BUSINESS LICENSE SPECIALIST

This position is responsible for ensuring compliance with local business license tax laws and regulations. This role provides exceptional customer service to business owners and applicants regarding business license applications, renewals, and compliance. performs related technical and clerical work as assigned. The incumbent works according to set procedures under close supervision.

The work is considered sedentary and involves walking or standing some of the time and involves exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a recurring basis or routine keyboard operations. The work requires the ability to conduct inspections in various business environments with the need to lift and carry inspection equipment and perform the following essential job functions: balancing, climbing, crawling, crouching, feeling, fingering, grasping, handling, hearing, mental acuity, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, stooping, talking, visual acuity, and walking.

Work environment involves exposure to no known environmental hazards; and is dynamic that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities and needs.

• Enforces the business license ordinance for the City of Columbia;
• Conducts field inspections of new and existing businesses to ensure they are operating with up-to-date City business licenses; provides information and assistance to businesses as required to facilitate compliance with the City’s business license ordinance;
• Issues citations and notices for non-compliance and pursue necessary legal actions;
• Collects new and renewing business license fees in the field and in the office; provides receipts and posts payments to appropriate accounts;
• Educates business owners on local business license tax requirements and provides guidance on compliance; 

• Maintains accurate records of inspections, investigations, and enforcement actions;

• Work with other municipal departments to ensure coordinated enforcement efforts; 
• Prepares reports on enforcement activities and compliance trends; 

• Assists business owners and applicants with the business license application and renewal process; 
• Respond to inquiries via phone, email, and in-person regarding business license requirements and procedures; 

• Accurately and efficiently process applications, payments, and renewals; 
• Attends meetings, workshops, conferences, etc., as appropriate to enhance job knowledge and skills; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MININUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• At least two (2) years of relevant work experience
• Valid South Carolina Class “D” Driver’s License.

• Knowledge of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percentages;

• Ability to provide information, guidance or assistance to people to directly facilitate task accomplishment; may give directions or assignments to helpers or assistants;
• Ability to resolve conflicts and negotiate effectively;
• Ability to perform semi-skilled work involving set procedures and rules but with frequent problems;
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion;
• Ability to read technical instructions, procedures, manuals and charts to solve practical problems; composing routine reports and specialized reports, forms and business letters with proper format; speaking compound sentences using normal grammar and word form;
• Ability to perform clerical, manual or technical tasks requiring a wide range of procedures and requiring intensive understanding of a restricted field or complete familiarity with the functions of a unit or small division of an operating agency; requires normal attention with short periods of concentration for accurate results or occasional exposure to unusual pressure; and
• Ability to guide others, requiring frequent decisions affecting co-workers and others who depend on the service or product; works in a somewhat fluid environment with rules and procedures but with many variations from the routine; and
• Ability to learn financial databases and software. 

Salary : $39,024 - $48,780