Customer Accounts Supervisor

Full Job Description

The City of Tacoma is recruiting to establish an Eligible List for the position of Customer Accounts Supervisor, which will be used to fill vacancies in Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) and Environmental Services (ES) as they occur for a period of one year.

Customer Accounts Supervisors serve as first-line leaders in the Customer Service series, providing operational oversight, coaching, and performance management for Customer Service teams delivering essential public services.

Supervisors are responsible for ensuring equitable, accurate, and customer focused service across in-person, telephone, and electronic service channels while supporting staff development, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Essential Duties:

• Oversee customer account activities including service establishment, payment arrangements, billing inquiries, assistance program administration, processing of billing adjustments, and payments in accordance with policy and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure accurate documentation of customer interactions and compliance with established procedures across multiple customer information systems.
• Supervise and develop assigned personnel by coaching, training, evaluating performance, addressing performance concerns, and identifying performance trends to implement targeted coaching, training and process improvements that support operational goals.
• Ensure compliance with collective bargaining agreements and City policies when addressing performance concerns.
• Serve as escalation point for complex or sensitive customer issues, ensuring timely resolution while modeling professionalism, de-escalation techniques, and customer-centered practices.
• Coordinate communications and special projects with other City departments’ personnel and outside organizations.
• Attend various meetings as assigned including billing dispute hearings.
• Develop, review, and update procedures and policies related to customer accounts, billing accuracy, payment processing, assistance programs, collections activities, and documentation standards.
• Assist in compiling information and preparing reports for departmental budget preparation, statistical and analytical reports.
• Oversee the maintenance of records related to utility services performed, billed, documented and processed within customer information systems.
• Ensure continuous process improvements throughout the division while providing leadership and direction to staff.
• Promote a culture of accountability, equity, inclusion, and collaboration within the team and across departments.

Requirements

• Graduation from high school or equivalent
• 5 years of increasingly responsible technical experience in a customer service environment
• Supervisory experience or training within the past 10 years

NOTE: 3 or more years as a Customer Services Representative, Lead, with the City of Tacoma or Tacoma Public Utilities, will meet the requirement of supervisory experience.

Desired Qualification
Bilingual

Licensing, Certifications and Other Legal Requirements
Depending upon assignment, a Washington State driver's license may be required.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
Office environment.
Responsible for dealing with escalated customer situations.
Extensive public contact; subject to verbal abuse from irate or emotionally charged customers.
Depending on assignment, may require occasional local travel.

Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Principles and practices of supervision and training

• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing

• Ability to de-escalate challenging situations

• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action

• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others

• Revise and adopt work procedures and record-keeping systems

• Plan and organize work

• Meet schedules and timelines

• Ability to understand, apply, and explain codes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures

• Add, subtract, multiply and divide quickly and accurately

• Maintain records and prepare reports

• Coaching and performance management practices, including documentation and corrective action processes.

Additional Information

City of Tacoma Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve.

We're committed to eliminating racial and other disparities, and we actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.

Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

The City of Tacoma believes that diversity of thought, background, and experience contributes to our success and innovation.

If you’re passionate about this role and our mission, we encourage you to apply. If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience.

We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

Apply
Interested individuals should apply online and attach a detailed resume and cover letter that includes job experience, major responsibilities and accomplishments related to this position.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will have their supplemental question responses reviewed by a panel of subject matter experts as part of the civil service examination. Applicants who pass the examination will be placed on the eligible list for interview and hiring consideration.

Reference checks will be conducted on final candidates. Appointment is subject to passing a background check. This position is covered by a Labor Agreement between the City of Tacoma and Local 483. New employees must successfully complete a nine-month probationary period prior to obtaining permanent status in this classification.

Compensation & Benefits
Pay Details:
Hourly Rate: $43.92- $53.39
Annual Salary: $91,353.60- $111,051.20

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the NEOGOV system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication with the City of Tacoma

We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from Tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.