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Job Description
Description
This recruitment will remain open until October 13, 2025, or until 100 applications have been received, whichever occurs first. Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as the recruitment may close prior to the stated closing date.
Career Opportunity
The City’s Utilities Department is seeking motivated, service-oriented professionals to join our Customer Support Services Division. We are currently recruiting for two positions: Customer Service Specialist and Customer Service Representative . These positions are ideal for individuals who thrive in a fast-paced, public-facing environment and are committed to delivering high-quality service to our community.
The Customer Service Specialist performs complex and technical customer service duties, including utility billing, account analysis, reconciliation, and the resolution of escalated issues. This role requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to exercise independent judgment in decision-making. The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented professional with extensive experience in utility billing and customer account resolution, preferably in a municipal environment. They possess a strong understanding of billing systems, metering practices, and consumption analysis, and can confidently manage complex account discrepancies with minimal oversight.
The Customer Service Representative serves as the first point of contact for utility customers, providing information, assistance, and account support via phone, in person, and online. Responsibilities include processing payments, responding to customer inquiries, and assisting with routine billing and service requests. The ideal candidate is a skilled communicator with experience in public contact, office administration, cashiering, or call center operations. They are organized, customer-focused, and capable of managing a high volume of inquiries with professionalism and efficiency.
Customer Support Services Division
The Customer Support Services Division ensures that all customer inquiries are addressed promptly and effectively. Our team is committed to providing high-quality assistance, resolving issues efficiently, and maintaining open lines of communication to enhance customer satisfaction. By implementing robust support systems and continuous training, we strive to exceed expectations and foster lasting relationships with our clients.
City of Palo Alto Utilities is in the process of implementing a new Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program that empowers customers to conveniently and efficiently monitor their consumption through our MYCPAU portal. Our dedicated Customer Support staff assist customers in navigating this portal, ensuring easy access to and understanding of their usage data. This initiative aims to enhance customer engagement and promote informed decision-making regarding energy consumption.
Salary:- Customer Service Specialist : $84,780.80 - $103,688.00 Annually
- Customer Service Representative : $77,272.00 - $94,473.60 Annually
Benefits: Fantastic benefits package, to learn more click Here.
Compensation (SEIU): Comprehensive compensation plan, to learn more click Here.
This position is represented by Service Employee International Union position (SEIU).
Essential Duties
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Customer Service Specialist- Calculates, corrects and adjusts the more complex utility bills requiring a more detailed analysis as relates to zero usage, non-registration, tampering or energy diversion, storm drainage fees, etc.; interface with meter shop calibration technicians concerning metering problems and repairs.
- Processes electric demand meter documents and establishes computerized records of all utility meters installed for customer accounts; monitors utility billing system records to verify accuracy of data.
- Reviews customer utility consumption data using computer terminal (CRT) to determine proper amount for service bills rejected by the Datamatic Meter Reading System; resolves problems which require detailed analysis and exercises independent judgment.
- Contacts customers to discuss billing discrepancies and performs investigations to resolve problems; composes original correspondence as necessary to investigate, explain or reconcile unusual utility usage, billing errors, mixed accounts, missing documents, meter calibration problems, etc.
- Responds to heavy telephone and counter contact with utility customers to obtain or give information of an essentially straightforward nature, but requiring a more thorough knowledge of procedures where the consequence of error is more significant.
- Processes utility bills, maintains records of customer accounts for ready access, investigates and resolves customer utility bill complaints, makes adjustments to customer accounts, types duplicate bills, all according to standard procedures.
- Answers utility customer correspondence in connection with bills or accounting procedures and follows up on delinquent closing bills, all according to standard operating procedures, but occasionally requiring use of individual judgment.
Minimum Qualifications
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities which would typically be acquired through:
Customer Service Specialist- A combination of training and education equivalent to completion of two years of college or business school; and,
- Two years experience as a Customer Service Representative, preferably with a private or municipal utility.
For the full Customer Service Specialist job description, clickHere.
Customer Service Representative- A combination of training and education equivalent to completion of two years of college or business school preferred; and,
- Two years of general office experience involving heavy telephone or public contact.
For the full Customer Service Representative job description, clickHere.
Supplemental Information
Training Period and Transition to Hybrid Work Schedule:
The training period for these positions is thorough and typically takes between six months to one year. The timeline for transition to a hybrid work schedule will ultimately depend on the supervisor’s assessment of the employee’s performance and readiness. Eligibility for a hybrid work schedule will be considered once the supervisor is confident the employee has received sufficient training and can perform all necessary tasks without direct supervision.
The Selection Process:- Recruitment status notifications will be sent via email or text (please enroll in text alerts when applying).
- Updates can also be found on your governmentjobs.com account.
- Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time.
- The screening process for this position may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.
- Multiple positions may be filled through this posting.
Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.
The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
See our Benefits at a Glance Bookletfor more details.
Learn more about our Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) between the City and its bargaining units, by clicking HERE.
Closing Date/Time: 10/13/2025 11:59 PM Pacific -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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City of Palo Alto
Show moreThe Community
The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. The community's treelined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage, and, at the same time, many world-class businesses maintain or started offices here, such as Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Amazon, Broadcom, Hewlett-Packard, Houzz, Rivian, SAP and SAP Ariba, Tesla, and Varian Medical Systems. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the start-up capital of the world. Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community's dedication to lifelong learning. Stanford's cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City's exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public-school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation. Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy featuring premium shopping and dining options. Excellent healthcare facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are some of the community's incredibly desirable and cherished amenities. To learn more, visit https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/City-Manager/Latest-NewsCity Government
Palo Alto is a full-service charter city with a council-manager form of government. The seven-member City Council is elected at large, and the City Council annually selects the Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its members. The Mayor and City Council appoint the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and City Auditor. The City Manager is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the City. Palo Alto is organized into 15 departments/offices with 1,093.10 authorized positions in FY 2025. There is also a FY 2025 capital budget of $316.2 million. Palo Alto owns and operates its own utilities, including electricity (carbon-neutral), gas, water, wastewater, and an expanding fiber network. This dynamic municipal environment ensures an ever-engaging platform for unique problem-solving and advances new initiatives, including sustainability, broadband, and effective service delivery. Community assets also include five libraries, 36 parks, five community centers, a museum and zoo, youth centers, a general aviation airport, an 18-hole golf course, a regional water treatment plant, and wildland open space preserves at the San Francisco Bay and in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains offering 41 miles of walking/biking trails in addition to its police, fire, and ambulance services. Palo Alto has long been a leader in sustainability, and the City's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals are part of what sets it apart. Since the City's first Climate Protection Plan was passed in 2007, Palo Alto has set goals that exceed State and Federal targets. Today, the City's goal to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the "80x30" goal) and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 guides sustainability efforts. An award-winning City, Palo Alto is recognized nationally as innovative and well-managed. City services and performance also receive impressive marks from community members in the Palo Alto Community Survey.
Many of those ratings put City programs and services in the highest percentiles among the hundreds of benchmark cities. Palo Alto makes decisions through comprehensive processes and proactively seeks to involve its extremely informed, educated, and engaged residents. Projects are naturally a cooperative effort among the City Council, Boards, Commissions, Committees, engaged residents, neighborhoods, businesses, property owners, and staff.
Join an Award Winning Team
Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government. We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.
Want to learn more about our benefits? Learn more by reviewing our "Benefits at a Glance Booklet."
Contact Us
Phone: 650-329-2376
Email: Recruit@paloalto.gov
Location: City Hall, 1st Floor | 250 Hamilton Ave 94301 | View Map
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