City of Seattle is seeking a License and Tax Administrator. The License and Tax Administrator provides strategic vision and overall leadership for the License and Tax Administration Division, overseeing the administration, assessment, and collection of more than $1 billion in annual City tax revenue. In this role, the Administrator leads a dedicated team of 35 individuals, managing personnel that range from skilled tax auditors to frontline customer service representatives. The position offers a rare opportunity to shape tax administration for one of the nation’s most economically dynamic cities while directly supporting the City’s fiscal health and relationship with its diverse business community.
The successful candidate will lead tax policy implementation, compliance, discovery, audit, delinquency management, taxpayer and licensee account services, and outreach and education. The Administrator will also serve as the business owner for the City’s tax administration systems and guide the modernization and migration to an integrated tax system. This is a highly visible leadership role requiring the ability to work effectively across organizational boundaries and with a wide range of stakeholders. The License and Tax Administrator partners with the City Attorney’s Office on tax rulemaking and litigation, engages with legislative staff on tax policy, represents the division in high-visibility internal and external forums, and collaborates with the Association of Washington Cities on implementation and administration of the Municipal Model B&O Tax Ordinance. The role also requires a leader who can build trust with taxpayers and business stakeholders while ensuring that tax laws are administered accurately, fairly, consistently, and efficiently.