WATER ADMINISTRATOR- TUCSON WATER (Customer Service Division)

About the City of Tucson:

Tucson offers an array of activities, including parks, hiking trails, entertainment, recreation, local breweries, resorts, golf courses, restaurants, and ample shopping opportunities make Tucson one of Arizona's great places to live with 350 days of sunshine a year.

About Tucson Water:

Tucson Water is the second-largest water utility in Arizona, serving over 750,000 customers over a 390 square mile service area. The City of Tucson's water utility is recognized as an industry leader in conservation, water resources management, and innovation. 

About the Position:

The Water Department is seeking a dynamic leader to join the utility as the Customer Service Division Administrator to lead the customer care efforts for about 245,000 customer accounts, with 150 people in the solution center and metering functions.  

This position is responsible for managing and integrating a full range of customer-facing functions and activities to ensure exceptional service regarding Tucson Water service accounts with residential and commercial customers. The incumbent directs and manages call center and in-person service to customers in opening and closing accounts and resolving questions and concerns about services and billing. The incumbent also directs and manages field operations involved in meter reading and verification, turn on/shut off of water service and repair/replacement of AMR devices and meters when necessary to resolve urgent customer billing issues. The incumbent is responsible for working with other administrators and managers to create and maintain a high-quality customer service and care culture consistent with Tucson Water values and goals for customer service, quality, and performance. Work is broad in scope and requires seasoned judgment and a high degree of initiative and independence.

The City of Tucson offers a wide range of generous benefits for eligible employees. Some of those benefits include:

• Medical: Choice between a high deductible plan (HSA or HRA), or Network plan
• Dental: Choice between a national dental PPO and a local dental HMO
• Vision: Coverage for annual eye exam and glasses or contacts, plus LASIK
• Life: City-paid coverage for you & dependents, plus option to buy more
• Long-Term Disability: Income replacement of up to 60% of your base salary in the event of a qualifying disability
• Employee Assistance Program: Enhance your wellbeing when life doesn’t go as planned
• Flexible Spending: Pay for qualified health and dependent care expenses using pretax dollars
• Colonial Voluntary Benefits: Financial help in the event of cancer, hospitalization, accident, and more

Your Security and Future

• Pension: Generous pension plans that help both civilian and public safety employees retire more comfortably
• Deferred Compensation: Save more toward a comfortable retirement with a 457(b) plan
• Training & Tuition Assistance: Pursue your dream through internal training or financial help toward a degree
• Back-Up Care: Care for your loved ones when your regular care is unavailable

Your Peace of Mind

• Paid Parental Leave: Six (6) weeks paid leave when you welcome a child, plus other generous leave policies for FML, Medical and USERRA
• Paid Time Away: New hires enjoy 37 days of paid time off in the first year, with time increasing steadily thereafter (In year one: 13 accrued days of vacation, 13 accrued days of sick leave, and 11 paid holidays)
• Employee Discounts: Generous discounts, ranging from car rentals to computers, gifts to groceries, electronics to entertainment
• Social Connectedness: Forge connections with the community we serve through paid volunteerism and payroll-deducted charitable giving

Administers and manages the activities and personnel of a division of the Water Department. Develops and implements water management plans, programs, and goals.

Organizes and directs daily operations of a division by performing administrative duties, overseeing programs, projects, and manager level personnel (two or more fulltime employees).

Formulates and implements division strategic plans and work activities to coordinate and synchronize with department directions and goals. Implements and evaluates department policies, projects and programs.

Oversees the planning, implementation, direction and management of all functions and resources of the division to achieve the strategic objectives of the department and the City in an efficient and effective manner.

Assists with implementing the department vision through division activities and leads the division for maximum employee productivity and morale through hiring, disciplining, evaluating employee performance, investigating and resolving grievances and other human resources actions.

Develops and administers the division budget with staff assistance.

Analyzes organizational and community needs, analyzes trends, reviews statistics and opportunities, and communicate information to department leadership of impending developments, and accomplishment of actions.

Develops strategic partnerships and contacts with community representatives, external agencies, and other organizations to develop a sense of relevant issues facing our community and to respond as a representative of the City.

Champions the values of the organization through example and accountabilities.

Ensures that division operations conform with local, state and federal governmental regulations, other applicable rules and requirements.

Produces water management reports, and ensures accurate customer billing and collections.

Facilitates solutions to problems facing the department.

Maintains professional knowledge through such means as attending seminars, reviewing professional publications and participating in professional organizations.

Minimum Education Level & Type: Bachelor's Degree or Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Water Distribution Grade 3 Certification or equivalent state certification

Minimum Experience Qualifications: At least 5 years of experience developing and implementing management plans, programs, and goals.  At least 4 of the required 5 years in a Supervisory capacity in a related functional area.

"Supervisory" is defined as having supervised at least one (1) full-time FTE.

• Bachelor's degree in Business or Public Administration, Finance, Accounting or a directly related field.
  
  
• Five years of relevant supervisory experience managing a customer services environment; developing and implementing water management plans, programs and goals in a utility.

• Experience managing a customer service telephonic call center and utility billing systems including meter reading and servicing components.
  
  
• Experience leading a large organizational division with extensive emphasis on customer and business systems. 
  
  
• Extensive knowledge of the principles, practices and methods associated with municipal water systems operation and management.
  
  
• Highly desirable candidates will possess:

• Previous water or other utility experience. 
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships.
• Clear and concise oral and written skills to prepare detailed reports and presentations.
• Experience in division-level budget preparation and monitoring.
• Experience with policy and project development, implementation and evaluation. 
• Knowledge of compliance, rules and regulations specific to utility services. 

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be evaluated on the education and work experience in their employment profile and the responses to their supplemental questions. The highest scoring applicants will then be invited to participate in a presentation and oral board. 

Applicants will receive a detailed email on 3/29/2023 with presentation instructions and to schedule a time slot. 

• Oral Presentation & Panel Interview will be held: 4/4/2023

Upon completion of all examination processes, the highest scoring applicants will be placed on the Civil Service Employment List.  An applicant's ranking on the Civil Service list will be based on their final score which will be calculated as:      

• 10% of your rating for education and work experience
• 25% of your presentation
• 65%of your oral presentation & panel interview

This recruitment will establish a civil service list that may be utilized to fill vacancies occurring within the next 6 months.

Veterans, Native American, or Disability preference points will be added to the final score for those that are placed on the Civil Service Employment List.  If you qualify for preference points as outlined in the Employment Profile, you must upload your documentation as part of the application process or email it to Ashley.Tellez@tucsonaz.gov. The DD 214 must be a copy that indicates characterization of service.  

If you are in need of Americans with Disabilities Act-related accommodation during the testing process, please contact Ashley Tellez at 520-837-2251 at least 48 hours prior to the evaluation.

None

To ensure accurate payroll information for tax purposes, the successful candidate will need to provide their original Social Security Card or original letter from the Social Security Administration with their social security number prior to beginning work with the City of Tucson.

The City of Tucson hires lawful workers only - US citizens or nationals and non-citizens with valid work authorization - without discrimination. Federal immigration laws require all employers to verify both the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. In its efforts to meet the law's requirements, the City of Tucson participates in the E-Verify program established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to aid employers in verifying the eligibility of workers.

Retired City of Tucson employees receiving benefits from the Tucson Supplemental Retirement System who are considering reemployment with the City should be aware that pursuant to Section 22-37(g) of the Tucson City Code, retirement benefits shall be suspended during the period of reemployment with the City of Tucson unless you have been separated at least twelve consecutive months before returning to work AND you return to a non-permanent employment classification. Creditable service does not accrue during any reemployment period.