Customer Service Specialist

City of Portsmouth•Portsmouth, VA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

Under general supervision, this position performs a variety of routine clerical functions for the Public Works Department, to include Waste Management. Receives and creates orders for advanced bulk pickup, missed trash collection, can replacement and repair, and miscellaneous waste concerns; records required documentation and identification; responds to inquiries from management staff; contacts customers, and collects additional information needed. Performs administrative support work such as word processing, creating spreadsheets, data entry and retrieval, and functions that may require interpretation, judgment and determining appropriate processes to be used; reviews forms, data and other information to ensure accuracy and conformance to established procedures and policies. Answers telephone and greets visitors and/or contractors; responds to inquiries and complaints and provides or refers callers to the appropriate source; routes messages for department personnel. May screen and respond to inquiries and complaints; provides information on policies and procedures; performs other similar types of administrative support activities; responsible for establishing, coordinating, and/or maintaining filing and record systems. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.

Requirements

Considerable knowledge of modern office practices and procedures.
Considerable knowledge of arithmetic, spelling, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary.
General knowledge of the policies and procedures, and the organization and function of the department.
Skilled in the operation of common office equipment, including popular computer-drive word processing, spreadsheet and file maintenance programs.
Able to screen communications and, based on content, handle independently or route to proper source.
Able to correct spelling, grammatical, punctuation and typing errors.
Able to use independent judgment in organizing and establishing format.
Able to gather information from a variety of sources and draft documents.
Able to establish and maintain moderately complex files.
Able to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Able to exercise tact and courtesy in frequent contact with the general public.
Able to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities.
Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility.
Maintains high quality communication and interacts within department and division, and with co-workers and the public.
Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities.
Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines.
Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, city policy, standards and prescribed procedures.
Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.
Attends work regularly and adheres to city policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness.
Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.
Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountability.
Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.
Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility.
Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives.
Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations.
Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors.
Seeks expert or experienced advice, and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.
Accepts supervisory instruction and direction, and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same.
Questions instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified, such as poor communication, and or variance with city policy or procedures.
Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department.
Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefit.
Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees.
Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, representatives from organizations, and the public so as to maintain good will toward the department and project a good departmental image.
Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons to maintain good will within the city.
Interacts effectively with fellow employees, supervisor, professionals and the public.
Plans and organizes daily work routine.
Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology.
Avoids duplication of effort.
Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly.
Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time.
Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules.
Maintains a calendar for meetings, deadlines and events.
Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies.
Ensures that standards are not violated.
Maintains a clean and orderly work place.
Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machinery and equipment including computer, printer, typewriter, calculator, facsimile machine, copier, multi-line telephone systems, etc.
Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
Data Conception: Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or composite characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
Interpersonal Communication: Ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments or directions from superiors.
Language Ability: Ability to read a variety of correspondence, forms, reports, log sheets, billing registers, water contracts, bills, etc. Ability to prepare correspondence, forms, reports, field tickets, rate charts, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction and style. Ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence.
Intelligence: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions; to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in or from standardized situations.
Verbal Aptitude: Ability to record and deliver information, explain procedures, and follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in standard English and possess a basic working knowledge of accounting, clerical and computer operation terminology.
Numerical Aptitude: Ability to utilize mathematical formulas, to add and subtract, multiply and divide, and utilize decimals and percentages.
Form/Spatial Aptitude: Ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
Motor Coordination: Ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using office equipment.
Manual Dexterity: Ability to handle a variety of items such as office equipment. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
Interpersonal Temperament: Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress.
Physical Communication: Ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear.) Must be able to communicate via telephone.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a call center, or office setting preferred.

Responsibilities

Receives and creates orders for advanced bulk pickup, missed trash collection, can replacement and repair, and miscellaneous waste concerns.
Records required documentation and identification.
Responds to inquiries from management staff.
Contacts customers and collects additional information needed.
Performs administrative support work such as word processing, creating spreadsheets, data entry and retrieval.
Reviews forms, data and other information to ensure accuracy and conformance to established procedures and policies.
Answers telephone and greets visitors and/or contractors.
Responds to inquiries and complaints and provides or refers callers to the appropriate source.
Routes messages for department personnel.
Screens and responds to inquiries and complaints.
Provides information on policies and procedures.
Establishes, coordinates, and/or maintains filing and record systems.
Performs other duties as assigned.