Job Description

Summary:

Under general supervision, performs a variety of responsible office support duties related to the establishment and maintenance of customer accounts for utility services; provides direct customer service associated with utility payments, requests for service, response to complaints, and the provision of information; and performs other duties as assigned.

Supervision Received and Exercised:

Receives general supervision from the Director of Finance. No direct supervision of staff is exercised.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

This is a journey-level technical class in the Finance Department. Incumbents perform a variety of customer service duties related to utility billing, fees, rates, service requests, payments, delinquent accounts, and reconciliation. Responsibilities include the interpretation of Town policies and procedures and the use discretion and independent judgment. This class is distinguished from the paraprofessional accounting class series in that the latter is of a more technical nature and performs routine to complex technical accounting support duties.

Essential Functions:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provides a high level of customer service to the public regarding the Town’s utility billing function.
• Responds to customer inquiries and complaints in person or by telephone and provides information; provides for the resolution of unusual billing and customer cost situations by conducting appropriate research; and represents the Town to callers and visitors in a professional and customer friendly manner.
• Interprets policies and procedures and explains service fees, rates, and procedures to customers.
• Receives and processes service requests, determines and collects necessary charges, and secures legal documents regarding property descriptions and ownership.
• Receives customer payments in person or by mail; makes change and issues receipts; balances cash receipts, processes mail payments, develops totals, prepares deposit documents, and end-of-day reports, and delivers daily bank deposits.
• Resolves issues and problems regarding the processing of orders and delinquent accounts.
• May prepare correspondence relating to customer service activities.
• Receives, opens, time stamps, sorts, and distributes incoming and interdepartmental mail; prepares and distributes outgoing mail.
• Acts as receptionist, receiving calls and visitors and directing them to the appropriate person or department.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

An equivalent combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.  A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education, Training, and Experience Guidelines
An equivalent combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be considered. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade and one (1) year of varied accounting/clerical support that has included dealing with the public and explaining procedures and regulations.

License and Certification Requirements:

• Valid California class C driver’s license with satisfactory driving record and automobile insurance.

Knowledge of:

• Practices and procedures related to accounting for receipts and the maintenance of customer accounts related to the utility billing function.
• Business arithmetic and statistical techniques.
• Records management principles and practices.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service to the public and Town staff, in person and over the telephone.

Ability to:

• Tactfully interact with the public and others in providing information, answering questions, and providing customer service.
• Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple phone calls and other requests for service.
• Interpret, apply, and explain policies and procedures.
• Compose correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions.
• Establish, maintain, and research files.
• Make accurate arithmetic and financial computations.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment, including computer equipment and specialized software application programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence and independent judgment within general policy, procedural and legal guidelines.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

Physical Demands and Working Environment:

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; to operate a motor vehicle to visit various Town sites; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard, typewriter keyboard, or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects necessary to perform job functions.
Employees work primarily in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset public and private representatives and contractors as a result of interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Fair Labor Standards Act labels cannot be given to a group of employees. Each employee must meet every requirement for the claimed exemption. The designation mentioned above is for general manager guidelines.