Customer Accounts Specialist I – Limited Duration

The Position

About the Position:

• Job Appointment: Portland Water Bureau Customer Accounts Specialist I (Limited Duration)
• Work Schedule: 40 hrs a week
• Work Location: Remote
• Benefit: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position
• Union Representation: DCTU

Position Summary:
We are seeking a highly motivated and customer-oriented individual to join our team as a Customer Account Specialist I (CASI). As a CASI, you will provide specialized customer service to the valued customers of the Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services-striving to resolve any issues and provide solutions in a timely manner. You should be comfortable multitasking, managing diverse customer interactions, and demonstrating empathy. You should also have a strong desire to help others and have a positive attitude whether interacting via phone, email, or in-person. The current vacancies are in our Call Center, where you will primarily interact with customers by phone and email.

As a Customer Accounts Specialist I, you will:

• Answer customer inquiries and complaints via telephone, mail, web, and in person.
• Calculate and post charges and adjustments on bills and establish payment arrangements.
• Effectively communicate with customers about various and complex policies, procedures, program services, codes, laws, ordinances, and regulations.
• Handle sensitive, complex, and confidential customer issues with tact and diplomacy.
• Use a sophisticated customer information system to manage customer accounts, billing, collections, and related tasks.

City of Portland Core Values:
Anti-racism | Communication | Collaboration | Equity | Transparency | Fiscal Responsibility
These values guide our actions as we serve the community and engage our workforce. To learn more about the City's core values, please click here .

Why work at the City of Portland?
The City of Portland workforce serves a population of over 650,000. We are culture- and solutions-driven, viewing every challenge as an opportunity to learn, improve, and share our expertise. We are committed to removing systemic barriers to resources, access, and opportunity. The City is a believer in ALL people and continues to actively recruit and retain diverse top talent every day. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to medical, dental, vision, healthcare flexible and/or dependent care spending accounts, Carrot Fertility, basic life, short- and long-term disability coverage to eligible employees and their families. If you are open-minded, motivated, community-focused, and self-aware, please apply yourself at the City of Portland today.

The City of Portland also participates in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). For more information on the City of Portland's benefits please click here.

Work Location
Remote

To Qualify

Applicants must specifically address and demonstrate in their résumé and answers to supplemental questions how their education, training, work experience, and/or lived experience, meets each of the following minimum qualifications:

1. Customer Service Skills: Possess the ability to address inquiries, resolve issues, and deliver positive customer experiences. This entails active listening, empathy, patience, and maintaining positive relationships with diverse customers, coworkers, and others, including those for whom English is not their primary language.
2. Strong Communication: Exhibit excellent verbal and written communication for interacting with customers via phone, email, or in-person. Capable of interpreting and explaining complex information, including regulations, rates, or policies.
3. Attention to Detail: Consistently perform tasks with precision and accuracy, including maintaining records, accurate math calculations for billing and payment arrangements, and ensuring correct customer record updates and efficient issue resolution.
4. Problem-Solving: Possess the ability to analyze customer issues, identify root causes, think creatively, and propose effective solutions. Skilled in handling difficult situations and defusing anger or hostility from customers.
5. Technical Proficiency: Comfortably navigate computer systems to accurately input data and efficiently retrieve customer information.

The Recruitment Process

An evaluation of each applicant's training and experience, as demonstrated in their résumé and answers to the supplemental questions, weighted 100%. Do not attach materials not requested . Only candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list. You have 14 days from the notice of the examination results to let us know if you disagree with your results. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information. Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

**PLEASE NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies**

To Qualify
Step 1: Apply online between 8/28 and 9/11.
Required Application Materials:

• Resume
• Answer to the Supplemental Questions

Optional Application Materials:

• Veteran documents to request for Veteran Preference (ex DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc)

Step 2: Minimum Qualifications Evaluation: September 18 to September 22.
Step 3: Establishment of Eligible List: September 29th.
Step 4: Selection/Interviews: October 9th-October 13th.
Step 5. Offer of Employment: Week of October 23rd.
Step 6. Start Date: November 9th.

**Timeline is approximate and subject to change without notice**

Applicant Instructions
Applicants must submit a professional resume and responses to the supplemental questions online, specifically focused on your qualifications for this position as identified in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement in accordance with the following Application Instructions:

• Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
• Your resume should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.
• If you are requesting Veteran's Preference, as identified below, please describe in your responses to the supplemental questions and resume any transferrable skills obtained during your military service and how they relate to each of the required minimum qualifications under the "To Qualify" section above.

All completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than the closing date and time of this recruitment. E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted .

Additional Information

Work Status: Non-citizen applicants must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of application.

Veterans' Preference: If you are requesting Veterans' Preference, attach a copy of your DD214/DD215 and/or Veterans Administration letter stating your disability to your profile, as well as checking the box identifying yourself as a Veteran. You must request Veterans' Preference AND include a copy of your documentation for each recruitment to which you apply. Veterans' Preference documentation must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM on the closing date of this recruitment.

ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations: If you identify as a person with a disability, are pregnant or nursing, or observe a religious practice(s), and would like to request a reasonable accommodation when applying for this job, please contact the Recruiter below for assistance.

Equal Employment Opportunity: It is the policy of the City of Portland that no person shall be discriminated against based on race, religion, color, sex, marital status, family status, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income. The City values diversity and encourages everyone who is interested in employment with the City to apply.

Language Pay Differential
City of Portland employees who speak one or more languages in addition to English may be eligible to receive a "language pay differential." This is compensation for qualifying multilingual City employees who use their language skills to assist the community. More about the language pay differential can be found here.

Did you know? The City of Portland offers How to Apply Classes and How to Apply Videos. The class and the videos are free and review best practices for applying to the City. If you have questions after watching the videos you are invited to contact the recruiter listed on the announcement or starting in April 2023 you are invited to attend the Question and Answers session. If you prefer to attend a virtual in-person class, they are also available once a month. Follow the link for the most recent list of scheduled dates for the Question and Answer session and the How to Apply Class: https://www.portland.gov/bhr/events .

Questions?
Terrol Johnson
Senior Recruiter/Veteran Outreach Specialist
Terrol.Johnson@portlandoregon.gov

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action EmployerClosing Date/Time: 9/11/2023 11:59 PM Pacific