Account Representative

City of Norfolk, VA; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 36,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Norfolk’s Department of Utilities is seeking an Account Representative for the Water Accounts Division. The role emphasizes high-volume customer service, handling account setup, billing inquiries, and payment processing in person, by phone, and online.

Responsibilities include cash handling, data entry into multiple billing systems, extensions and payment plans, and preparing correspondence and reports. Strong interpersonal skills and accuracy are essential in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Maintain/Establish/Terminate customer accounts by verifying and updating information.
• Respond to customer inquiries regarding consumption and services billed via telephone, in person or on the web.
• Process payments and cash transactions; perform calculations; reconciling and balancing cash drawers; prepare reports.
• Complete requests for extensions and payment plans.
• Submit work orders, prepare and mail written correspondences, track data in Excel, file documents, generate letters and logs.
• Conduct research and analyze data.
• Follow policies and procedures; communicate with other departments.
• Assist new employees and train on policies and rate charges.

Job description

Description

The Department of Utilities is seeking qualified candidates for a Account Representative in our Water Accounts Division. The person in this position will be providing quality customer service in a high volume inbound call center and customer lobby. They will be responsible for assisting customers with establishing/discontinuing service, billing and collections inquiries, high bill concerns, maintaining customer records, processing cash transactions and other related issues. They will be required to compute and calculate fees, adjustments and daily rates with speed and accuracy. While the primary functions will be call and cash handling, they will also be tasked with face-to-face customer interactions, responding to on line and faxed customer inquiries, completing work orders, customer- response letters and performing dispatcher duties in communication with field personnel.

Essential Functions

• Maintain/Establish/Terminate customer accounts by verifying and updating information and filing essential documents.
• Respond to customer inquiries regarding consumption and services billed via the telephone, in person or on the web.
• Perform financial duties by processing payments and cash transactions; performing calculations; entering data into multiple billing systems; reconciling and balancing cash drawers; verifying payments; and preparing reports.
• Complete requests for extensions and payment plans.
• Perform other essential duties including electronically submitting work orders, preparing and mailing written correspondences, tracking data in a variety of formats including Microsoft Excel, filing documents, processing various reports, compiling information, generating letters and keeping logs.
• Conduct research and analyze data.
• Interpret and follow written departmental and City policies and procedures.
• Effectively communicate with other support areas within and outside of the City in both oral and in written form.
• Provide assistance to new employees by answering questions, and ensuring that policies and procedures are followed.
• Perform related duties by training new personnel on policies and procedures, rate charges and multiple computer databases, compiling information for delinquent accounts and assisting with administrative duties.
• Must be able to work with minimal on-going instructions from supervisor and ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple assignments.
• Must be able to stand, sit, bend, stoop, push, pull, and perform tasks requiring manual dexterity.
• Must possess strong interpersonal communication and organizational skills and the ability to follow verbal and written instructions; ability to function in a high volume, busy work environment, successfully complete an initial training period, and meet established call center metrics.
• Must be willing to adhere to a structured work environment for reporting on time, taking breaks, requesting leave, and following policies and procedures; while also being flexible in regard to job responsibilities, as dictated by the needs of the call center on any given day.
• Persons selected for this position must be able to successfully complete an initial training period and meet established call center metrics. They must be willing to adhere to a structured work environment for reporting on time, taking breaks, and requesting leave. They must be able to follow established policies and procedures while also being flexible in regard to job responsibilities, as dictated by the needs of the business on any given day.

Additional Information & Requirements

Work Location: 500 East Main Street, Norfolk

Work Hours: Monday – Friday, Between the hours of 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

This position is designated as an Essential position which means you may be required to work extended, rotating, after hours, nights and/or weekends in response to emergencies and severe weather.

