With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and opportunities in more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia is the sixth largest city in the United States and one of the largest employers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As an employer, the City of Philadelphia operates through the guiding principles of service, integrity, respect, accountability, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. Through these principles, we strive to effectively deliver services, to resolve the challenges facing our city, and to make Philadelphia a place where all of our residents have the opportunity to reach their potential

AGENCY DESCRIPTION

The Law Department’s Tax 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.

The Law Department’s Tax Unit needs a Senior Legal Assistant to work with Tax Unit attorneys and Revenue department staff in the day-to-day management and oversight of the City’s professional collection services contracts.  The Department presently has eight (8) collection contracts.  The Senior Legal Assistant’s place of work will be the Collections Unit of the Department of Revenue.  The Legal Assistant will have dual reporting responsibilities to the Chief Revenue Counsel and to the Deputy Revenue Commissioner for Collections.

Essential Functions: 

• Create, oversee, evaluate and amend contracts; monitor contracts for conformance. 
• Help to establish controls for accounting, processing of invoices including approvals, monitoring and reporting.
• Serve as liaison between high level officials/department heads, executive vendors, and others to facilitate disputes and resolutions in the City’s interest. 
• Collaborate with collection agencies regarding customer needs, data sharing, increased revenue, reduced Monitor and compare collection agency performance.
• Develop statistical reporting and communicate findings to allow stakeholders to better monitor and strategize collection efforts.
• Supervise staff of three (3) employees.

• Preferred candidate will possess a Bachelor’s degree, paralegal certificate or equivalent and have three or more years’ experience in a legal setting, preferably in a law firm or an in-house legal department.
  

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Familiarity with contracts required
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Excellent organizational skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to work in a demanding and fast-paced setting
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse team members
• Experience with Word and its redlining function required
• Experience with DocuSign preferred

Successful candidate must be a City resident within six months of hire. 

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