Customer Accounts Specialist I

About the Position 

The Customer Accounts Specialist I (CASI), is a position that provides specialized customer service and problem resolution to customers of the Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services. The Portland Water Bureau is committed to employing individuals who reflect our community's diverse backgrounds, cultures, and languages. The position will work in a fast-paced and customer-centric environment that requires a positive attitude, attention to detail, the ability to multi-task, the ability to assist a diverse population of customers, demonstrate empathy, and a true desire to help others.  The current vacancies are in the Call Center, where the primary responsibility is to interact with customers by phone and email.  A CASI in the Call Center will consistently review accounts, take payments and make payment arrangements, resolve customer inquiries and complaints, explain information to customers, calculate charges, start and stop services, and handle sensitive actions such as termination of service, and assessments.   

Duties and responsibilities include: 

• Answering customer inquiries and complaints via telephone, mail, web, and in person. 

• Explaining complex policies and procedures to customers in ways that they can understand. 

• Calculating and posting charges and adjustments on bills. 

• Listening to the needs of the customer and finding appropriate resources to match those needs. 

• Ability to work independently and with a group of others. 

• Exercising tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive, complex, and/or confidential customer issues. 

• Use of a sophisticated customer information system to enter, modify, correct and generate information related to customer service, the billing of our customers, and the collection of funds. 

• Understanding of various policies and procedures, program services, codes, laws, ordinances, and regulations, and how to assist customers within those parameters. 

• Ability to diffuse angry or hostile customers. 

• Accurate and meaningful record-keeping. 

• Process payments and establish appropriate payment arrangements for customers. 

• Opening and closing of customer accounts. 

As a person, you are: 

• Highly collaborative: You can take direction from and advise program teams simultaneously. You enjoy working with teams from diverse personal and professional backgrounds and be flexible in how you collaborate. 

• Detail Orientated: You will have exceptional attention to detail and follow best practices for quality assurance in your work. 

• Problem Solver: You can work independently within established guidelines to solve issues and can think outside the box treating each interaction as a unique contact. 

• Empathetic: You can understand and share the concerns of others when problem-solving customer issues. 

• Equity Focused: You have experience placing an equity lens on projects and programs that you oversee or participate in by building effective two-way dialogue with underrepresented communities. 

• Analytical: You can analyze and visualize data into actionable conclusions.  You are also able to conduct your own research.

Work Location 

Currently, many positions with the City of Portland are being performed as a remote/onsite mix. In the future, these positions: 1) may remain as a remote/onsite mix or 2) revert to full-time at a city work location. 

1. Ability to effectively and professionally communicate over the phone, in a face-to-face setting, and in writing. 

1. Knowledge and experience assisting others while navigating and utilizing computer systems. 

1. Ability to establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships with a diverse group of customers, coworkers, and others, some of whom English is not their primary language. 

1. Experience in interpreting and explaining complex information, such as regulations, rates, or policies, and making appropriate recommendations for action.  

1. Experience resolving difficult or hostile situations. 

1. Experience in maintaining accurate records and performing precise math calculations. 

• Posting: 3/13/2023 

• Applications Reviewed: week of 4/3/2023 

• Eligible List: week of 4/3/2023 

• First Round of Interviews: week of 4/17/2023

• Job Offer: week of 4/24/2023

• Start date is flexible and can be anytime between 2-6 from the offer date 

Please note: All timelines are approximate and subject to change. This timeline may be delayed due to the impacts of the current COVID-19 situation. 

Application Instructions 

Applicants must submit a professional resume and responses to the supplemental questions online, specifically focused on your qualifications for this position as identified in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement in accordance with the following Application Instructions: Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification. 

• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement. 

• Your resume should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions. 

• If you are requesting Veteran's Preference, as identified below, please describe in your responses to the supplemental questions and resume any transferrable skills obtained during your military service and how they relate to each of the required minimum qualifications under the "To Qualify" section above. 

Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm, on the closing date of this recruitment. All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. Do not attach materials not requested. E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.