Customer Account Representative I

Consideration will be given to the first 150 applications received

The Alameda County Water District located in Fremont, California, is seeking detail-oriented applicants with the desire to provide excellent customer service for the position of Customer Account Representative. The Customer Account Representative works in a fast-paced team-oriented environment. This position performs multiple customer service-related tasks such as billing, payments, collections, and account management. Telephone, in-person, and email communications are performed daily.

Customer Account Representative I is the entry-level classification in the Customer Account Representative series. Under close to general supervision within a framework of established policies and procedures, incumbents initially perform basic clerical duties while learning to receive and process payments and handle customer inquiries and complaints. Utility billing experience is highly desired.

Ideal Candidate will possess:

- Strong Communication Skills

- Outstanding Customer Service Skills

- Ability to multi-task

- Analyze data and research information

Typical Qualifications:

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.

A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be the equivalent of Education: Possession of a high school diploma or its equivalent;

Experience: One (1) year of full-time general office support work, which includes interpreting and explaining policies and procedures to the public.

Examples of Duties

TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF DUTIES MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

- Obtains required customer information to process requests for start or discontinuance of water services; establishes deposit amounts from written guidelines for new customers and prorates and adjusts billings as appropriate

- Interprets policies and procedures and exercises judgment to respond to routine customer inquiries and complaints pertinent to billing, fees, rate structures, and District services; researches questions or problems and follows up as required or refers to appropriate personnel for resolution.

- Performs various duties related to billing, including scheduling billing, auditing bills, resolving billing errors, reviewing customer accounts for completeness and accuracy, entering meter readings, and collaborating with field staff to confirm consumption amount and possible leaks.

- Assists customers with setting up online accounts, including enrolling in payment plan, troubleshooting user issues and resolve challenging customer interactions.

- Receives customer payments, makes change, and issues receipts; opens and verifies customer payments received by mail; balances daily cash receipts, totals batches of checks received, and prepares bank deposit documents.

- Uses an on-line computer system extensively to process customer service requests; post payments; creates or updates master customer account files and related meter records; creates work orders for field personnel.

- Schedules and coordinates activities of field personnel relative to new water service and/or turn-off of service due to non-payment; reads tract maps and researches records to locate properties to assist field personnel.

- Issues hydrant meters for temporary water service and processes payments, enters readings, bills for damages, and refunds depositions.

- Reviews a variety of customer account records for completeness and arithmetic accuracy; makes necessary corrections or refers to appropriate personnel for further action.

- Prepares correspondence and special reports related to customer service activities.

- Serves as receptionist for District administrative offices, receiving and screening all telephone calls and visitors and referring caller to proper office or individual.

- Performs other related work as required.

Typical Qualifications

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying.

A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be the equivalent of Education: Possession of a high school diploma or its equivalent; and One (1) year of full-time general office support work, which includes interpreting and explaining policies and procedures to the public.

Selection Procedure

Application and supplemental responses must be submitted online at www.acwd.org/jobs.

NOTE: Only the first 150 applications will be considered for the review process.

Important Note (applies to all supplemental questions):

Following an assessment of minimum qualifications, the determination of whether candidates will be invited to the panel interview will be based solely on evaluation of responses to the required Supplemental Questionnaire. Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire will be auto-scored individually and independently from the employment application, resume, or any other submitted materials. Such materials will not be available to those evaluating the Supplemental Questionnaire.

Candidates passing the panel interview process will be ranked on an employment list for further consideration. Top-ranking candidates will be invited to an interview with the hiring Supervisor.

Health Insurance: Coverage is provided through the PERS Health program. Employees will contribute 0.25% of salary towards their medical benefits. The employee medical deductions shall not occur in the paycheck in which Union dues are withdrawn.

Dental and Vision: Coverage for the employee and eligible dependents is fully paid by the District.

Retirement: California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) benefit depends on whether the employee is a "new" member or "classic" member under state law.

Classic member: Employee who is a member of PERS or reciprocal agency within six months of hire at ACWD. 2.5% @ 55 with 8% employee contribution. $5000 Retired Death Benefit, 3% Annual Cost-of-Living Allowance Increase, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance to Continue After Remarriage, Pre-Retirement Death Benefits to Continue After Remarriage of Survivor, Additional Opportunity to Elect 1959 Survivor Benefits, 1959 Survivor Benefit Level 4, Unused Sick Leave Credit, Public Service Credit for Peace Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA, or AmeriCorps Service, Military Service Credit as Public Service, Final Compensation 1 Year, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, Prior Service. The District picks up 2.5% of the CalPERS retirement contribution.

New member: Employees hired after 12/31/12 who were not members of PERS or a reciprocal agency within the last six months of hire at ACWD. 2% @ 62 with 7% employee contribution. Effective 7/1/23 PEPRA employee contributions will increase to 7.75%. $5000 Retired Death Benefit, 1959 Survivor Benefit Level 4, 3% Annual Cost-of-Living Allowance Increase, Additional Opportunity to Elect 1959 Survivor Benefits, Final Compensation 3 Years, Military Service Credit as Public Service, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance, Post-Retirement Survivor Allowance to Continue After Remarriage, Pre-Retirement Death Benefits to Continue After Remarriage of Survivor, Pre-Retirement Option 2W Death Benefit, Prior Service, Public Service Credit for Peace Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA, or AmeriCorps Service, Unused Sick Leave Credit.

Social Security/Medicare: The District does not participate in Social Security, but provides a 1.45% matching Medicare contribution.

Retiree Health Benefits: Coverage is provided through the CalPERS Health program. The District's contribution for retiree coverage shall be the PEMHCA minimum contribution as determined by CalPERS on an annual basis. Please refer to the Memorandum of Understanding for various eligibility and plan details.

Employees hired on or after January 1, 2019 will receive a defined-contribution benefit into a retiree health savings account.

Life Insurance: The District provides Basic Life Insurance and Basic AD&D Insurance of one times your annual salary to a maximum of $150,000. There is no cost to the employee for this insurance.

Long Term Disability: The District provides you with Long Term Disability Income Insurance of 66 2/3% of monthly earnings with a maximum monthly benefit up to $7,000.

Short Term Disability: Coverage is provided through the District for employees working a minimum of 20 hours per week at 66 2/3% of base weekly earnings for the first 12 weeks up to a weekly benefit maximum of $1,650.

Deferred Compensation: Optional deferred income plans allowing tax sheltering of current income and payment later as supplemental retirement income.

Vacation: 10 days first year, increasing to 25 days after 20 years.

Holidays: 12 days per year, plus 4 Floating Holidays per fiscal year.

Sick Leave: 12 days per year plus 30 hours/year Medical Appointment Leave.

Employee Assistance Program: Up to 6 sessions for employees and family members for professional consultation and short-term counseling for personal problems.

Tuition Reimbursement: The District will reimburse 100% of the total tuition and textbook costs incurred in taking courses outside of normal working hours related to District employment up to an annual maximum of $5,250.