Introduction
Charlotte’s local government, with more than 7,000 employees and a $2.39 billion budget, works hard to ensure that the community will be a winning city for everyone – a truly remarkable place to live, work, learn and play.
Charlotte Water is an enterprise department of the City of Charlotte and one of the largest public water and sewer service providers in the southeast with 300,000 customer accounts and over 1000 employees. Our service area includes the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the towns of Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mint Hill, Matthews and Pineville. Charlotte Water’s FY 23 budget is $535M and a five-year capital program of $2.5 billion. We enjoy the highest credit ratings from all three major credit rating agencies as a result of sound financial planning and management and strong support from our City Council. We value competent, skilled candidates with a customer service focus to work in a team environment.
Overview
The City of Charlotte is the largest municipality in North Carolina and the 17th largest city in the United States, with a total population of more than 872,498 citizens. A major commerce center, Charlotte hosts several of the nation’s largest banks and technology companies.
Also known as the Queen City, Charlotte is home to the Carolina Panthers, the Charlotte Hornets and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. We work hard to ensure that the community will be a winning city for everyone – a truly remarkable place to live, work, learn and play. Join us in helping to keep our City thriving, ensuring upward mobility and advancement in the workplace.
Summary
Under the general direction of the Customer Service Division Manager, provide collaborative leadership in supporting the Customer Service Division’s systems and service delivery activities in conjunction with establishing new standardized operating practices, in the areas of divisional inventory administration; fleet management; water meter installations, meter testing, meter reading, maintaining and repairing metering equipment; field service order management; AMR/AMI data management; pre-billing exceptions, account management, and customer service care functions. Specifically manages four operational sections: Customer Service Operations Center, Residential Field Services, Commercial/Industrial Services and Meter Services. Respond to customer inquiries, escalated complaints, complex issues, with amicable solutions. Champion organizational change management, produce performance driven results, develop and implement cost effective measures, and enhance the overall customer experience. Work involves but not limited to leading division operations and department management planning; monitoring zone/asset budgets and performance; ensuring compliance with both operational and personnel policies, procedures, laws, and regulations; supervising staff; resolving issues arising with team sections; and ensuring support services and other resources are provided to operational areas. This position provides an essential role for continuous improvement efforts and will be required to assist with managing the ISO certification requirements for assigned areas.
Major Duties and Responsibilities
• Attends to the daily operation of all field service delivery activities, oversees the operational components of the service order management system, meter reading systems, dispatching operations center and linked supporting structures.
• Assists the Division Manager in providing leadership and supervision of approximately 135 positions either directly or through division supervisors.
• Requires ability to work closely with our partner organizations, such as Char-Meck 311, Field Operations, Engineering, City Finance/Revenue, and other associated agencies/entities to support overall objectives to completion.
• Evaluates performance indicators and directs changes to resolve problems and ensure quality and consistency of our service delivery.
• Develops, advances, and manages implementation of procedures that results in more efficient and effective outcomes and provides written reports of progress.
• Requires continuous effort to improve operations, minimize turnaround times, and streamline work processes, increased service levels, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality and seamless exceptional service.
• Creates, updates, and implements standard operating procedures, brings new guidelines and operational changes to the division’s leadership team for approval.
• Maintains established maintenance schedule for commercial and industrial meters 1-1/2” and greater that meets suggested requirements set forth by the AWWA.
• Provides monthly reports on each section’s productivity, staffing vacancies, and periodical updates on assigned projects. Manages performance targets and ensures service levels are met.
• Develops in association with section supervisors’ performance targets and goals for employees that are aligned with the department and divisional objectives.
• Ensures that water quality and low-pressure processes are followed to meet established requirements, including hydrant flushing needs.
• Works closely with all sections to ensure service orders are completed promptly and accurately to meet established billing schedules and escalation complaints.
• Actively works to resolve complex customer complaints related to service delivery and field equipment. Conducts investigations for conflict and complaint resolution.
• Required to build reports on operational efficiency, service delivery metrics, and system performance trends that provide data for presentations and specific
• Monitors team performance; evaluates performance; reports on system performance trends; and issues corrective actions as needed.
• Meets and actively participates with business partners for opportunities to maximize the use of technology, proposed and new system configuration, testing, training and implementation acceptance.
• Ensures City property, equipment, materials, and other resources are appropriately utilized; maintains service agreement compliance and equipment functionality.
• Formulates strategy and input for budgetary needs, monitors division budgets.
• Assists in contract preparation for needed commodities and services.
• Manages ISO-9001 certification requirements and/or the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs); provides input and support of the Integrated Contingency Plan (ICP).
• Meets with staff, leadership team members and stakeholders on operational productivity measures, process improvements, service level agreements, and continuous improvement enhancements.
• Assists in the coordination of CSD resources to the response of emergencies in the distribution system.
• Directly supports and provides input in staffing decisions relative to hiring, firing, discipline, and promotional opportunities; evaluates performance; mentors staff; and aids with career development.
• Communicates with staff on updates, events, topics, issues, or other current matters.
• Provides guidance to operation supervisors and subordinate levels of supervision in process control, policies, procedures, and safety.
• Develops and produces new process documentation for undocumented or unwritten processes, protocols, or practices.
• Ensures safe working environment for staff and visitors.
• Represents the division as requested in dealing with specific issues and projects.
• Takes the initiative on all aspects of the tasks and responsibilities assigned as well as communicating and minimizing impacts to core areas of operation outside immediate area of responsibility.
• Attend and actively participate in statewide conferences, seminars, training, and emergency preparedness.
• Member of the department’s Emergency Operations Center team.
• Champions performance improvement efforts by forward thinking by engaging appropriate stakeholders, soliciting feedback, and follow through.
• Utilize Situational Leadership II modeling throughout reporting structure.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
• Knowledge of water meter operations.
• Knowledge of utility billing processes.
• Knowledge of organizational change management.
• Knowledge of Situation Leadership II model.
• Skill in communicating, both verbally and in writing.
• Skill in analyzing and solving problems.
• Skill in employee development, mentoring, and training.
• Skill in developing business reports, presentations, and standard operating procedures.
• Ability to speak publicly and in large group settings.
• Ability to lead and facilitate significant change.
• Ability to create a diverse and conducive work environment.
• Ability to stay focused and organized.
• Ability to make supported decisions.
• Ability to build consensus and collaboration.
• Ability to exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment.
• Ability to supervise, hire, coach, and apply corrective action.
• Ability to manage several operational units.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The work is sedentary work and requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: balancing, perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels feeling, manual dexterity, perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, distinguishing among sounds, mental acuity, pushing, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, talking, visual acuity in data/color/observations/equipment, and walking.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities, and needs.
Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school.
• Five (5) years of related work water and/or wastewater experience.
Licenses, Certifications or Registrations:
• Desires highest levels of Distribution and Collection certifications (or obtain within expected time of hire).
• Desires following credentials: Water Meter Technician Certificate; National Incident Management Systems Certificate; and/or NC Grade IV Distribution Certification.
Salary
$90,387.00 - $100,429.00 Commensurate with Experience
Conditions of Employment
The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.
Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.
Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.
The City of Charlotte requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. The City is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such, will consider reasonable accommodations as required by law.
The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
How To Apply
Apply online.
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.
You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby where we have workstations available. Our office is located at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.
Anyone seeking an accommodation to apply for a job may call (704) 336-2285 for assistance or you may email questions to CityHrJobPostingsNotify@ci.charlotte.nc.us.
Benefits
The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to all employees.
Click here to learn more about the City of Charlotte’s benefits.
The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.
In Conclusion
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