Customer Relations Supervisor

Meet Santa Margarita Water District 

Santa Margarita Water District is a dynamic, forward-thinking agency dedicated to delivering high-quality potable water, recycled water, and wastewater services to its 200,000 customers across Southern Orange County. As one of the region’s largest and most impactful utilities, we are committed to the highest standards of transparency, innovation, and environmental stewardship.

Our people drive our progress, innovation, and results. Our collaborative, human-first culture fosters the sense of fun, comradery, and a rewarding sense of purpose as we do work that matters. Dynamic teams of intelligent individuals work collaboratively to achieve SMWD’s goals and solve challenges with a common aim that fosters a unique bond that is not often found in governmental agencies. 

Santa Margarita Water District’s values include: 

• Exemplary service excellence 
• Intelligent innovation that is forward-thinking and adaptive 
• Ethical fiscal responsibility and transparency 
• Environmental and resource stewardship 
• Employee development and leadership training 
• Building relationships that strengthen communities 

Essential Functions:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION STATEMENTS

The following is a non-exclusive list of essential functions. The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class.

1. Provides information to the public or to District staff that requires the use of judgment and the interpretation of policies, rules or procedures; participates as lead or subject expert in updating the District’s policies, rules, or procedures. 
2. Participates as a lead or subject matter expert in a variety of projects with Finance and Information Technology including: system implementations, Utility Billing (UB), department training plans, reconciliations, and various department projects not directly related to Utility Billing.
3. Evaluates the work of assigned personnel; recommends and implements necessary disciplinary action; participates in the selection of new personnel; ensures safe work methods are followed and that appropriate safety precautions and equipment are utilized; conducts safety and office coordination meetings. 
4. Coordinates customer escalation response related to customer complaints and notifications of problems; determines nature of problem and gives information or dispatches to appropriate staff/department.
5. Oversees the preparation of monthly call activity report and non-pay shutoff activity report and activities; supervises the entry of new service applications and a variety of customer account documents and records. 
6. Prepares monthly department reports for board packages and departmental reports; processes a variety of customer account documents and records. 
7. Performs validation reports to monitor and correct data entry, ensuring accounts have proper coding for billing accuracy and supervises research activities to obtain correct customer information.
8. Collaborate with the Customer Relations Representative III personnel to ensure proper billing procedures are followed for timely and accurate billing; serve as a lead or subject matter expert for billing system and rate configuration functions.
9. Performs a variety of general office support work such as organizing and maintaining various files, typing correspondence, reports, forms, and specialized documents, and proofreading and checking materials for accuracy, completeness and compliance with District policies and regulations. 
10. Maintains a variety of related paperwork; reviews and prepares work orders for field personnel; uses available software programs to forward field service orders to Operations; conducts follow ups on work orders and investigates those which are incomplete. Submits monthly reports on completed and pending field work orders; conducts monthly reports to ensure the customer billing database is accurate, current, and complete; performs exception and outlier reports to ensure database integrity.  
11. Collaborates with the Information Technology division in areas of UB system implementation and upgrades, data integration, policy development, Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance, and customer communication (such as email, customer portals, website resources, and voice communication systems).
12. Provides staff training and development; aids staff in resolving difficult problems encountered. 
13. Supervises and reviews the work of personnel in making entries, reconciliations, and other recordkeeping or customer service work.  
14. Performs related duties and responsibilities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education, Training and Experience:

Equivalent to graduation from four-year accredited college or university with a major coursework in public administration, business, accounting, or a closely related field or five years of customer service experience with a focus on utility billing and collection work in which a major responsibility was interpreting and explaining policies and procedures to the public, with at least two of those years in a supervisory role preferred. 

Experience at a public agency or water district is preferred. 

Licenses; Certificates; Special Requirements:

Possession of or the ability to obtain a valid California Class C driver’s license and the ability to maintain insurability under the District’s vehicle insurance program.

Ability to: 

• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Write reports and keep accurate records.
• Analyze data and draw logical conclusions.
• Accurately count, record and balance cash transactions and other monies received.
• Deal tactfully and courteously with the public, often in difficult or strained circumstances and establish and maintain effective relationships with the community at large.
• Explain and apply policies and procedures.
• Understand, apply, and calculate the District’s rate structure.
• Assign and inspect the work of Lead Customer Relations Representative and Customer Relation Representative III.
• Understand and follow verbal and written directions.
• Enter data for computer processing with speed and accuracy and typing correspondence and forms.
• Work independently and safely.
• Perform mathematical computations.
• Operate a computer and use a variety of computer software, cash register, calculator and other common office machines.
• Read grid book, maps and plans.
• Resolve customer service problems effectively and tactfully.
• Meet the physical requirements established by the District.
• Use initiative and sound independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Operate cell phone.

Knowledge and Skill Levels

Working knowledge of the principles and practices of employee supervision, including selection, training, work evaluation and discipline; considerable knowledge of utility billing procedures and policies; significant experience with utility billing software systems and interfaces, preferably Advanced Utility Systems; experience in software integration/conversions a plus; knowledge of District water system, streets, meter locations and how meters function; bookkeeping principles and practices; office management practices and procedures, including filing and the operation of standard office equipment; business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals; correct business English usage and the standard format for typed materials; policies and procedures related to the division to which assigned; basic business data processing principles and an intermediate to advanced level knowledge of Microsoft Office products Excel and Word, excellent techniques of dealing with the public, in person, online and on the telephone.