Tax Assistant - Refunds

Tax Assistant - Refunds

Salary

$22.44 Hourly

Location

Houston, TX

Job Type

Regular Full-time

Job Number

17079

Department

Tax Assessor Collector

Opening Date

08/10/2026

Closing Date

9/7/2026 6:38 PM Central

Max Number of Applicants

200

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Position Description

Job Summary:

The Property Tax Refunds Deputy Specialist I is responsible for processing refund applications, ensuring compliance with policies, and providing exceptional customer service to taxpayers. This role involves gathering and reviewing documentation for litigation refunds, researching applications, and verifying eligibility to prevent processing delays. The Property Tax Refunds Specialist will also assist customers by answering inquiries, returning voicemail messages, and providing guidance through the property tax call line.

Additionally, this position requires scanning and updating applications in the database to maintain accurate records and facilitate efficient processing. This role requires possessing strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment. This is a full-time, in-office position. Remote work is not available unless specifically authorized based on operational needs.

Essential Duties

• Process current and prior year Declarations, Monthly Statements, and/or payments received from various types of dealers.
• Process amended Monthly Statements and/ or Declarations per dealer request.
• Write and mail various letters of correspondence to the dealers.
• Research return mail.
• Assist dealers over the phone, email, fax and in-person.
• Adhere to strict confidentiality laws regarding dealer records.
• Assist other departments within the Tax Office, County Attorney's Office and the Harris County Appraisal District with requests using the Special Inventory Tax system.
• Research historical documents and appear in court as required by court subpoenas (as needed).
• Performs other duties as assigned

Refund Processing & Documentation

• Gather, review, and prepare necessary documentation for litigation refunds.
• Verify and process refund applications to ensure completeness and accuracy.
• Research discrepancies and resolve issues before mailing refund checks.

Customer Assistance & Communication

• Respond to customer inquiries regarding refund applications and processing status.
• Answer incoming calls on the property tax call line and provide accurate information.
• Return voicemail calls to assist customers in completing applications correctly and avoiding delays.

Application Management & Database Updates

• Scan and organize refund applications received via mail or email.
• Update and maintain the refund database, ensuring all applications are properly logged.
• Track application progress and ensure proper documentation is retained for auditing and compliance.

Coordination & Compliance

• Collaborate with internal departments to resolve refund application discrepancies.
• Ensure compliance with policies and procedures in processing refunds.
• Maintain accurate records and generate reports as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent from an accredited institution within the U.S.

Experience:

• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in customer service, administrative support, finance, or refund processing.
• Experience in handling and processing financial transactions or tax-related inquiries is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Exceptional attendance and punctuality.
• Strong customer service orientation with the ability to handle inquiries professionally.
• Ability to accurately process and review financial documents.
• Detail-oriented with excellent analytical skills.
• Ability to sit for extended periods and work on a computer and phone throughout the day.
• Ability to work in an office environment with occasional high-volume periods.
• Knowledge of refund application processes, documentation requirements, and property tax policies (preferred).
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks accurately.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a customer service mindset.
• Ability to research discrepancies, analyze information, and solve problems efficiently.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and database software.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
• High level of attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in document review and data entry.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Strong adaptability and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be able to work independently and function effectively in a team-oriented environment

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Preferences

Education:

• Associate's degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration or a related field.

Experience:

• Experience working with property tax systems, appraisal district data, or local government operations.
• Familiarity with document scanning and database management

General Information

Work Environment:

• Work is performed primarily in an office setting subject to frequent interruptions with extensive work at a computer workstation.
• This is a full-time, in-office position. Remote work is not available unless specifically authorized based on operational needs.
• Flexibility to work evening and weekend hours may be required.
• Regular application of basic skills (calculator, keyboard, hand tools, eye/hand coordination).

Physical Demands:

• Minor physical effort required, which may involve long periods of standing, walking, bending, reaching, stretching, climbing, lifting less than 30 lbs. or similar activities (e.g., filing, delivering, sorting).

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

HARRIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Harris County offers a highly competitive benefits program, featuring a comprehensive group health plan and defined benefit retirement plan.

The following benefits are offered only to Harris County employees in regular (full-time) positions:

Health & Wellness Benefits

• Medical Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Wellness Plan
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Ten (10) days of vacation leave per year (accrual rate increases after 5 years of service)
• Eleven (11) County-observed holidays
• One (1) floating holiday per year
• Paid Parental Leave*
• Sick Leave

Retirement Savings Benefit

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are available to Harris County employees in full-time and select part-time positions:

• Professional learning & development opportunities
• Retirement pension (TCDRS defined benefit plan)
• Flexible work schedule*
• METRO RideSponsor Program*
• Participation may vary by County department. The employee benefits plans of Harris County are extended to all eligible participants across various departments with the exception of the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, for which the cited Health & Wellness Benefits are administered through the State of Texas.

In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, group health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Harris County Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the Countys behalf as needed.

For plan details, visit the Harris County Benefits & Wellness website:

www.benefitsathctx.com

01

Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position? Qualifying information must be documented in the Education section of your application.

• High School or GED diploma
• Associate Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree or higher
• None of the above

02

If you selected a college degree in response to the previous question, which of the following best describes your major?

• Accounting
• Finance
• Business Administration
• Public Administration
• Other Related Field
• Unrelated Field
• N/A; No Degree

03

Please describe your educational background (i.e., diploma, degree, certifications, technical training, etc.), including the level of education completed, area of study, and completed major and minor programs.

04

Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions:

Advanced:

A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data. Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.

Intermediate:

A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel. Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.

Basic:

A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup. Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it.

Entry Level:

A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel. Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents. Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.

• Advanced
• Intermediate
• Basic
• Entry Level
• Not proficient

05

Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience in customer service, administrative support, finance, or refund processing. (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history)

• Less than two (2) years
• Two (2) years or more
• I do not have this experience

06

Please provide details about your verifiable experience in customer service, administrative support, finance, or refund processing. Do not use "Please see Resume" or "See Resume" (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history) Please include your (a) role(s), (b) types of organizations, (c) scope of duties and responsibilities If you do not have this experience, please type "None" in the space provided.

07

Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience ? (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history)

• Experience working with property tax systems, appraisal district data, or local government operations.
• Familiarity with document scanning and database management
• Experience in handling and processing financial transactions or tax-related inquiries
• I do not have this experience

08

If you made a selection regarding the previous question, please describe your verifiable experience. Do not use "Please see Resume" or "See Resume" (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history) Please include your (a) role(s), (b) types of organizations, (c) scope of duties and responsibilities If you do not have this experience, please type "None" in the space provided.

Required Question

Employer Harris County

Address 1111 Fannin St

Ste. 600

Houston, Texas, 77002

Phone 713-274-5445

Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx