Utility Billing Specialist

Job Description

The Utility Billing Specialist provides customer service to City water, sewer, and garbage customers by providing accurate billings and maintaining customer accounts. The job prepares and processes monthly billings, opens and closes accounts, answers questions, and provides information.

This job is extremely time sensitive with regular deadlines to adhere to a strict billing cycle. The work is very detailed oriented; the job includes reviewing meter reading edits for warnings and errors, issuing work orders if needed, posting readings to the billing system, calculating and reviewing charges on accounts and correcting errors. The work also includes generating a list of delinquencies, preparing door hanger cards for shutoff’s if needed, generating account status letters and processing payments. The work must be completed within strict time constraints and each Billing Specialist handles a large number of accounts.

The job requires attention to detail and basic accounting and bookkeeping methods. The job requires strong customer service skills to respond to questions, provide information and resolve billing issues, often under stressful conditions.

The job requires the ability to maintain a collaborative and cooperative working relationship with elected and appointed officials, other City employees, other organizations, and the general public.

The work environment is a Department office environment that includes a public waiting area and multiple office desks where the noise level is generally moderate, but can be distracting with public interruptions or multiple phone conversations being handled at one time.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Provides customer service to City water, sewer, and garbage customers by telephone, email or in person, answers questions, provides information, and resolves billing issues. Opens and closes accounts; updates account information; sets up payment programs including level pay, auto pay, and e-billing. Researches billing errors and initiates steps to correct which may include back billing of charges or credits.
• Processes monthly billings; Reviews meter edits, processes meter exchanges, prepares work orders, reviews charge calculations, reconciles billing reports, prepares bills for distribution.
• Contacts customers with, and responds to and resolves, billing questions and issues. Processes payments by mail, in person, from drop box, and credit-debit card payments by telephone.
• Works with delinquent customers by setting up payment plans, sending notifications, issuing shutoff notices, initiating collection procedures, and closing accounts. Processes insufficient funds and/or checks written on closed accounts, contacts customer to arrange payment; monitors account for payments, settlement and eventual resolutions, including initiating closure.
• Performs data entry to keep accounts current. Prepares and reviews activity reports. Maintains accurate documentation in accounts; implements and maintains required filing of work orders, leak adjustments and water shop orders.
• Issues work orders to sanitation for garbage cart pickups and deliveries, for new services, terminations or vacancies.
• Processes requests for leak adjustment and other service and billing adjustments; prepares nightly update.
• Performs other duties as assigned. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time.
  
  

Acceptable Experience, Training, Licenses And/Or Certifications

• High school diploma or GED required;
• Clerical and/or bookkeeping experience is preferred.
  
  

An equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge and abilities to successfully perform the essential functions of the position may be considered.

Classification Requirements

The requirements listed below are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required for an individual to satisfactorily perform each essential duty satisfactorily and be successful in the position.

Knowledge Of

• Methods, techniques, and objectives of service and financial record keeping, documentation, and the preparation of reports;
• Cash handling, bookkeeping, and accounting procedures;
• Customer service methods, techniques, and objectives;
• Data entry, filing, and related basic clerical skills;
• Federal (OSHA) regulations and City policies regarding safe work practices;
• Operation of basic office equipment including a personal computer and job-related software applications, including complex billing software.
  
  

Skill And Ability To

• Provide efficient customer service by telephone and in person, often under stressful conditions and to communicate effectively with people who may be angry, frustrated or confused;
• Provide efficient customer service to persons of varied backgrounds and experiences;
• Perform duties accurately and efficiently under time-sensitive deadlines;
• Prepare and process monthly utility billings for City water, sewer, and garbage customers;
• Perform cash handling, bookkeeping, and accounting functions to track and report on financial transactions and billing compliance;
• Maintain financial and service records, documents, and logs and prepare periodic reports;
• Operate basic office equipment;
• Operate a personal computer and job-related software, including a diverse and complex billing system;
• Perform basic clerical duties including, but not limited to, data entry, filing, and related duties;
• Perform multiple tasks simultaneously, including handling interruptions, and return to and complete tasks in a timely manner;
• Maintain a collaborative and cooperative working relationship with elected and appointed officials, other city employees, and the public;
• Maintain a professional demeanor at all times;
• Communicate effectively in the English language at a level necessary for efficient job performance;
• Complete assignments within strict deadlines; understand and comply with all rules, policies and regulations;
• Perform all duties in accordance with City policies and procedures with regard for personal safety and that of other employees and the public.
  
  

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, use hands to handle materials, keyboard or type, reach with hands and arms, and operate job-related office equipment. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds with assistance. Sufficient visual acuity and hearing capacity to perform the essential functions and interact with the public is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Company Description

The City of Pocatello with a population of 54,000 sits in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains with an abundance of outdoor recreation.

The area, which has a semi-arid climate, will allow you to enjoy the activities that all four seasons have to offer, whether locally or within a short drive to other popular destinations such as Sun Valley, Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Teton National Park, and Park City, Utah.

The City provides a comprehensive employee benefits package that includes medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, a health reimbursement account, employee assistance program, a health advocacy program, group life insurance, paid time off, tuition assistance, a deferred compensation plan, a 401K plan, and an award-winning employee wellness program. The City of Pocatello is a member of the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho.

All new hires are subject to criminal background screening prior to hire. All job offers are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check.

Benefits

The City of Pocatello offers a generous benefits package to full-time employees:

• Medical
• Prescription
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance
• PERSI Retirement
• PERSI Choice 401(k)
• 457 Retirement Planning
• HRA VEBA Contributions
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Medical
• Dependent Care
• Vacation Time
• Sick Time
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Education Assistance
• Employee Wellness Program
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Eligible Employer