City of St. Catharines Looking for Manager of Customer Service at St. Catharines, ON Full Time

Summary of Duties:
Reporting to the Director Corporate Support Services, the Manager of Customer Service is responsible for the overall management and daily operations of the Citizens First division providing quality customer service for City of St. Catharines municipal inquires and financial accuracy for the intake of various municipal payments and associated processing. Together, with the various City departments, the Manager of Customer Service continuously reviews, identifies and consolidates ever-changing information to effectively implement the City’s customer service strategy.

Duties and Responsibilities:
(These set out the principal functions of the position and shall not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements).

• Manage the planning, staffing, coordination, execution and administration of the Citizens First division and customer service staff responsible for providing quality service to customers by addressing municipal inquiries and processing various payments by phone, email or in-person at City Hall.
• Manage, lead and support the corporate customer service strategy while fostering a culture of high performance and industry leading customer service that reflects our core values and corporate strategy.
• Identify and analyze customer service benchmarks, data and trends to develop and implement policies, procedures, reports and action plans to ensure quality standards for customer contact and service delivery.
• Manage incoming payments for property taxes, utilities and various miscellaneous accounts receivable which together make of up the City’s main source of revenue.
• Accountable for payment processing, floats, cash handling and associated financial processes including cash balancing, account adjustments, financial investigations, waiving fees/penalties and processing through external agencies (ie. financial institutions and mortgage companies) while maintaining financial accuracy with tight deadlines.
• Build and foster strong relationships with internal departments and act as a liaison to define existing processes and develop new processes and operating procedures.
• Maintain contact with the Communication division to manage messaging related to unplanned events such as public service announcements and media release to ensure the Citizens First team has up-to-date and accurate information.
• Monitor and measure performance of the systems including availability, stability and capacity and recommends for change requirements.
• Develops strategies for service improvement, including training needs for technical and interpersonal skills and provide appropriate training options.
• Design, plan, evaluate and report on customer service performance indicators. Use reporting tools to monitor performance and adherence to standards and service levels as required.
• Handle escalated customer complaints and resolve conflicts involving customers in accordance with set standards, departmental processes/procedures and City policies.
• Manage project teams related to developing and implementing enhancements to the overall customer service experience.
• Participate in proposal preparations and evaluation of customer service software and services.
• Responsible for the divisional budget and associated reporting.
• Continue to support our Customer Service Vision Statement: “Working together to provide an exceptional customer experience through our commitment to efficiency and innovation.”
• Other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements:

• Post secondary diploma or degree in business administration, customer service, public administration, accounting, or a related field.
• Five years’ experience working in a customer service environment or finance environment, in a supervisory or management capacity, preferably within a unionized municipal setting.
• Knowledge of all aspects of legislated customer service requirements, including and not limited to AODA compliance, Municipal Act, Assessment Act, Public Utilities Act, etc.
• Experience using software such as Microsoft Office 365, Customer Relationship Management, Knowledge Base, Automated Call Distribution system, AMANDA, WorkManagement System, ActiveNet, and Humanity or similar software systems.
• Completion of Municipal certification (AMCTO, MAP, MAFP, etc.) is considered an asset.
• Strong working knowledge of municipal taxation, utility and accounts receivable, collections, processing and audit control of cash management and related software.
• Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles.
• Keen attention to detail and ability to work with ledgers, balance cash, reconcile accounts, identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Demonstrated experience developing and using key performance indicators (KPI) for customer service department including key telephony performance indicators.
• Ability to organize, lead, mentor and inspire others to excel in a team environment that fosters innovative approaches to problem solving.
• Ability to set priorities, delegate and manage work demands individually and for the team to meet position expectations.
• Strong and effective leadership, interpersonal, communication, presentation, analytical, decision-making, problem-solving, negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Aptitude to learn new systems/software and create and conduct accompanying staff training and work procedures.
• A demonstrated commitment to enhancing a safety culture through effective management with the goal of maintaining a healthy and safe operation.
• Proven completion of Ministry of Labour Supervisor Health and Safety Awareness training.

Salary Range: Minimum $82,022 annually; Maximum $102,528 annually

*2022 rates (2023 adjustment TBD)

Expected Work Location: 50 Church Street, St. Catharines (eligible for remote work)

Hours of Work: 35 hours per week

Applications will be accepted online at www.stcatharines.ca/jobs. Applications received any other way will not be accepted.

The City of St. Catharines is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes and work environments. We will accommodate the needs of applicants under the
Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Please advise the Human Resources Division to ensure your accessibility needs are accommodated throughout this process.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: $82,022.00-$102,528.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Dental care
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision care

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in ST. CATHARINES, ON