Employment Opportunity: Full-time Utility Billing Specialist
The City of Southport is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time Utility Billing Specialist. This individual will perform difficult administrative and fiscal work performing utility billing, collections, and customer service functions.
Distinguishing Features of the Class
An employee in this class is responsible for the activities which involve the generation and mailing of the utility bills; handling customer inquiries relating to utility billings and general financial support and reporting activities; preparing and verifying a variety of reports and records; collecting utility bills and other revenues, and coordinating with field services functions. Work is characterized by the multiple detailed procedural steps involved in the work and the required independent knowledge of the utility billing process and computer application. Work involves public contact functions and coordination with other departments within the City’s organizational structure. Considerable tact and courtesy are required in the public contact functions. Work is performed under regular supervision and is evaluated through conferences, by accuracy and timeliness of customer service records and bills, and thoroughness of assigned responsibilities.
Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Duties and Tasks
- Imports meter data into billing software; prints and reviews results and identifies potential issues and needs for re-reads; provides a list for re-reads to meter readers; enters miscellaneous readings into customer accounts; generates billing information, performs edits, and sends billing information to billing vendor.
- Updates bills to customer accounts; closeout billing cycles.
- Creates and updates work orders.
- Prepares and sends bank draft files; updates file to customer accounts.
- Enters meter readings and meter numbers into accounts as they change; enters customer deposits into system.
- Assists customers with billing questions, payments, and moving accounts; take payments by credit card; updates and maintains customer database.
- Maintains a database on businesses subject to business license requirements; creates bills; takes payments; creates new accounts; mails delinquency letters; closes accounts; applies fee schedule accurately.
- Enters payments received by mail into a database; takes credit card payments.
- Sets up new accounts with customers; takes deposits; verifies identity; closes out accounts and applies deposits to final bills.
- Coordinates the activities of the office with the utility’s personnel responsible for the various utility functions within the City; coordinates with field utility staff the connection and disconnection of services to customers.
- Answers complaints from citizens, researches problems, and answers to their questions; adjust bills for leaks, incorrect meter readings, etc.
- Establishes new customer accounts; ensures proper initial readings are entered; establishes, updates and deletes accounts for multiple temporary development needs.
- Monitors the billing cycle and assures that all records are submitted on a timely basis in order that established deadlines will be met.
- Prepares a variety of fiscal reports involving compiling, typing, data entry, reconciling, and other financial support activities; files records and reports.
- Maintains good relationships with those that provide programs and/or services on behalf of customers’ utilities; will keep documentation of financial assistance for customers and reference the information during billing.
Additional Job Duties
- Performs related duties as required.
Recruitment and Selection Guidelines
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Considerable knowledge of local policy, billing, and customer service cycles regarding garbage, water, and sewer services.
- Thorough knowledge of the utility billing software application and ability to operate hardware to produce accurate, timely bills.
- Working knowledge of state statutes related to utility billing, business licenses, and customer service.
- Knowledge of standard operating practices involved in modern office operation and serving the public.
- Some knowledge of electrical services and related billing issues.
- Some knowledge of paraprofessional accounting principles and practices.
- Working knowledge of water meter operations.
- Skill in customer service excellence and collaborative conflict resolution.
- Skill with modern office technology.
- Ability to deal with the public in a tactful and effective manner.
- Ability to create and maintain accurate records, reports, and files in support of a cash receipt and customer-oriented operation.
- Ability to operate calculator, computer terminal, typewriter, cash register, and related office equipment at the desired level of speed and accuracy.
- Ability to make accurate mathematical calculations.
- Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written forms.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, public officials, and customers.
- Ability to maintain confidential information.
- Ability to organize work for efficient processing and meet established deadlines.
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of fingering, reaching, lifting, grasping, talking, hearing, and repetitive motions.
- Must be able to perform sedentary work exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
- Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and use figures and statistics, operate a computer terminal, read maps and written material extensively.
Desirable Education and Experience
- An associate’s degree in business and or accounting
- Experience in a billing operation involving multiple-step tasks and use of billing software
- An equivalent combination of education and experience
Special Requirement
- May require the ability to be bonded.
Qualified applicants should submit completed applications to:
Human Resources, City of Southport
[email protected]
1029 N. Howe Street
Southport, NC 28461
