Front Desk Customer Service Representative

Ocala Housing Authority (OHA); Ocala (FL); On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocala Housing Authority seeks a customer service oriented clerical assistant to manage walk-in and phone inquiries, grant building access, and support housing programs. The role requires maintaining logs, handling mail, and assisting residents with forms and work orders.

The ideal candidate has a high school diploma, at least three years of related experience, and strong English communication skills; bilingual in Spanish is a plus.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Three years of full-time related experience preferred.
• Excellent English communication skills, written and verbal; bilingual (Spanish) preferred.
• Able to multi-task and work under pressure.
• Must have valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Greet walk-in and virtual customers; answer calls and provide information.
• Grant access to the building for the public and maintain logs.
• Provide accurate information on applications, waitlists, vacancies, and qualifications.
• Assist residents with work orders and other forms as needed.
• Monitor security systems and respond to incidents as required.
• Maintain reception area, mail, and office supplies; handle general clerical tasks.
• Maintain public housing and housing choice wait lists and related documentation.
• Assist with events coordination, promotions, and advertisements as needed.

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Multi-line telephone system

Word

Excel

Job description

Nature of Work

This position will be responsible for providing a point of contact for walk-in traffic, as well as virtual customers, incoming telephone calls, granting access to the building for the public, and supporting the highest level of customer service for clients, staff, and visitors.

Classification Standards

This position will report directly to the Deputy Director and work under limited supervision. Other support duties under the guidance of the OHA Management Team.

Essential Job Functions

• Grant visitors access to the administrative building during business hours and maintain log.
• Answer incoming telephone calls, assist callers, take messages, provide information, and make community referrals and direct calls to staff members.
• Maintain a safe environment by monitoring security system and panic button, using good judgment in contacting appropriate personnel as needed.
• Provide accurate information regarding application procedures, waiting list, vacancies and qualifications to both callers and walk-in clients.
• Provide assistance to residents requesting work orders or other forms as needed.
• Provide timely referral to the staff for appointments or other assistance.
• Maintain a professional and personable demeanor while working with chronic homeless population in a non-judgmental way.
• Maintains supply of forms and brochures for general public and clients and distributes as necessary.
• Sorts and distributes incoming mail
• Keep an orderly, clean and professional reception area.
• Monitor the Authority's general email inbox
• Maintain website and other social media outlets of the agency
• Assist Resident Services with events coordination as needed
• Assist Resident Services with advertisement and promotions
• Update the maintenance on-call system weekly

Public Housing Program Support Duties

• Post rent receipts in the Lindsey system
• Mark payments that come through the drop box for Public Housing (and other programs)
• Post late fees in the system
• Collect paper applications for housing assistance
• Enter qualified applicants into the system
• Physically pull applications from the drawer and give to Public Housing staff
• Update wait list applications as clients provide information
• Drop applications from the system, as directed by PH Manager
• Assist with stuffing envelopes, making copies, and compiling packets for client distribution

Housing Choice Voucher Program Support Duties

• Maintain the wait list
• Physically pull the wait list applications from the retention drawer
• Drop applications from the wait list, as per the HCV Manager's notification
• Input wait list updates
• Maintain and distribute the forms for port ins and moves to new units
• Notify HCV department of the presence of a landlord
• Maintain and distribute interim income adjustment packages
• Review the income packet and ensure all documentation is provided by the client. If packet is incomplete do not accept and note on sign in sheet that packet was rejected for incomplete documentation

Accounting Support Duties

• Update the log sheet for all incoming checks or money orders and log them into the correct accounts
• Copy all checks/money orders and attach the copies to the printed log at the end of the shift and initial the log
• Pass the completed log and bag to HR assistant to prepare the deposit for the following day

Clerical Duties

• General office duties (i.e., copying and bulk mailing)
• Graduation from a standard senior high school or GED equivalent.
• Three years full-time paid-related job experience
• Valid Driver's license.
• Experience operating a multi-line telephone system
• Must be bondable.
• Able to communicate well in English, both written and spoken and Bilingual (Spanish) is highly preferred.
• Must be able to multi-task.
• Ability to work well under stressful conditions.
• General office clerical and computer skills required (Word & Excel)
• Because of the nature of this work, position requires someone pleasant, personable, and patient and having a desire to be of assistance to those in need. Will be working with people who have been chronically homeless.
• Able to work with minimum day-to-day supervision.

Staff is responsible for reporting any perceived and/or real conflict of interest to their immediate supervisor in writing by completing the OHA Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form. Upon completion and submittal, the immediate supervisor will then report to Executive Management Staff. The Chief Executive Officer will determine if the employee will be allowed to continue processing the client's file, or if it will be assigned to another employee.

This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of duties and responsibilities of the position. The omission of a specific job function does not absolve an employee from being required to perform additional tasks incidental to or inherent in the job.

This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968