Animal Shelter Customer Service Representative Temporary

Seattle Finance and Administrative Services; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 46,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Seattle Animal Shelter is seeking compassionate Customer Service Representatives for a temporary six-month assignment. CSRs handle high-volume calls, emails, and online requests, process pet licenses, payments, and license data, and assist the public with shelter services. Onsite work is required.

Familiarity with PetPoint is a plus; bilingual candidates are encouraged. A minimum of one year of administrative experience involving public contact is preferred, with strong communication and

Qualifications

• One (1) year of administrative experience involving customer service with public contact.
• Or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class.

Responsibilities

• Answer a high volume of telephone calls, emails, and online customer service requests and provide information about the Seattle Animal Shelter.
• Issue, renew and cancel pet licenses, resolve complex licensing/data/payment issues, and help customers navigate the online licensing portal.
• Process payments via phone, over the counter, by USPS mail and email.
• Process and prepare daily cash deposits.
• Maintain the PetPoint database by merging duplicate accounts, updating customer contact information, and providing user access to staff and volunteers.
• Sort, log and distribute incoming and outgoing mail.
• Assist with research, coordination, and response to Public Disclosure requests.
• Maintain digital and hard copy files in accordance with the shelter's retention schedule.

Skills

Customer service

Administrative experience

Written and verbal communication

De-escalation and conflict resolution

Multilingual

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Outlook

PetPoint

Job description

Position Description

The Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) is seeking a compassionate, team-oriented, and dedicated Customer Service Representative(s) (CSRs) to join our team in a temporary role. SAS promotes public safety and animal welfare by enforcing the Seattle Municipal Code regarding animals, provides animal sheltering and adoption programs, manages a veterinary services program, and is supported by a large network of volunteers and foster parents.

The CSR team includes four staff and is central to shelter functions. They are often the first people customers encounter when accessing shelter services. CSRs manage our payment processes and administrative tasks, answer general questions from the public, and fulfill pet licensing duties.

This is a non-benefited temporary assignment expected to last approximately six months.

About Us

The Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) is often the public's first interaction with the City of Seattle, operating as a customer-focused front door that assists with everything from paying utilities or reporting a pothole to requesting public information or even adopting a new pet.

The 500-plus employees of FAS span across 10 divisions and work behind-the-scenes providing critical functions, like managing 120 City facilities—including police and fire stations—overseeing the City's neighborhood customer service centers and Customer Service Bureau and making sure minority-owned businesses can equitably compete for City contracts. No matter the need, FAS is here—at your service.

Job Responsibilities

• Answer a high volume of telephone calls, emails, and online customer service requests and provide information about the Seattle Animal Shelter.
• Issue, renew and cancel pet licenses, resolve complex licensing/data/payment issues, and help customers navigate the online licensing portal.
• Process payments via phone, over the counter, by USPS mail and email.
• Process and prepare daily cash deposits.
• Maintain the PetPoint database by merging duplicate accounts, updating customer contact information, and providing user access to staff and volunteers.
• Sort, log and distribute incoming and outgoing mail.
• Assist with research, coordination, and response to Public Disclosure requests.
• Maintain digital and hard copy files in accordance with the shelter's retention schedule.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

One (1) year of administrative experience involving customer service with public contact.

(Or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class.)

The Most Successful Candidates Will Possess The Following

• A commitment to excellent customer service and equitable treatment of community members.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Ability to interpret and apply City ordinance and rules.
• Ability to work with a diverse customer base, including angry and hostile customers.
• Willingness to work in proximity with and learn about different animal species (both domestic and wild) including dogs, cats, livestock, reptiles, birds, and rodents.
• Experience working with animals or providing administrative support at an animal business.
• Training and/or experience with de-escalation and conflict resolution techniques when working with challenging customers.
• Familiarity with PetPoint.
• Bi or multilingual.

Work Environment

This position requires to be onsite at the Seattle Animal Shelter. Alternative Work Arrangements and hybrid telework schedules for work conducted in a normal office environment may be considered and will be based on operational needs and consistency with FAS policies.

Note

• Must be able to work near animals.
• Work is performed in a building that shelters animals and is often a busy and noisy environment.
• Availability for work on weekends and evenings is required.

Additional Information

This position is classified as a Customer Service Representative. It is Civil Service represented, FLSA non-exempt and is eligible for overtime. The full range for this step-progression position is $33.47 - $37.47 per hour.

Under the City’s Personnel Rules, all non-benefitted temporary assignments begin compensation at step 1. Employees receive premium pay in lieu of benefits for the first 1,040 hours of the assignment; once benefit eligible, premium pay ends and salary advances to step 2 of the range.

Application Process

Applications are reviewed after the posting closes. You must submit the following items to be considered for this position no later than 4:00pm Pacific Time on the scheduled closed date.

• Completed NEOGOV online application.
• Cover letter describing how your skills and experience align with the stated job responsibilities and qualifications.
• Current resume indicating relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and education.
• Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state 'see my resume' or 'see my personnel file' are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

PLEASE NOTE: This job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Background Check:

Applicants must successfully pass a background check, which will be conducted in accordance with Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17. Applicants will be given a chance to explain or correct background information and provide verifiable information of good conduct and rehabilitation.

Why work at the City of Seattle

The City of Seattle recognizes every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways that we courageously share our perspectives and encourage others to do the same. To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in the Race and Social Justice Initiative by working to dismantle racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and provide equitable processes and services.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits

Who May Apply:

The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, medical condition, or pregnancy. The City of Seattle encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences. If you have questions regarding this bulletin or employment at Finance and Administrative Services, please send an email to [e-mail]. FAS promotes diversity and inclusion in employment. If accommodations are needed during the selection process, please contact us.

Candidate Notification

Many important notifications including interview or test invitations, result notices, and status updates will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add [e-mail] to your email address book and to the list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail. Candidates can also check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing their profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices. It is the applicant's responsibility to take the above steps to view correspondence.