Administration: Maintains current knowledge of department programs and provides administrative and customer support services for all programs assigned.
• Word Processing: Complete various forms of correspondence and materials as assigned including composition, formatting, proofing and editing to ensure the creation of professional and accurate documents and materials.
• Reporting: Complete various reports including databases, spreadsheets, data entry, data analysis and summary reports as assigned.
• Records Management: Develop and maintain filing, retention and retrieval systems including electronic media, scan data and hard files in a manner that ensures effective retention and retrieval of all assigned materials.
• Office Services: Perform a variety of general office services including mail processing, reception functions, scheduling, messaging and calendar management for department staff as assigned.
• Other: Perform all other related duties as assigned in a professional and effective manner.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Formal prep of one or more years or equivalent knowledge gained from related experience and/or education.
• Five or more years work experience of a similar nature and scope of responsibility
• Advanced proficiency of Microsoft software programs. (Word, Excel, & Access).

Desirable Qualifications

• Ability to prepare correspondence.
• Ability to read and interpret documents and procedural manuals.
• Ability to verbally convey information effectively.
• Considerable skill in using computer programs, including Word and Excel.
• General knowledge of computer operations.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, problem-solve and meet deadlines.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external customers.
• Ability to interpret maps, legal descriptions, plats, blueprints and charts.
• Knowledge of principles and practices necessary for recording abstract, Torrens and other documents. Ability to read site plans and implement approved policies and procedures to the public at the counter, over the phone, and through correspondence.
• Knowledge of other local, county, state and federal laws, and their relationships to land use.
• Knowledge of septic system and the ability to relate this information to the public.

Benefits

This summary is intended for general information purposes and does not represent the legal description of our benefit package. The summary plan descriptions, Crow Wing County personnel manual, or applicable labor contract contains more complete information and will prevail in the event of a discrepancy. View the Benefits Booklet for details on the benefit package.

Compensation: The county strives to be a market competitive employer with compensation rates that are externally competitive and internally equitable. Compensation rates are governed by the county pay matrix and applicable labor contract. Information regarding the county pay programs is available in the Human Resource Department.

Paid Time Off (PTO): PTO benefit accrues at the rate of 21 days per year for the first 3 years for regular full-time staff and is pro-rated for regular part-time staff.

Holidays: The 12 calendar holidays that are observed by Crow Wing County are as follows: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day and Friday following, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Health Insurance: Regular full-time employees and their dependents are eligible for group health insurance coverage, administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield. Eligibility begins on the first of the month following 30 days of employment. Regular part-time employees regularly scheduled 30 hours or more per week are eligible for health insurance coverage on a pro-rated basis.

Dental Insurance: Delta dental benefit is available to those participating in a health insurance plan. Calendar year annual maximum of $1000 per person.

Life Insurance: Regular full-time employees shall be provided a term life insurance policy of $50,000. Optional life insurance is available at the employee's expense.

Short-Term Disability: Regular full-time and part-time staff regularly scheduled at least 30 hours per week are eligible for short-term disability following 6 months of qualifying employment. Short-term disability payments begin on the first day following 14 consecutive calendar days of absence attributable to a qualifying disability. The plan provides income replacement of up to 50% of regular pay subject to a maximum limit of $1,000 per week.

Long-Term Disability: Regular full-time and part-time staff regularly scheduled at least 30 hours per week are eligible. Long term disability pays 50% of salary up to a maximum of $4,000 per month beginning on day 91 of total disability. The maximum benefits duration is up to the social security normal retirement date.

Retirement Plan: Retirement benefits are provided through the Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA). For more information on PERA visit their at