Administrative Specialist

Salary: Depends on Qualifications
Location : 500 Fir Avenue West Fergus Falls, MN
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 21:05/25
Department: Recorder
Opening Date: 05/21/2025
Closing Date: 6/4/2025 4:30 PM Central

Description

Otter Tail County is accepting applications for a full-time Administrative Specialist in the Recorder's Department. The purpose of this position is to provide services to the public regarding land transfers, delinquent tax records, administration of property tax rolls, special taxing district establishment, processing and issuing all applicable licenses, and all other administrative functions of the office.

The deadline to apply is June 4, 2025.
Examples of Duties

• Provides information relating to delinquent property taxes, including special assessments, real estate transfers, legal descriptions, and other related real estate tax issues.
• Processes electronic filing of the Certificate of Real Estate Value Forms.
• Verifies payment receipts, calculates interest, penalties, and other costs associated with delinquent property tax payments, creates and processes confession of judgment, ditch assessments, and other miscellaneous payments. Records receipts into applicable County fund accounts.
• Processes all name and legal description changes for the tax rolls in a timely manner, reviews and verifies preliminary and final plats prior to recording, according to County ordinances and State statutes.
• Prepares and coordinates the County Ditch Assessment mailings using maps and legal descriptions to determine which land parcels are affected by the drainage system, to determine which property owners must be notified for the required public hearing, and to analyze which parcels are included in the ditch system for assessment purposes.
• Performs customer service functions to the public, assists with other administrative tasks as assigned, i.e. assists County Auditor/Treasurer with sale of tax forfeited properties and various mailings. Provides information related to other office functions, i.e. assists voters with the registration process, locating polling place, participates in election night activities for State, Primary, and General elections.
• Inspects application for accuracy and required insurance bonds before issuance of various licenses, i.e. Liquor, Auctioneer, Transient Merchant, Tobacco, Cannabis, and Fireworks Permits.
• Provides research, review, and the assembly of chronological history of property tax records for court cases, estate probates, and general information.
• Performs other duties as assigned, including cross-training with Land Title Specialist duties.
• Must possess the ability to work well with others, be courteous and helpful, ability to follow rules, policies and directives from supervisor/department head. Regular attendance is required to perform the duties of this position.
• May assist with duties and responsibilities as outlined in the County Emergency Operations Plan and Continuity of Operations Plan.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate's degree or technical training in administrative support or related field.
• Two years administrative support experience
• Qualified applicants should be dependable, self-motivated, and demonstrate strong communication, computer and customer service skills, and maintain confidentiality with regards to private data.

Supplemental Information

This position is regularly scheduled to work 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30 p.m. The 2025 starting salary for this position is $22.16 per hour, depending on qualifications, with advancement to $35.60 per hour.
The selection process will include an online employment application and supplemental questionnaire. Semi-finalists will be invited to interview. Prior to hire, finalists will be required to pass reference checks and a background investigation. A standard twelve-month probationary period applies.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, click on desired job title, then the "Apply" link. On-line applications are stored on a secure site. Only you and authorized employees of Otter Tail County have access to the information submitted.

When filling out any employment application materials for Otter Tail County, you must include your entire employment and education history. Failure to do so may render your application incomplete.

Veterans Preference
Eligible veterans as defined by Minnesota Statute 197.447 may claim Veterans Preference during the hiring process. A DD214 and required supporting documentation must be included with the employment application to receive preference.

Background Investigation
All employment offers are contingent upon the applicant passing a background investigation which may include, but are not limited to, gathering information from the following sources: Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, other law enforcement agencies, court documents, educational institutions, previous employers, Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services, military records, Immigration and Naturalization Services, and known associates of the applicant.

Criminal convictions are not an automatic bar to employment. Each case is considered on its individual merits and the type of work sought. Making false statements or withholding information during the hiring process will cause you to be barred from employment or removed from employment.

Otter Tail County is a tobacco-free workplace.

Otter Tail County does not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation, race, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, sex (pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation), marital status, familial status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local commission, disability, or genetic information.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Otter Tail County provides an attractive benefit package for regular full-time employees, including health, dental, life, long-term disability, and retirement benefits through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA). Regular full-time employees can expect to accrue holiday, sick, and vacation leave benefits. In addition, employees receive professional development opportunities.
01

The following questionnaire will be used as a scored evaluation of your knowledge, skills, and experience and is used to determine advancement in the hiring process. Be sure that your responses are thorough and complete. If a question asks for education and experience that you have already stated in the employment application, it is still important to answer the question thoroughly on the questionnaire. All responses should be examples of your own writing and will be evaluated for potential AI. If we determine that the responses were created using AI, your application may be deemed ineligible.
02

Do you have an Associate's Degree or technical training in administrative support or a related field? List degree, field of study, and where obtained.
03

Based on your understanding of this position, what skills do you have that you think are the most important in achieving success and why? Specifically discuss any experience with the following: documents conveying real estate, registered land surveys, current and delinquent real estate taxes, special assessments/ditch related assessments, license applications.
04

Describe your experience with computer software programs. Identify the programs you have used and how you used them
05

Describe your experience dealing with the public or customers in a professional setting.
06

This position requires a great deal of organizational ability as well as the ability to prioritize tasks. Describe your experience with organizing and prioritizing work.
07

Describe your experience working with confidential data, including the type of data you worked with.
08

Are you bilingual? If you are bilingual, indicate the language(s) you speak and your skill level. Also tell us whether you can speak fluently, read/or write the language(s).
09

Have you included your entire work history on this employment application? Do not mark your application "see resume". Not including your entire work history will render your application incomplete.
10

How did you hear about this job opportunity? Check all that apply.

• Otter Tail County Website
• Minnesota Works Website
• Newspaper
• Social Media
• Word of Mouth
• Other

Required Question