Utility Billing Supervisor

Summary

WORKING FOR THE CITY OF MCKINNEY
Working for the City of McKinney is more than a job. It is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. It is also an opportunity to have a hand in the development of one of the fastest growing communities in the nation. In 2014, our community was named "The #1 Best Place to Live in America." Although proud of that honor, everyone on our team is committed to making McKinney an even better place to live, work and raise a family. That's why we exist.

OUR CORE VALUES
City of McKinney employees work hard and at a very fast pace. However, we also look after and support one another. All of us are guided by four employee-inspired values – Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (RISE). We are also supported by servant-based leaders who foster and support a healthy, family-oriented culture. All new employees are expected to embrace and live by our core values and commit to helping us sustain our exceptional work environment as a high performance organization (HPO).

SUMMARY OF POSITION
As a key member of the Utility Customer Operations department, this position will work primarily within one of the following three functional areas: Customer Service, Cash Handling, and Collections or Billing and Applications. The Supervisors will report to the respective Assistant Managers. The purpose of the Utility Billing Supervisor is to assist in the supervisory and operational responsibilities of customer service, cash handling, collections, billing and service applications.

Essential Functions/Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides direction, guidance, and assistance to employees and meter services; provides training as needed; coordinates daily work activities; monitors work status, inspects completed work, and troubleshoots problem situations; establishes priorities.
• Coaches, supervises, evaluates, and recommends the hiring of staff.
• Conforms to city policies and applicable laws in carrying out supervisory responsibilities that include interviewing prospective employees; training; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; recommending employee reward and discipline actions.
• Coordinates and oversees the City's utility billing operations in maintaining serviceability, accountability, compliance, and performance of staff.
• Operates a personal computer, laptop computer, or other equipment as necessary to complete essential functions, including word processing, spreadsheet, database, email, Internet, or other computer programs.
• Interacts with public and staff on a daily basis; answer inquires, address complaints, grievances, emergencies, issues, and assist customers as needed.
• Fosters a positive and equitable work atmosphere and provide effective problem resolution.
• Delivers timely, accurate and thorough performance evaluations for supervised employees.
• Manages work allocation and establish timelines and priorities.
• Serves as a backup to the other functional areas as needed.
• Exhibits regular and consistent attendance for the assigned work hours.
• Builds professional relationships with internal staff and customers.
• Offers flexibility and adaptability, especially during times of change.
• Ensures KPI standards are met.
• Receives various forms, reports, correspondence, applications, policies, procedures, manuals, reference materials, or other documentation; reviews, completes, processes, forwards, or retains as appropriate.
• Assists the Assistant Managers in developing and implementing departmental goals and policies, work plans, procedures, workflows, performance measures, and other activities of the department.
• Attends and participates in professional meetings, conferences, seminars.
• Promotes excellent customer service, effective response times, and provides expert insights into general issues.
• Continuously builds on a solid working knowledge of Division processes to provide innovative and proactive guidance to staff.

• Manages the day-to-day processing of utility billings for water, sewer, stormwater drainage, and residential trash in addition to miscellaneous billings.
• Maintains the integrity of account balances by analyzing and preparing various adjustments as needed.
• Reviews and approves penalty adjustments.
• Maintains proper internal controls to ensure the safeguarding of all assets held in the Billing and Applications Office.
• Continuously monitors and maintains the integrity of utility billing and payment data.
• Establishes and maintains departmental credibility by ensuring timely and accurate billings and analysis.
• Investigates and responds in writing to complaints and inquiries from utility customers regarding utility billing, rates, and city policies and procedures regarding utilities.
• Monitors the City’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system for anomalies.
• Ensures start/stop service requests are processed in a timely manner to ensure water service to customers.
• Reviews site plans to identify the impervious area to bill the correct amount for stormwater drainage.
• Oversees the daily functions of billing and applications for the entire City, including welcome emails, missing documents, and additional documents.
• Reviews the yearly billing/cutoff calendar for accuracy.
• Maintains inter-departmental billing.
• Oversees the winter quarter average calculations.
• Reviews and approves leak credits.
• Inputs commercial meter sets.

