Utility Customer Service Representative

The City of Gresham is seeking a Utility Customer Service Representative to join its Utility Billing team within the Budget & Finance Department. In this front-line role, you will help customers understand and manage their City utility accounts.

About the role

As a Utility Customer Service Representative, you will be one of the City’s primary points of contact for residential, commercial, multifamily, and industrial utility customers. You will assist customers in person, by telephone, through voicemail, and by email. This position reports to the Financial Operations Utility Billing Supervisor and works closely with Utility Billing staff, field employees, other City departments, and community partners.

Responsibilities

• Assist customers with questions and requests about accounts, bills, payments, due dates, service, water use, payment arrangements, and customer assistance programs. Clearly explain account activity, City requirements, available options, and next steps.
• Maintain and update accounts: open, update, and close accounts; complete authorized extensions, payment arrangements, adjustments, enrollments, and other account changes; review information for completeness and refer requests that need further review.
• Process payments: accept and post payments, balance and reconcile payment activity, prepare checks for deposit, and follow cash-handling, security, and internal-control procedures.
• Document and follow through: create timely, factual, and complete account notes; follow customer needs through completion or clearly refer them to the appropriate employee with the information needed to take the next step.
• Prepare customer communications: prepare notices, letters, forms, refund documents, returned mail, welcome materials, and other utility correspondence; complete assigned outreach and check work for accuracy and completeness.
• Support daily operations: manage multiple priorities in a busy customer service environment, contribute to shared team responsibilities, and provide trained backup support as assigned.

Qualities

• Customer service and communication: You listen carefully, treat people respectfully, and explain account information, requirements, and next steps in plain language. You remain helpful and professional even when the answer is not what the customer hoped to hear.
• Accuracy and follow-through: You pay close attention to detail, keep clear and complete records, manage interruptions and changing priorities, and follow assigned work through completion.
• Judgment and adaptability: You follow established procedures, recognize when an issue needs further review, and pay attention to how your approach affects others. You can accept feedback, adjust your approach, and take responsibility when something does not go as planned.
• Reliability and learning: You are dependable, contribute to shared responsibilities, and communicate with coworkers. You can learn detailed procedures, use multiple computer systems, and adjust as daily needs change.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED.
• Two years of customer service, general office, or related experience.

Preferred Qualifications: The most competitive candidates will have experience in one or more of the following:

• Providing customer service in person and by telephone in a busy environment.
• Explaining billing, payment, account, or service information.
• Processing payments, handling cash, or balancing payment activity.
• Entering and maintaining information in customer, billing, payment, or document systems.
• Documenting customer contacts and following requests through completion.
• Assisting customers during difficult or sensitive situations.
• Communicating in Spanish or Russian (preferred, not required).

Schedule

This is a full-time position scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and works onsite at Gresham City Hall, 1333 NW Eastman Parkway.

Benefits

• Full family, comprehensive medical and dental insurance (most employees working at least 30 hours per week pay nothing for their medical and dental coverage).
• Medical Insurance Options: UnitedHealthcare Options PPO Network, Kaiser Permanente Traditional HMO.
• Dental Insurance Options: Delta Dental PPO Plan, Willamette Dental Insurance, Kaiser Permanente.
• Employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability.
• Employer-sponsored deferred compensation plan.
• Flexible spending accounts (medical, child care).
• Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) retirement (City picks up the 6% employee's contribution).
• Employer contribution to a HRA/VEBA medical savings account.
• Paid time off (PTO) accrual at a minimum of 12.66 hours per month, and 4 hours of sick leave, in addition to nine paid holidays and 3.5 paid floating holidays per year.

For more detailed information, visit the Employee Benefits page.