Customer Service Specialist

City of Richland Hills; North Richland Hills (TX); On-site; USD 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

TMRS retirement

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Term life insurance

Paid vacation

Paid sick leave

Paid holidays

Compressed work schedule

Job summary

The City of Richland Hills is seeking a reliable administrative assistant to provide clerical support and act as the first point of contact for the public at City Hall. Responsibilities include greeting visitors, answering calls, handling emails, and supporting accounts payable, utility billing, and permits.

Ideal candidates will have strong customer service, attention to detail, and good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across departments and

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; one year of general office experience.
• Some college and municipal government experience in permits or planning is preferred.
• Bi-lingual is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Greet customers and respond to inquiries; provide courteous service at City Hall.
• Process utility bill payments and accounts payable invoices as needed.
• Enter and balance payments; manage accounts payable data in computer systems; run reports.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Detail oriented

Multitasking

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Some college

Tools

MS Office

Databases

Permit software

Inspection software

Job description

Summary

The purpose of this position is to provide general clerical and administrative support while providing back-up for accounts payable, utility billing, and permits. This position is the first point of contact for the general public coming into City Hall and will be responsible for greeting customers, answering phone calls and responding to emails in a courteous and timely manner. The ideal candidate should have excellent customer service skills, be detail oriented, collaborative and demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills.

Summary

The purpose of this position is to provide general clerical and administrative support while providing back-up for accounts payable, utility billing, and permits. This position is the first point of contact for the general public coming into City Hall and will be responsible for greeting customers, answering phone calls and responding to emails in a courteous and timely manner. The ideal candidate should have excellent customer service skills, be detail oriented, collaborative and demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills.

Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provides excellent customer service to the public responding to inquiries regarding building and plan reviews, the permitting process and common code issues; reviews applications and plans for complete submittal; and responds to requests for information, answering questions and redirecting for further assistance.
• Process utility bill payments as well as process accounts payable invoices on an as needed basis.
• Collects and balances monies received from payments and general receipts; enters accounts payable information into computer system; runs reports and reconciles accounts.
• Maintains and updates databases, spreadsheets, billing records, personal information, timesheets, records and files.
• Answers main city customer service phone line and email inquiries or directs to correct department.
• Performs general clerical duties by entering data, making copies, preparing correspondence, scheduling calendars, arranging travel and training, maintaining files and arranging meetings; assists with preparation of agenda packet items.
• Assists various departments with administrative functions and projects as needed.
• Daily, on time attendance is required

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives direction from the City Manager's office as assigned

Exercises no supervision

Required Knowledge

• Ability to learn Building codes, city ordinances, and construction terminology, municipal permitting processes and accounts payable function.
• Ability to learn Municipal permitting processes
• Ability to learn Principles and practices of local government
• Basic principals and practices of accounting.
• Principles of business writing and report preparation
• Principles and practices of excellent customer service
• Principles and practices of general office procedures
• Basic mathematics to calculate permits, process utility payments and accounts payable transactions
• MS Office, databases, permit and inspection software

Required Abilities

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with customers, contractors and other city departments
• Provide responsive customer service, maintaining a pleasant demeanor at all times
• Manage multiple demands upon time and schedule
• Operate standard office equipment
• Plan, coordinate and execute essential job functions with limited supervision
• Effectively compose and edit reports, business letters, departmental updates, newsletters and other related documents
• Maintain mental capacity that permits making sound judgments regarding work
• Demonstrate intrinsic motivation, high ethical and moral standards
• Maintain a flexible schedule which may require evenings and/or weekends
• Maintain regular, reliable attendance
• Clear a post-offer drug test, criminal background and other appropriate testing and requirements.
• Meet required deadlines, and to handle sensitive, confidential information

Education, Experience And Training

Any equivalent combination of education, training and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the job is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education And/or Experience

• This position requires a high school diploma or equivalent and one year experience working in a general office environment. Some college, experience working in a construction related field and municipal government experience in permits or planning is desired.
• Bi-lingual is preferred
• Must demonstrate excellent customer service and organizational skills and have regular, reliable attendance and ability to maintain confidentiality.

License Or Certificate

• Possession of an appropriate, valid Texas driver's license
• ICC Permit Technician certification or ability to obtain certification within one year of employment.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Environmental Conditions

Work is performed in a normal office environment and is generally sedentary. Employee will be exposed to electronic computer screens and have frequent phone and personal contact and public interaction; may require some lifting and carrying. Must be able to work the hours assigned.

Physical Conditions

While performing the essential and other important responsibilities and duties require maintaining physical condition necessary the employee to sit or stand for prolonged periods of time; and file at various heights; use of both hands and arms, the use of legs; walking, standing; finger/manual dexterity; ability to reach; physical strength sufficient to carry, lift, push, pull items weighing up to 50 pounds; may also be required to bend, stoop, or reach above shoulder level; adequate speech, hearing and eyesight required.

THE CITY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR REVISE JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE NEED ARISES. THIS JOB DESCRIPTION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A WRITTEN OR IMPLIED CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Richland Hills offers a competitive salary depending on qualifications and experience. The salary range for this position is DOQ. The City participates in the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) at a 7% employee deposit rate with a City matching ratio of 2:1. The City pays 100% of the employee’s medical, dental and term life insurance, and contributes 50% to dependent medical coverage. Employees receive paid vacation and sick leave, and eleven (11) paid holidays which accrue at the beginning of the year and may be used at any time. The City offers a compressed work schedule Monday - Thursday from 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. with Fridays off.