• Supervises the issuance of receipts indicating appropriate general accounts.
• Maintains the integrity of account balances by analyzing and correcting various entries to account balances.
• Maintains cash funds including reconciling fund when necessary for replenishment or reviewing reconciliation check request.
• Protects city revenues through appropriate collection and handling of funds.
• Monitors compliance with citywide cash handling policies and procedures.
• Oversees the preparation and submittal of the Check-21 ACH file.
• Investigates disputed payments (i.e. NSF and credit card chargebacks) and monitors their reimbursements.
• Supervises the reconciliation and preparation of the daily bank deposits for all city departments, credit card payments, and other electronic payments.
• Oversees the collection process of delinquent accounts, including scheduling disconnection of service for non-payment; investigates whether accounts should be assessed additional fees and/or be terminated for non-payment.
• Maintains accurate delinquent dates in Customer Information System (CIS) software.
• Ensures superior customer service is provided to citizens, businesses, and internal departments.
• Resolves customer issues arising from meter reading, utility billing, and account collections, in person and by phone.
• Ensures the efficient operation of the customer counter, ensuring proper coverage for telephones; ensuring any supplies and equipment are provided; determining problems and the solutions; and tracking performance indicators.
• Investigates and responds verbally and in writing to complaints and inquiries from utility customers regarding utility billing, rates, and city policies and procedures regarding utilities.
• Oversees daily functions of Customer Service.
• Reviews and approves second notices and cut-offs for non-payment.
• Reviews and approves penalty adjustments.
• Researches returned mail; ensures postal standards are met.
• Processes refunds.
• Ensures accuracy of the delinquency schedule.

• Perform other duties as assigned or directed.

• Ability to embrace and embody the City's core values of Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (R.I.S.E.).
• Ability to perform mental math, including percentages.
• Ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and/or assess data and/or information using established criteria. Includes exercise of discretion in determining actual or probable consequences, and in referencing such evaluation to identify and select alternatives.
• Ability to apply principles of influence systems, such as motivation, incentive, and leadership.
• Ability to operate with a sense of urgency.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment to apply facts and principles for developing approaches and techniques to problem resolution.
• Ability to communicate effectively with peers, supervisors, subordinates, and people to whom service is provided.
• Ability to produce desired work outcomes, including quality, quantity, and timeliness.
• Ability to plan and organize work, time, and resources, and if applicable, that of subordinates.
• Comprehension of accounting to include billing, accounts receivable and cash management.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations related to municipal utilities and the safekeeping of personal information.
• Knowledge of industry standards and payment technologies related to revenue collections.
• Ability to handle customers in a professional manner with the ability to diffuse difficult situations.
• High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientation.
• Ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness, and creativity required in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.
• Ability to identify and implement process improvements.
• Demonstrate a collaborative and flexible style, with a strong service mentality.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills including the ability to calculate and tabulate data.
• Mathematical skills that produce reliable calculations.
• Effective communicator with strong oral and written skills.
• Ability to work under time pressures and problem solve.

Physical Demands/Supplemental

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Tasks involve the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds). Tasks involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or work station. Tasks require visual and sound perception and discrimination. Requires the ability to perform coordinated movements involving turning motions such as operating a computer or calculator. Tasks require oral communications.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
There is limited exposure to environmental conditions.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed as of the date of preparation and approval. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the position. Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by management. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and all requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

The City of McKinney is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) committed to an alcohol / drug free workplace and to providing equal opportunities regardless of age, race, color, gender, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

The City offers a full complement of benefits:

Health Insurance

• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Medical and Childcare Account (FSA)
• Mental Health Care and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• City-paid and Voluntary Life Insurance
• City-paid and Voluntary Long Term Disability Insurance
• Supplemental Insurance through Aflac

• Legal Services through Legal Shield
• Tuition Reimbursement (up to $10,000 per year)
• Wellness Program (earn up to $600 per year)

• Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS)
  • Mandatory 7% employee contribution
  • City match 2:1
  • 5 year vesting
  • Retire after 20 years of service, or age 60 with 5 years of service
• 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans

• Paid Vacation (80 hours per year for new hires; tiered increases after 2 yrs)
• Sick Leave (135 hours per year for yourself and immediate family)
• Paid Parental Leave (80 hours for birth, adoption, or placement of a child in foser care)
• Ten Paid Holidays
• Personal Day
• Optional compensatory time for hourly employees
• Compensatory time for salaried employees