City Of Alameda Looking for Customer Service Representative at Alameda, CA Full Time

Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) is currently recruiting for a Customer Service Representative. This position works onsite 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. AMP offers a competitive benefits package.

This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of a close-knit team making a significant impact in the local community. Please read on to learn more about AMP and this career opportunity.

About Alameda Municipal Power

In 1887, the City of Alameda paid $20,000 for the installations of 13 streetlights and a 90-kW generating station to power them. And with that, the oldest public electric utility west of the Mississippi was created.

Today, the City of Alameda is still in the power business and still a trendsetter. Now known as Alameda Municipal Power (AMP), we have survived over a century and a quarter of utility mergers that created behemoths in other places.

AMP has provided safe reliable power at lower rates without sacrificing service to power our community. We maintain local control so that we can re-invest in the island and provide value to enrich our lives, businesses, and the community. In fact, since 1887, AMP has contributed more than $75 million to the City of Alameda’s General Fund.

We’ve seen a lot of change in 134 years, but through it all there’s been one constant: We’re as committed today to delivering safe and reliable electricity to the residents and businesses of Alameda as we were in 1887. We’ll continue to invest in new and improved ways of doing business to manage costs, improve our service, and improve the environment.

About the Division/Position

The Administration division has a key role to play in helping Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) provide rate payers and internal customers essential services such as customer services, utility billing, support services, and financial and accounting services.

As part of our team, you will have the opportunity to contribute to a wide array of projects. We are looking for a colleague with exceptional interpersonal skills and excellent communication skills, data analysis skills, attention to detail, and an interest in learning new skills to meet the ongoing needs of the highly dynamic energy sector.

• Promotes positive customer service relations through daily interactions with customers via telephone, portal, email, mail, and face-to-face while displaying a positive attitude and work ethic.
• Educates customers about the fundamentals and benefits of current and emerging programs and various ways to save on energy.
• Performs various financial transactions, including processing or transferring payments, adjusting charges, preparing bank deposits, reversing payments, issuing refunds, processing bankruptcies, providing proof of claims, and reconciling remote payment transactions.
• Uses customer information system to enter data of utility customers and make changes. Coordinates work orders with utility field and billing units, checks credit ratings, obtains other information to assist customers; resolves or refers accounts to investigators to report of unauthorized utility usage and uses policy, procedures, and guidelines to determine deposit requirements and restoration of service.
• Handles delinquent accounts through non-pay work orders and bad debt collection work, including referrals to collection agency.
• Works as part of a team and collaborates with colleagues to reach customer service goals.
• Maintains various manual records, logs and ledgers.
• Researches customer records and interfaces with other divisions and departments to resolve more difficult customer inquiries and prepares correspondence.
• May provide lead direction and training.

Qualifications to Apply

Please note that the City of Alameda considers full vaccination against COVID-19 to be a minimum qualification of employment. Any applicant selected for hire must be fully vaccinated by the start of employment.

Education: The Customer Service Representative requires graduation from high school. Course work in customer relations, business, modern office practices or a related field is desirable.

Experience: The Customer Service Representative requires three years of progressively responsible experience in heavy telephone or public contact, customer service, credit and collections, and program and service promotion. Experience working in a municipal or utility setting is desirable

We will also consider an equivalent combination of education and experience that meets the stated requirements in the job description.

Here are some additional qualifications we are seeking in our ideal candidate:

Knowledge of customer service principles and processes; basic marketing concepts and methods, procedures, practices and terminology used in billing and financial record keeping work; and clerical accounting principles; computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and customer databases; English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation in a business environment; mathematical principles; modern office practices and procedures including applications of information systems; modern office equipment including personal computers; filing methods and systems.

Ability to communicate effectively with customers both in person, by mail, over the telephone and in email; understand pertinent procedures and functions quickly and use good judgment in interpreting and applying them to a variety of circumstances under general supervision; interpret, apply and explain established policies and procedures; market programs and services based on the customer’s interests and needs; analyze and evaluate data; make accurate and logical determinations based upon data and interpretive guidelines; establish and maintain accurate records; speak clearly and concisely; operate a personal computer; simultaneously communicate with customers and accurately enter data into a computer; work effectively under pressure and with frequent interruptions; handle multiple priorities, organize workload and meet deadlines; communicate and collaborate with other departments as needed; work in a team-based environment to achieve common goals; perform arithmetic calculations; establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees and the general public; provide lead direction and training. Ability to type from clear printed copy at a speed of 45 net words per minute and operate a 10-key calculator by touch.

Selection Process

Applications and questionnaires will be evaluated and candidates whose experience is evaluated as “best qualified” will be invited to an examination process. The examination process for this recruitment may include 1) online skills testing and 2) a structured panel interview including a job-related exercise. The interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week of June 13, 2022.

The examination process may test for, but is not limited to, the essential knowledge and abilities listed in the job specification and announcement and will be designed to provide a comprehensive review of each candidate’s technical knowledge and overall suitability for the position. Qualified applicants will be notified of the exact date, time, and location of examinations approximately two weeks in advance. If applicants have not received written notice at least one week prior to the tentative test date listed in the flyer, they should contact the City of Alameda Human Resources Department at (510) 747-4900.

Candidates passing all components of the examination process will be placed on an Eligible List. A list of names is certified to the department(s) having vacancies based on the type of examination conducted pursuant to the provision of the City’s Civil Service Rules. Final selection will be made from the Eligible List by the Department Head subject to approval by the City Manager. The Department Head may utilize additional selection procedures to make a final hiring decision. Placement on an Eligible List does not guarantee employment. Prior to appointment, a thorough reference check will be conducted which may include a credit check and background. The selection process may be evaluated and revised based on the number of qualified applicants. Federal law requires that prior to employment, you must furnish proof of your identity and eligibility for employment in the United States, as required the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

E-VERIFY: The City of Alameda utilizes the Federal government’s E-Verify program and new employees must provide documentation to establish identity and work authorization, which includes showing a valid United States Social Security card at the time of hire (photocopies not accepted).

VETERAN’S PREFERENCE CREDIT: A job applicant qualifies as a veteran if honorably discharged from active military, reservist, or National Guard duty of at least 18 consecutive months within the past five (5) years of the date of application. In case of discharge attributable to service-connected injuries or illnesses, the 18 months active duty requirement need not be fulfilled. An applicant claiming veteran’s preference credit must attach to their application, a legible copy of their DD-214 verifying the type of discharge and date(s) of active service. NO OTHER DOCUMENTATION WILL BE ACCEPTED.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: The City of Alameda encourages minorities, women and the disabled to apply. It is the City’s policy that all aspects of employment and promotion shall be without regard to sex, marital status or disability (except where dictated by requirements of the position), race, sexual orientation, political affiliation, religious creed, color, national origin or age. Qualified disabled persons must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations. No individual may pose a direct threat to the health or safety of himself/herself or other individuals in the workplace. Barring undue hardship, reasonable accommodations can be made in the application and examination process for disabled individuals or for religious reasons. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be made in advance to the Human Resources Department. Hearing Impaired TDD (510) 522-7538.

The information contained herein is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.