Belmont Municipal Light Department (Belmont Light)

Customer Care and Billing Manager

Belmont, MA

full time

On-site

Utilities

About This Job

STARTING PAY RANGE

: $91, 203.31 - $110,711.69 - OPEN UNTIL FILLED - onsite/in office position

Note this is a municipal position in Belmont MA and as such applicants are required to fill out the Town of Belmont's application form. See the APPLICATION PROCESS section for more details.

Belmont Municipal Light Department (Belmont Light) is accepting applications for a full-time (40 hours/week) Customer Care and Billing Manager. This FLSA exempt position will be an essential part of Belmont Light’s management team. The classification and salary of the hire will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. The duties of the position will include:

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Oversight of the Customer Service Department and various associated operations, requiring a thorough knowledge of relevant processes and policies affecting customers and billing operations.

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Ability to develop effective business relationships with customers, community leaders and civic organizations.

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Monitoring of employee performance as well as the ability to coach and provide frequent feedback, while adhering with all applicable company policies, collective bargaining agreements and labor laws.

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Investigating customer complaints and working with other employees to resolve customer issues.

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Responding to escalated customer inquiries and requests related to account maintenance (e.g., billing inquiries, rate applications, outage notifications, electric service policies, deposits, collections, electrical consumption, metering and load management, etc.) Researching and providing various information as appropriate.

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Overseeing the functional and practical use of the utility billing software package and making improvements with the said software and associated processes. Assisting Belmont Light and the Town of Belmont Water Division in the evaluation, selection, testing, installation and training of all approved software programs needed to integrate with the utility billing system, including meter reading, customer care and service, financial reporting, plant accounting, databases and other pertinent software.

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Ability and willingness to closely collaborate with and coordinate customer service-related activities with the other BMLD Departments, aimed to optimize internal synergies.

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Reviewing billing procedures, high bill and other customer inquiries, as well as reporting and implementing changes as appropriate to drive continuous improvement of the department. Assisting with customer re-billing process when required.

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Testing of new programming (e.g., new rates, accounts, letter templates, services) and areas within the system to ensure proper billing, reporting and seamless implementation for users.

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Preparing of recommendations related to annual capital and operating budgeting process for customer service activities. Monitors program expenses, negotiates vendor contracts and ensures compliance with Belmont Light quality standards.

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Creating ad hoc and customized reports for management and end users of the software, such as high/low usage reports, reports used to review bill codes, as well as exception-based reports.

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Providing assistance to Belmont Light staff and board members, as well as the general public. At times, tasked with handling challenging community requests. Communicating on behalf of the General Manager, along with others. Researching, prioritizing, and following up on incoming issues and concerns addressed to the General Manager, including those of a sensitive or confidential nature. Must have the ability to independently determine appropriate course of action, referral, or response.

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Representing the utility to various committees and at special events, as well as attending various meetings and preparing related correspondence, presentations and materials.

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Willingness to help and respond to emergency events, potentially requiring off-hours, unplanned work.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND SKILLS:

Knowledge:

Thorough knowledge of office practices and procedures. Thorough knowledge of customer service principles, utility processes, communications, community outreach, and public relations. Demonstrated mastery of English grammar and writing. Comfortable with various and ever evolving social media platforms and the ability to leverage social media for BMLD purposes. Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability.

Abilities:

Maintaining detailed records and preparing reports. Ability to operate various types of office equipment and software. Ability to perform and prioritize duties while being frequently interrupted throughout the day. Ability to research, track and resolve documentation problems and discrepancies. Ability to develop and implement ideas. Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in an office environment. Ability to communicate effectively about complicated utility topics. Ability to practice discretion and sound judgement and to maintain professionalism. Ability to acquire new knowledge and apply to problems, projects, and long-term goals. Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

Skills:

Professional level written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to address public audiences and Town officials. Expertise and skill in utilizing personal computers, popular word processing, database, presentation, financial, and spreadsheet applications. Skill in utilizing the Internet, social media, and maintaining websites. Strong administrative and organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail. Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders. Forward-looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
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Bachelor’s degree in public relations, marketing, communications, journalism, business management, public administration, or a related field; 5+ years of progressively responsible office experience; demonstrated experience effectively working with the public and completing multifaceted projects; utility experience a plus; or any equivalent combination of education and experience. Valid Driver’s license is required.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

All applicants are required to complete a Town application form, available from the Town’s website, www.belmont-ma.gov, by emailing humanresources@belmont-ma.gov, calling (617) 993-2740, or by visiting the Human Resources Department at the Belmont Town Hall. Applicants may attach resumes to the Town application form as additional information but cannot use this in lieu of completing the required form.

Some employees will need to complete a pre-employment physical and drug-screening examination. All positions will also require a CORI criminal background screening. The Town reserves the right to modify the application deadline and/or accept applications after the deadline in order to best serve the interest of the community.

After the submission deadline, the Human Resources Department and a review committee will review all completed applications and will select the most highly-qualified respondents for interviews. The Town will acknowledge receipt of completed applications that it receives and will only further contact individuals who the Town selects to interview.

Individuals who need accommodations in order to participate in this process should contact the Town’s Human Resources Department. Please address all questions regarding the Town’s hiring process to:

Human Resources Department

Town of Belmont

455 Concord Avenue

Belmont, Massachusetts 02478

(617) 993-2740

humanresources@belmont-ma.gov