Division Manager - Water Utility Office

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Under the direction of the Assistant Director of Water Utilities, the Division Manager oversees the work of staff involved in water and public works utility billing, collections, customer assistance, and customer education. This role directly impacts utility revenue generation and customer relations, focusing on optimizing business and customer service functions.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Exercises direct supervision over supervisory, professional, technical, and clerical staff.

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Direct, plan, schedule, assign, monitor, and supervise the work of employees engaged in direct and indirect day-to-day contact with utility customers and activities of billing and payment processes to ensure efficient and effective operations.

Ensure the supervision of accurate and timely processing of utility bills, payments, and collections.

Create, coordinate, and implement standardized written policies and procedures to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of utilities billing, collections, and customer services processes.

Communicate and coordinate directly with other Divisions and Departments to resolve customer complaints and to improve processes and procedures.

Respond to escalated customer complaints, attempting to resolve problems while complying with City ordinance policy and procedures.

Maintain detailed records of all activities for report creation and regulatory compliance.

Strategically evaluate Division needs and champion improvements to existing technologies, staffing, and operating practices based on measurable metrics.

Accomplish timely employee recruiting, selection, training, monitoring, and coaching to ensure Division performance objectives are met.

Develop and implement performance metrics to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the Utility Billing division.

Conduct regular performance reviews and provide feedback to staff to promote continuous improvement and high performance.

Prepare future year and manage current year annual budgets.

Offer and promote self-help options to empower customers to solve issues.

Report to and regularly communicate with the Assistant Director and Director on Division successes, issues, and projects.

Operate a City vehicle daily to travel to various water treatment plants, pump stations, storage tanks, lakes, and vendors.

Consistently demonstrate leadership qualities and cultivate leadership qualities in divisional staff members.

OTHER JOB RELATED DUTIES

Perform other job related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

City, state, and federal regulations as pertain to utility billing, collections, and customer service.

Industry-standard methods, policies, best practices, and technologies used in billing, collections, and customer services.

Basic principles of water flow metering, automated metering infrastructure (AMI), and how common residential plumbing issues affect utility billing.

Basic accounting and auditing principles.

Skill to:

Lead and manage a team of Customer Service Professionals.

Lead and manage a team of billing and payment professionals.

Ensure accuracy and timeliness in billing and payment processing.

Analyze data and generate reports to inform decision-making.

Operate office equipment including phones and computer applications.

Demonstrate outstanding verbal and written communications.

Ability to:

Plan, direct, supervise, and review the work of assigned employees to achieve full performance and high morale.

Thrive in a fast-paced environment, multi-task, perform well under pressure, and effectively manage competing and/or changing priorities.

Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, both internally and externally.

Follow and embrace the City of Abilene Core Values – Respect, Integrity, Service Above Self, and Excellence in All We Do.

Lead, manage, and perform as a team member in a manner that accomplishes the Division’s mission and treats team members with dignity, courtesy, and respect.                    

Experience and Training Guidelines:

Any combination equivalent to experience and training to provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be qualifying.  Knowledge, skills, and abilities may be obtained through:

Experience:

Five (5) years of experience in high-volume call center or similar quality monitoring of customer service agents, billing, business, accounting, or a related field is preferred.

A minimum of three (3) years of supervisory or management experience required.

Education/Training:

A bachelor's degree in Business Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field is preferred.

License or Certificate:

A valid Texas driver’s license or the ability to obtain one within ninety (90) days of employment, or a military waiver is required.

Special Requirements:

Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment:

Bloodborne Pathogens training is required within Sixty (60) days of employment.

Ability to work in a standard office environment.

With or without accommodation, sit, stand and walk for up to 8 hours.

Availability to work an 8-hour shift during normal business hours and be on telephone standby (on call) to resolve issues regarding emergencies outside normal business hours, as needed.

With or without accommodation, the “X” indicates the overall strength demand of the position during a typical workday:

___     Sedentary – lifting of no more than 10 pounds

_X_     Light – lifting no more than 20 pounds; carrying up to 10 pounds

___     Medium – lifting no more than 50 pounds; carrying up to 25 pounds

___     Heavy – lifting no more than 100 pounds; carrying up to 50 pounds

___     Very Heavy – team lifting over 100 pounds; carrying more than 50 pounds

Physical Demand Codes:  The following describes whether or not the position is expected to exert the physical demands listed during a typical workday as well as the overall frequency of the task:

Codes for how often:

N         =          No

E         =          Extensive (100 – 70% of the time)

M         =          Moderate (60 – 30% of the time)

I           =          Infrequent (20 – 10% of the time)

A         =          Almost Never (<10% of the time)

Code / Task

_M_    Standing

_M_    Sitting

_M_    Walking

_A_     Lifting

_M_    Carrying

_I__    Pushing/Pulling

_A_     Overhead Work

_M_    Fine Dexterity

_A_     Kneeling

_A_     Crouching

_A_     Crawling

_I__    Bending

_I__    Twisting

_I__    Climbing

_I__    Balancing

_E_     Vision

_E_     Hearing

_M_    Talking

___     Other:  _____________________