Director of Tax Sale Deferral and Community Engagement (NCS) - Department of Housing and Community Development

THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION

POSTING DATE: 3/10/2025

SALARY RANGE: $79,507.00 - $127,043.00 ANNUALLY

BACKGROUND CHECK

Eligible candidates under final consideration for appointment to positions identified as positions of trust will be required to complete authorization for a Criminal Background Check and/or Fingerprint must be successfully completed.

PROBATION

All persons, including current City employees, selected for this position must complete a mandatory 6-month probation.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development is seeking a seeking an innovative, results-oriented, and strategic professional to provide transformational leadership for our Division of Homeownership & Housing Preservation - Tax Sale Deferral & Community Engagement Department.

The Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) was created in 1968 to consolidate local community development efforts with housing and building code enforcement. With over 400 employees, DHCD strengthens City neighborhoods by attracting investors, developers, and homebuyers. Through the administration of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME funds, City bond funds, and other creative financing mechanisms, DHCD finances and guides strategic development projects to meet housing and neighborhood needs. To hold property owners accountable and keep neighborhoods safe, DHCD monitors construction and building activity and enforces the City's building, fire, zoning and related codes, as well as provides energy conservation services.

The Office of Tax Sale Deferral is a complex department as it seeks to assist homeowners who are seeking to have their home of primary residence removed the City of Baltimore list during the tax sale season. In this position, the Director of the Tax Sale Deferral Program would oversee this program and be responsible for the day-to-day management of this department. Many cases that come to this office are not easy to resolve, this will require the Director who ill also serve as the Tax Sale Ombudsman for the City of Baltimore to unpack the situation and provide steps for resolution as outline is the City Charter. Additionally, in this role the Director of Tax Sale & Community Engagement would be responsible for the marketing and outreach of the Tax Sale Deferral Program, available resources to ensure all available funding opportunities for homeowners are identified, and market programs that will assist with maintaining the home as an asset for generational wealth as identified in the DHCD Vacant Reduction Strategy.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Manages day to day operation of the Tax Sale Deferral Program to ensure effective outreach and compliance
• Supervises staff to educate the public, promote the program, and process applications.
• Develops communication materials like PSAs and info sheets to raise awareness, while also reporting program results to the Department of Finance.
• Manages an outreach calendar, tracks tax sale dates, ensures grant compliance, and monitors constituent interactions.
• Address and resolve disputes between city residents and city agencies regarding tax sale issues, ensuring clear communication and equitable solutions.
• Collaborate with other city agencies to develop and promote services that assist homeowners in avoiding tax sale, providing them with the necessary tools and resources to stay current on their property taxes.
• Provide testimony to the City Council on tax sale policies and legislation, while also working to increase awareness of programs under the Housing and Homeownership Preservation Division to ensure that residents have access to valuable resources like housing support, rehabilitation, and more.
• Take responsibility for securing and managing the necessary marketing materials, while also maintaining and auditing the inventory to ensure that all outreach and educational resources are up-to-date and readily available for distribution.
• Assist homeowners to understand the process for collection of delinquent taxes.
• Actively assist homeowners to apply for tax credits, discount programs, and other public benefits that may assist the homeowners to pay delinquent taxes and improve their financial situation.
• Refer homeowners to legal services, housing counseling, and other social services that may assist homeowners to pay delinquent taxes and improve their financial situation
• Acts as a liaison with local, state, and federal organizations and officials on all related tax sale
• Provides top-notch customer service to all stakeholders, including recipients, contractors, other City agencies, grantors, external organizations, etc., and ensures that subordinate staff do the same.
• Prepares, implements, and monitors program budget.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION: Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

AND

EXPERIENCE: Have five years of experience in administrative or professional work.

EQUIVALENCY NOTES: Have an equivalent combination of education and experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public and business administration, including the process of planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling.
• Knowledge of methods and procedures for the collection or organization, interpretation and presentation of information.
• Knowledge of the basic principles of accounting, budgeting, fiscal controls and statistics.
• Knowledge of management practices and methods.
• Ability to adapt and apply the concepts and techniques of administrative analysis to the needs of specific projects.
• Ability to identify problem areas and recommend appropriate solutions based on logical consideration of alternatives.
• Ability to interpret and apply a variety of laws, rules, regulations, standards and procedures.
• Ability to prepare and present reports or recommendations clearly and concisely.
• Ability to compile financial and operational data and to analyze charts reports and statistical and budgetary statements.
• Ability to coordinate the activities of various organizational units.
• Ability to plan, organize and direct the work of others.
• Ability to research and write complex narrative and statistical reports
• Ability to speak and testify effectively before governmental and legal bodies and commissions, the media and community and business groups.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with city officials, community and business groups.

BENEFITS

The City of Baltimore offers a generous and competitive benefits package. You can learn about our benefits here:

https://humanresources.baltimorecity.gov/hr-divisions/benefits

Baltimore City Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The City of Baltimore prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetics, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Applicants requiring accommodations during the hiring process should contact the Department of Human Resources directly. Requests for accommodations should not be attached to the application.

BALTIMORE CITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER