Customer Services Supervisor at City of Norco – Norco, California

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Accounting Manager, Director of Finance, and other management personnel.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Technical and/or administrative support staff.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, knowledges, skills and other characteristics. This list of tasks is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY, and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions in this class.

TYPICAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Oversees and participates in a board range of financial and customer service operations, including utility billing, business license, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and various billing and collection activities.
2. Recruits, selects, trains, motivates, and evaluates lower-level staff, and part-time staff; provides and coordinates staff training; prepares staff work schedules and assignments; meets with staff to identify and resolve problems; works with employees to correct deficiencies.
3. Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the department; recommends, establishes and administers policies and procedures.
4. Identifies opportunities for improving service delivery methods and procedures; identifies resource needs and reviews with appropriate management staff and implements improvements.
5. Assumes difficult and specialized customer relation situations, involving upset and dissatisfied customers and requiring sensitivity and sound judgment; takes action to resolve complaints where appropriate, including waving delinquency charges and security deposits; receives and responds to correspondence and telephone calls; provides information and handles issues, requests, and complaints.
6. Oversees the administration of the delinquent accounts, including past due notices, and sets the dates for service shut-off for non-payment; supervises the process of returned items.
7. Direct cost of service studies and supports the development, design and implementation of utility rates and fees.
8. Implements new rates and fees and ensures customers are billed correctly.
9. Researches, analyzes, and interprets data relating to departmental operations; conducts surveys; prepares related reports, including analysis of findings, alternative solutions, conclusions, and recommendations.
10. Participates in the development and administration of program budget(s). Forecasts funds requirements for staffing, equipment, and supplies; monitors expenditures to ensure fiscal responsibility.
11. Administers and/or implements one or more department services or programs.
12. Interprets and applies data, policies and procedures, laws, regulations and explains them to the public and other employees; researches and responds to inquiries and citizen complaints regarding departmental operations and programs.
13. Coordinates departmental projects, programs, and studies with other City departments and external agencies and contractors; serves as a departmental liaison.
14. Performs other duties as assigned.

Experience:

• Five (5) years of increasingly responsible administrative experience involving customer service and billing experience. Experience in a municipal setting is highly desirable.
• Some lead or supervisory experience is desirable.

Education:

• Education equivalent to the completion of high school supplemented by courses in business practices, business administration, data entry, bookkeeping, or a related field.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Possession of a State of California driver’s license and the ability to maintain insurability under the City’s vehicle insurance program.

Knowledge of:

• Customer service practices and customer-oriented etiquette.
• Cash, check, and credit card handling techniques.
• Effective collection techniques.
• Principles and procedures of record-keeping, reporting and filing.
• Techniques used in customer services practices.
• Research and report writing methods and techniques.
• Project management skills.
• Local government organization and the functions and practices of municipal finance.
• Principles of municipal budget preparation and control.
• Principles of supervision, training, and performance evaluation.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and supporting software applications.
• Appropriate safety precautions and procedures within the area of assignment.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.

Ability to:

• Maintain complex records and prepare reports from such records.
• Make decisions in accordance with regulations and established policies.
• Make relatively complex arithmetic calculations rapidly and accurately.
• Deal with the public tactfully and courteously.
• Respond to requests, inquiries, or complaints from the general public.
• Recruit, select, train, and evaluate lower-level departmental staff.
• Supervise, direct, and coordinate the work of lower-level staff.
• Plan, organize, and prioritize tasks; exercise sound independent judgment within departmental guidelines.
• Follow oral and written instructions.
• Interpret and apply the policies, procedures, laws, and regulations pertaining to assigned programs and functions.
• Participate in the preparation and administration of assigned budget.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing and spreadsheet applications.
• Prepare clear and concise schedules and reports.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course
• of work.
• Maintain mental capacity and tact that allows for effective interaction and communications with others.
• Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee works under typical office conditions with exposure to computer screens, and the noise level is usually quiet. The employee will also be required to perform work in an outdoor environment and group setting; required to drive to various sites within and outside of the City.

Essential functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting for prolonged periods of time. Essential functions may also require maintaining physical condition necessary for walking, standing, or driving a vehicle. The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, walk, and stand; talk and hear; use hands to finger, handle, feel, or operate objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; perform repetitive movements of hands or wrists; climb or balance on ladders or stairs; stoop, kneel, and bend at the waist; crouch or crawl; and smell. The employee is frequently required to lift up to 25 pounds unaided. Specific vision abilities required for this job include close vision, distance vision, use of both eyes, depth perception, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Mental Demands

While performing the duties of this class, an employee uses written and oral communication skills; reads and interprets data, information, and documents; analyzes and solves problems; uses math, and mathematical reasoning; observes and interprets people, and situations; learns and applies new information and skills; performs highly detailed work; deals with changing deadlines, constant interruptions, and multiple concurrent tasks and projects; and interacts with others encountered in the course of work.