Customer Service Specialist

King County, WA; Renton (WA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Paid holidays

Retirement plan

Telecommuting options

Job summary

King County's Road Services Division seeks dedicated Customer Service Specialists to staff the 24/7 Front Desk, handling inquiries and directing service requests for the Roads Maintenance Section. The roles emphasize empathy, accuracy, and timely information gathering for callers.

Two positions are available: a Full-Time role for six months with potential extension and a Part-Time term-limited position for twelve months with extension possibilities.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering exceptional customer service to the public.
• Strong decision-making in high-pressure situations and emergencies.
• Experience handling routine and emergency inquiries with professionalism.
• Excellent oral and written communication to convey information clearly.
• Proficient with computers and MS Office (Word, Excel, Internet).
• Ability to work independently and manage priorities under tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Respond to routine and emergency calls and determine caller needs.
• Notify field staff of problems via radio, phone, or email.
• Monitor communications and respond to broadcasts from field personnel.
• Input accurate information and complete documentation.
• Maintain and retrieve information from files, maps, and computer systems.
• Perform data-entry, email, and navigation of County websites.

Skills

Customer service

Problem solving

Communication

MS Word/Excel

Independent work

Tools

PeopleSoft

CityWorks / GIS

Job description

Summary

Are you a dedicated Customer Service Professional? Do you like helping customers, providing assistance and follow through to their questions and needs? If so, apply for this position because we need you. The Department of Local Services Roads Division is looking for one (1) Full-Time Customer Service Specialist II and one (1) Part-Time term-limited temporary or special duty positions. The Full-Time role is expected to last for six months in duration with possibility of extension. The Part-Time role is expected to last one year in duration with possibility of extension. The successful candidates in these roles will provide customer service in receiving and referring inquiries and/or complaints for the Roads Maintenance Section 24/7 Front Desk. This position involves having dialog with customers to obtain needed information, clarifying what is desired, and/or determining how service can best be rendered. Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to customer service and desire to solve problems and will be able to maintain composure and focus in a busy and sometimes hectic work environment.

Our commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice

The Department of Local Services is deeply dedicated to fostering Equity, Racial and Social Justice in every aspect of our work. Our pledge is to cultivate, embrace, and celebrate the distinct experiences, viewpoints, and perspectives of our people, partners, and the communities we serve. Through this work, we dismantle systemic barriers, address inequities, and actively confront prejudices and biases. We acknowledge this journey is ongoing, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to create a positive impact for our employees and communities alike. The King County Road Services Division designs, builds, operates, and maintains roads and bridges in unincorporated areas of King County. The Division is committed to ensuring the county's transportation system is safe and efficient for all uses and modes of travel. To learn more about the Road Services Division, visit us at:

Job Duties

About the Road Services Division - King County, Washington

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work.

• Respond to routine and emergency phone calls, determine the nature of the caller's concerns, the geographic location and accurately input information into a computer and/or refer the caller to the appropriate agency in a courteous manner.
• Notify field staff of problems via radio, telephone, and/or e-mail.
• Monitor radio frequency and respond to broadcasts from field personnel and answer phone calls simultaneously.
• Determine the validity, correctness, and completeness of information received and complete proper documentation.
• Maintain and/or retrieve information searches through files, records, maps and computer files.
• Perform data-entry, file documents, send and receive e-mail, access County websites.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• Proven experience delivering exceptional customer service by interacting tactfully and courteously with the public.
• Strong decision-making abilities, including making quick, accurate decisions in high-pressure situations, obtaining critical information from callers, and prioritizing emergencies effectively.
• Demonstrated experience responding to emergencies and/or stressful and difficult calls.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to convey information clearly and accurately.
• Experience in the use of computers and Microsoft applications to include, but not limited to MS Word, Excel, and the Internet.
• Ability to work independently and under limited supervision.
• Skilled in prioritizing and managing assignments under tight deadlines and changing priorities.
• Willingness and ability to apply King County's core values around inclusion, equity and social justice as a team member and representative of King County to internal and external customers.

Desired Qualifications

• Knowledge of Road Maintenance Terminology.
• Knowledge of King County geographic area.
• Experience working in a Public Works environment.
• Working familiarity with PeopleSoft.
• Knowledge of CityWorks or other similar GIS systems.

Necessary Requirements

• Ability to report to work during inclement weather.
• Willingness and ability to come into work or remain on an assigned shift during a weather event.
• Ability to work any assigned shift.

Interview Schedule

Those applicants who pass the initial screening will be invited to participate in a 15-minute phone interview. Those passing the phone interview will be invited to a 45-minute in-person interview panel.

Who May Apply

This recruitment is open to all qualified applicants and may be used to fill current and or/future career service, term-limited temporary, short-term temporary, and or/special duty positions over the next six months. Special duty opportunities are open only to current King County career service employees who have completed their initial probation. Special duty applicants must have approval from their current supervisor to accept an assignment. Current employees selected for special duty will be compensated based upon the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement, King County Personnel Guidelines, or Coalition Labor Agreement for their base assignment.

Work Schedule

SDA/TLT - Full-Time position - The work week is normally 40 hours and can start any day of the week and shift as needed. Duration is expected to last six (6) months with possibility of extension. SDA/TLT – Part-Time position - The work week is typically 25 hours and can work any day of the week and shift as needed. Duration is expected to last twelve (12) months with possibility of extension. These positions are non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standard Act and are eligible for overtime pay, with prior supervisor approval.

Emergency Designation Status

Mission-Critical Employees: Those employees who provide, maintain, and re-establish essential county functions as described in agency Continuity of Operations plans. Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency. Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.

Union Membership

This position is represented by L117 -Admin

Employees must reside in Washington State

Employees must reside in Washington State and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Road Services Division

https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/local-services/transit-transportation-roads/roads-and-bridges/road-services

Permitting

https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/local-services/permits

Director’s Office

https://kingcountylocalblog.com/category/directors-office/

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

Benefits

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.