Bilingual Spanish Contact Center Representative

This is an internal job posting. Only former Multnomah County employees on an active recall list may apply.

About the role

Multnomah County Library is seeking Bilingual Spanish customer service professionals to join our Library Contact Center staff. The Library Contact Center is a system-wide service that provides virtual account assistance and information services. It is the first point of contact for the 200,000 remote and virtual patrons who contact us every year by phone, over email, and through chat and text.

The library is open and welcoming to all members of our community, including individuals who may be encountering hardships or challenges that affect their behavior and interactions. This position requires someone with the ability to work respectfully and capably with people from all backgrounds and age groups. You must demonstrate a positive attitude, excellent interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, and a sense of humor while working with customers, co-workers, and the community.

Multnomah County Library is committed to supporting our communities of color and other communities subjected to marginalization by centering race and intersectionality in the services we provide. As a member of our team, all staff are expected to act as allies to library staff and patrons from communities of color and other groups subjected to marginalization by:

• Speaking up to support staff and patrons subjected to marginalization
• Speaking out against racism and oppression
• Demonstrating behavior that is culturally aware and sensitive

Responsibilities

• Handle patron account management and general informational needs with a specific focus on Spanish-speaking patrons, while assisting all patrons in navigating library services, including those offered through our website.
• Interview patrons to determine the nature of their questions and provide basic patron services such as finding and registering for events, booking meeting rooms, suggesting purchases, and booking various library staff appointments.
• Use the Integrated Library System (ILS) to explain circulation policy/procedure and account management.
• Handle general informational inquiries (e.g., TriMet information, directions, directory assistance, word etymology, weather inquiries, Wikipedia or Internet Movie Database inquiries).
• Troubleshoot ebook applications and devices and provide basic technical support to patrons.
• Be scheduled for in-person customer service in a physical location.
• Provide input on changes to virtual services parameters, practices, and policies (e.g., copyright practices, mailing size and costs, patrons who need clearly defined boundaries).
• Document, debrief, follow up, and problem-solve with other Contact Center Team members around patron thresholds and service issues related to virtual transactions.
• Train, mentor, and coach other staff in virtual services best practices and related topics.
• Attend staff meetings and regular huddles.
• Complete clerical tasks such as scheduling, writing reports, record keeping, and other related items.
• Serve on committees, task forces, and project teams.
• Exercise quick and mature judgment in dealing with potentially disruptive, physically dangerous, or abusive customers and emergencies, including de-escalation or seeking assistance from a supervisor.

Requirements

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required.

• Three (3) years of customer service-oriented experience.
• High school diploma or the equivalent.
• Ability to speak, read, and write fluently in Spanish as well as English.
• Thorough knowledge of and/or extensive experience with the Spanish-speaking community, demonstrated by knowledge of the traditions, values, and customs of the community being served.
• Ability to pass a criminal records check, should a job offer be extended (not currently employed by the Library). Results of the records check will be reviewed on an individualized basis. A conviction is not an automatic bar to employment.

Preferred Qualifications

You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications to qualify. However, we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates:

• Library clerical or information service experience.
• Remote or virtual customer service experience.

Pay

$29.29 - $36.03 hourly.

Schedule

This position is designated as "hybrid telework," meaning you will be working both remotely (from home) and in person at an onsite location. All employees must reside in Oregon or Washington. The onsite work location for this position is Central Library, 801 SW 10th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205.