Correspondence Assistant

NYC Department of Finance; New York (NY); On-site; USD 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team at a forward-thinking city department as a Community Assistant, where your organizational skills will shine. In this role, you'll manage an efficient mailing system, ensuring timely processing of important correspondence and payments. Your ability to communicate effectively will be essential in assisting both the public and your colleagues. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the city's financial operations while working in a supportive environment that values diversity and inclusion. If you're ready to make a difference in public service, this is the perfect role for you.

Qualifications

• Ability to understand and carry out simple instructions.
• Must be able to understand and communicate in English.

Responsibilities

• Maintain an efficient and organized mailing system.
• Sort and organize incoming and outgoing mail.
• Respond to mail-related inquiries from staff.

Skills

Organizational Skills

Communication Skills

Analytical Skills

Education

No formal education required

Tools

BTCS

PTS

STARS

Microsoft Word

Excel

Job description

NYC Department of Finance (DOF) is responsible for administering the tax revenue laws of the city fairly, efficiently, and transparently to instill public confidence and encourage compliance while providing exceptional customer service.

The Treasury and Payment Services Division is responsible for overseeing all City payment websites, the payment processing of tax returns, property recording forms, parking violation programs, and the collection of delinquent accounts, and oversees the agency’s management of the City’s cash balances and its relationships with banking institutions. Treasury and Payment Services is also responsible for collecting outstanding violations issued by City agencies and adjudicated by the Environmental Control Board.

Payments, Billing, and Refunds is responsible for processing payments for property taxes and property-related charges, business and excise taxes, and parking and camera violations. The division is responsible for communicating amounts due, maintaining the quality of departmental records, and providing customer service to individuals seeking information on making payments or receiving refunds. Payments, Billing, and Refunds performs account adjustments and responds to refund inquiries from the public.

The Payments Billing & Refunds Division (PBR) is seeking a Community Assistant to serve as the unit's Correspondence Assistant. The selected candidate will be responsible for maintaining an efficient and organized mailing system in addition to the duties listed below:

1. Intake, open, sort and organize all incoming and outgoing mail into trays and bins for in-office, interoffice and outgoing mail.
2. Read and analyze delivered mail to ascertain the correct destination for the correspondence, legal document or payment.
3. Utilize BTCS (Business Tax and Collection System), PTS (Property Tax System), or STARS (Summons Tracking and Receivables System) to determine the appropriate location for mailed payments to be sent for processing.
4. Ensure mail is directed to the appropriate individual, Division, Agency, or payment or document processing vendor in a timely manner.
5. Draft letters to send to individuals or organizations requesting information for unapplied check payments.
6. Track all outgoing unapplied check payment letters mailed to facilitate the association of documents mailed by individuals or organizations responding to the unapplied check payment letter.
7. Process/sort outgoing U.S. Mail such as First Class, Certified, Registered, and Carrier services. Affix shipping labels created by using Microsoft Word or online postage sites, fill out delivery slips and pack materials to limit chance of damage to inside materials.
8. Use Excel and other Microsoft Office software to maintain logs and reports on all incoming and outgoing mail pieces.
9. Respond to mail-related inquiries from unit staff and other DOF divisions.
10. Deliver urgent mail or other parcels to DOF mailroom for fast processing.
11. Deliver check payments for ECB Violations and Property Tax Payment Agreements to the Manhattan Business Center for deposit.
12. Perform tasks related to taxpayers’ property tax account inquiries.
13. Perform tasks related to business tax and parking violation areas by researching payment records, and furnishing information to taxpayers or DOF staff.

Additional Information:

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

This is a 5-day in-office position, which may be eligible for a compressed schedule in the future.

Minimum Qualifications

1. There are no formal education or experience requirements for this position. However, the ability to understand and carry out simple instructions is required.

2. Candidates must be able to understand and be understood in English.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.