Title Examiner - Property Tax Division

Salary: Depends on Qualifications
Location : Houston, TX
Job Type: Regular Full-time
Job Number: 11325
Department: County Attorney's Office
Opening Date: 11/08/2023
Closing Date: 1/31/2024 11:59 PM Central
Position Description
The Harris County Attorney's Office (HCAO) is seeking a Title Examiner to join the Property Tax Division which specializes in lawsuits for debt collection and enforcement of laws that protect the interest of Harris County. Under the supervision of the Division Director and supervising attorney, the Title Examiner in this role will assist attorneys and staff in locating and providing information about a) owners of, b) liens filed against, and c) legal descriptions for real property assessed under delinquent tax accounts.
Duties and Responsibilities:

• Obtains title examination materials from title plants and/or county records.
  
• Reviews information set out in documents located during searches of records.
  
• Assembles a chain-of-title that includes deeds, probate or heirship materials, liens that encumber search properties, and involuntary liens against owners
  
• Regularly works with, or answers questions for, other parties who enter information from a title examination into the computer system.
  
• Identifies property owners and lien holders of mortgage and involuntary liens.
  
• Furnishes a legal description identifying property with reasonable certainty.
  
• Creates a run sheet that contains a legal description for land assessed under a delinquent account plus names of property owners and all lien holders.
  
• Saves run sheets and digital copies of examination materials.
  
• Performs multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining an effective balance of priorities and high productivity.
  
• Pick up documents and evidence from tax office and other locations.
  
• Responds promptly to phone calls, emails, and other correspondence.
  
• Participates in one-on-one sessions with management to give and receive feedback.
  
• Encourages and mentors other Title Examiners, interns, and law clerks.
  
• Participates in Division staff meetings.
  
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Other Duties:

• This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position.
  
• Management may, at its discretion, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

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
Supporting Job Application Documents:
Applicants should provide a cover letter and resume with three (3) professional references.
Education and Experience Requirements:

• High School Diploma or G.E.D. equivalent from an accredited educational institution.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in land title examinations or some related area is necessary.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Familiarity with real estate transactions and how real property is described.
  
• Knowledge about ownership of, and interests in, real property.
  
• Understanding of legal documents that convey and encumber real property.
  
• Strong skills in interpreting wills and heirship information.
  
• Experience using title plants and courthouse records in the metro Houston area.
  
• The ability to handle work in a production-oriented environment.
  
• Typing skills that facilitate the quick entry of information into reports.
  
• A working understanding of multiple sources of land title information.
  
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills.
  
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to communicate and work in a collaborative group.
  
• Proficiency with technology and legal tools such as Outlook, Microsoft Word, Excel, Adobe, and PowerPoint.
  
• Must be self-motivated and able to make decisions independently.
  
• Ability to comply with the Harris County Personnel Policies and Procedures and the policies of the County Attorney.
  
• Occasional ability to work extended hours to accommodate case load demands.
  
• Ability to problem solve, organize, and prioritize assignments to meet deadlines.
  
• Ability to comply with office training requirements.

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.
General Information
Located in downtown Houston, the Harris County Attorney's Office represents Harris County government, the Harris County Flood Control District, the Harris County Toll Road Authority, and the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network in all civil matters, including lawsuits. The office also provides legal advice to county officials and employees.
Position Type and Typical Work Schedule:

• This is a full-time position.
  
• Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with occasional weekends and holidays as necessary.
  
• Hours may vary based on the business needs of the HCAO.

Work Environment:

• This position primarily operates in a professional office environment.
  
• The individual in this role uses standard office equipment such as computers, printers, scanners/copiers, and phones.

Physical and Mental Demands:

• This is largely a sedentary role that requires standing or sitting for prolonged periods, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body, repetitive motions requiring dexterity such as keyboarding that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers, communicating with others to exchange concepts and information, problem-solving, decision-making, organization, the ability to read/write, and the ability to manage workplace stressors such as adversarial interactions.

Compensation:

• The base compensation for this position will be determined on the candidate's qualifications and the pay of other employees in the job function.
  
• Total compensation includes attractive paid leave programs, health benefits, and retirement plans.
  
• In addition, the position is eligible for the accrual of compensatory time off for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, consistent with Harris County personnel policies and procedures.

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.
BENEFITS
Harris County offers a competitive benefits program, including comprehensive group health and related benefits plan as well as defined benefit retirement plan.
The following list of benefits is offered only to employees in regular (full-time) positions:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Wellness
• Life Insurance
• Long-term disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• 10 days of vacation each year for the first five (5) years of service. Accrual rates increase based on years of service.
• 10 county holidays plus one (1) floating holiday
• Professional development opportunities
• Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
• Healthcare Reimbursement Account
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are also available to regular (full-time) employment and may be available to part-time employees:

• Retirement pension (TCDRS)
  • Flexible schedules (varies by department)
    • Transportation Assistance (Metro RideSponsor Program)

In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, Group Health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.
For plan details, visit the Harris County benefits website:
01
Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position?

• High School or GED diploma
• Associate Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree or higher
• None of the above

02
Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience in land title examinations or some related area?(To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your application's employment history)

• Less than three (3) years
• Three (3) years but less than four (4) years
• Four (4) years but less than five (5) years
• Five (5) years or more
• I do not have this experience

03
Please provide details about your verifiable experience in land title examinations or some related area.Do not use "Please see Resume" or "See Resume"(To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your application's employment history)Please include your (a) role(s), (b) types of organizations, (c) scope of duties and responsibilitiesIf you do not have this experience, please type "None" in the space provided.
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
Applicants should provide a cover letter and resume with three (3) professional references.Did you provide these supporting documents along with your application?

• Yes

Required Question