• Regular full-time and permanent part-time employees may receive paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, employer paid pension plan, basic life insurance, voluntary participation in medical and dental, Section 457 deferred compensation, long-term disability, optional life insurance for self, spouse and children, medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, access to membership in credit union and employer provided parking.
• Special project/grant employees are generally eligible for the same benefits of regular full-time employees; however, retirement, life insurance and participation in health plans vary depending upon funding and authorization.
• Temporary/seasonal and part-time employees are generally only eligible for employer provided parking and access to membership in credit union.
• Retirement

If you are hired October 5, 2010, or after to a position with City of Norfolk Retirement System benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

If you are hired January 1, 2022, or after to a position with Virginia Retirement System (VRS) benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

• The Tuition Assistance Program is established to encourage employees toward continued self-development and education. Permanent full-time and permanent part-time classified, unclassified permanent, full-time special projects, and constitutional employees who have completed six months continuous service will be eligible to apply. The applicant’s school of enrollment must be an accredited institution.

Note

The benefits described above are broad generalizations. The specific benefits that an employee may be eligible for are governed by City regulations, as applicable to job type.

Non-City

Positions listed with a job type designation of "Non-City" are not subject to the benefits descriptions above. Refer to the content of the job posting for information regarding these positions.

01

The following Supplemental Questions are specific to the position for which you have applied to assist the hiring manager in screening applications for specific experience being sought. Please be specific in answering these questions as they will be used to evaluate which applications will be given further consideration in the process. Do not answer "see resume" or "see application" as these are not valid answers. Please note that if you are invited to be interviewed by the department, your responses to the following questions may be subject to verification.

• I understand and will answer the following supplemental questions completely and thoroughly.

02

If you were referred for this position by a current City of Norfolk employee, please provide the employee's full name, department, and job title. If not, please indicate by typing "N/A.".

03

Please select the highest level of education completed.

• High School diploma/GED
• Some college coursework (at least 6 months)
• Associates\Technical\Vocational
• Bachelor's degree or higher

04

How many years of experience do you have working in a call center environment?

• I have less than 1 year of experience
• I have 1 - 2 years of experience
• I have 2 - 3 years of experience
• I have more than 3 years of experience

05

How many years of customer service do you possess?

• I have less than 1 year of experience
• I have 1 - 2 years of experience
• I have 2 - 3 years of experience
• I have 3 or more years of experience

06

How many years of experience do you possess processing high volumes of cash transactions and reconciling nightly tenders?

• I have less than 1 years of experience
• I have 1 - 2 years of experience
• I have 2 - 3 years of experience
• I have more than 3 years of experience

07

Do you have at least one year of experience processing financial adjustments on customer accounts?

• Yes
• No

08

Please briefly describe your billing experience.

09

Which statement best describes your experience resolving customer disputes both in person and via phone?

• I resolve customer disputes both in person and via phone occasionally
• I resolve customer disputes both in person and via phone regularly as part of my daily tasks
• I rarely resolve customer disputes both in person and via phone
• I do not resolve customer disputes both in person and via phone

10

Which statement best describes your experience composing emails, letters, and other written correspondence?

• I compose emails, letters, and other written correspondence occasionally
• I compose emails, letters, and other written correspondence regularly as part of my daily tasks
• I rarely compose emails, letters, and other written correspondence
• I do not compose emails, letters, and other written correspondence

11

Do you possess experience with the following software programs (Check all that apply):

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook

12

Have you ever worked for a water utility?

• Yes
• No

13

SCHEDULING REQUIREMENT: This position may be required to report to work during periods of inclement weather or other emergencies to perform shelter duty or related emergency support duties. Are you able and willing to accept this scheduling requirement?

• Yes
• No

14

Please provide an explanation of any periods of unemployment that are 30 days or longer. Indicate N/A if you have not experienced any periods of unemployment.

15

Are you a temporary employee currently working within the Department of Utilities?

• Yes
• No

16

Are you a current or previous City of Norfolk employee?

• Yes - I am a current City of Norfolk Employee
• Yes - I am a previous City of Norfolk Employee
• No - I am not a previous or current City of Norfolk employee

17

Please indicate your veteran status. (A copy of your long form DD-214 may be required)

• I am not a Veteran
• I am a Veteran
• I am a Disabled Veteran
• Required Question