7B16

PAY RANGE: 18

 

WATER FIELD CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERVISOR

 

GENERAL DEFINITION

 

          This is utility field customer service work at the first supervisory level, directing the day to day field operations of field employees in the Water Department’s Operations Administration section. Employees in this class supervise water field operations in one of three areas of assignment: Customer Service, Delinquency & Restoration, or Metering. Employees in the Customer Service assignment supervise field employees responsible for conducting  field investigations of customer complaints and claims pertaining to water and sewer services, plumbing violations and emergency repairs and are the issuance and enforcement of Notices of Plumbing Defects when water and sewage violations are found. Employees in the Delinquency & Restoration assignment supervise field employees responsible for conducting field investigations, issuing violations and Notices of Plumbing Defects, collecting payment of delinquent and non-complaint accounts, the shut-off and restoration of delinquent accounts and the shut-off of illegally restored services. Employees in the Metering assignment are responsible for supervising employees engaged in the installation, troubleshooting, testing, and replacement of residential and commercial water meters. Employees in this assignment review and approve proposed utility designs and drawings, investigate construction variances and permit refunds, manage meter testing and inventory and perform investigations for revenue recovery. Communicating in the field with customers, business representatives, and the public to resolve problems and complaints is a significant aspect of the work. Work is performed under the direction of a Water Field Customer Service Assistant Manager.

 

ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)

 

1.    Employees must be located in the assigned unit of the Operations Administration section of the Water Department

2.    Employees must supervise the day to day field operations in one of three areas of assignment: Customer Service, Delinquency & Restoration, or Metering Assignment

 

TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY):

 

ALL ASSIGNMENTS

 

Supervises the day to day activities of lower level field employees of an assigned unit in the Operations Administration section, responsible for receiving and responding to complaints from a variety of sources, and conducting a wide variety of investigations and inspections, related to water meters, broken mains, pipe connections;  cave-ins, illegal turn-ons and/or plumbing; supervises the issuance of Notices of Defects or violation notices following initial inspections by lower level field employees.

Reviews and approves work schedules and equipment needs and requests; prioritizes work assignments; ensures work standards are being met and reviews daily work performance to ensure proper productivity; reviews completed work; communicates with Water Department customers regarding routine complaints; conducts safety meetings and provides safety instructions to field employees; ensures compliance with department safety procedures.

          Recommends and implements changes to standard operating procedures; ensures work is completed according to applicable laws and regulations; orients new employees to departmental policies and practices; trains staff in procedures and techniques.

          Makes recommendations for staffing needs, materials and supplies; provides on-site, direct, supervision in the field; recommends the purchase of new tools and equipment.

          Coordinates with other City departments; assists in ensuring compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act; coordinates response with Industrial Waste Unit, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and cooperates with them on environmental concerns; prepares written reports for management.

          Performs related work as required.

 

Customer Service Assignment

 

          Supervises the activities of lower level staff engaged in interviewing property owners or occupants pertaining to water, sewage and other nuisances; supervises the inspection of sites to identify the source of water or sewer seepage or plumbing violations or to identify the need for emergency repairs.

          Assists in the oversight and administration the City’s Emergency Abatement Repair Program (EARP); supervises contractors performing maintenance and repair work; reviews contracted work to ensure compliance with contract language and department standards; enforces unit policies and procedures; provides information to superior to assist in determining billing responsibility to water related repairs; attends meetings with other City departments and boards; issues notices of defect to property owners and enforces shut-off notices as necessary.

          Conducts investigations of routine claims to secure facts; sends documents to claimants acknowledging receipt of the claim; visits the scene of disasters such as cave-ins or water main breaks; acts as liaison on behalf of PWD Operations at depositions, Tax Review Board and L&I hearings.

 

Delinquency & Restoration Assignment

 

Supervises the enforcement and collection of revenue of delinquent water bills and the shut-off of delinquent accounts and illegally restored services; obtains shut-off read using automated reading device to prevent illegal restores; implements shut-off actions required for large commercial or specialized buildings; serves notices of defects and supervises non-compliance shut-offs for customers served notices; establishes priorities for restoration and manages scheduling of selected restorations; recommends corrective action for fixing broken or defective parts discovered in the shut off process and ensures action is taken.

Supervises crews performing field inspections and repairs or replacements to curbstops; implements necessary changes to monthly maintenance schedules; trains subordinate employees on the use of new equipment to aid in work efficiency; manages the proper application of water code regulation and ordinance violations pertaining to water service connections; manages the implementation of training sessions on safety, courtesy, inspection procedures and other related water operations to employees.

 

Metering Assignment

 

          Supervises, plans and assigns the work routes of Water Field Customer Service Representatives  engaged in the installation, troubleshooting, storage, and testing of residential and commercial meters to automatically collect consumption, diagnostic, and status data from  residential and commercial water meters;  may make field visits to observe installation or repair work in progress and review work completed for conformance to standards; ascertains that production schedules are being met and crews are working in assigned areas.

          Investigates and resolves complex customer water meter complaints; prepares reports on customer claims of property damage resulting from water meter installation or removal activities; provides testimony in court concerning damages as a result of theft of water service investigations; manages water meter and water customer information in an electronic database; ensures customer data is accurate; investigates incorrect data and initiates corrective action with the Water Revenue Bureau.

          Confers with officials of industrial plants and commercial buildings in order to work out a schedule for removal or repair of large meters; makes recommendations to customer to right-size the type and size of the meters to ensure the meters are accurately capturing the flow of water to customer’s properties; may review proposed utility designs and drawings to ensure water meter installation requirements are according to PWD regulations; inspects sites to verify meter compliance; may issue variances on water metering standards; performs investigations regarding permit refunds.

          Plans and assigns work to a moderate-sized group of shop workers; reassigns shop workers as required; observes water meter shop work both in progress and upon completion for adherence to established standards; points out customer water code violations observed in the field and takes follow up measures to ensure that corrections have been made and customers are billed appropriately for damage to the meter or for theft of water service.

          Participates in shop work as needed in the testing and repair of all types of AMR water meters in accordance to AWWA Standards; tests prototype AMR meters; manages meter inventory; determines whether to repair or scrap meters with extensive damage or lead content not compliant with EPA Standards; may perform investigations regarding potential loss revenue to ascertain accurate billing for residential and commercial properties.

          Reschedules previously assigned installation work of subordinates as a result of absenteeism and emergency situations.

          Maintains employee time and production records; prepares and submits monthly reports showing a detailed breakdown of work activities; prepares rough drafts of material, tool and supply requisitions and submits them to superior for approval. 

          Requisitions tools, uniforms, and other supplies; schedules the maintenance and repair of a moderately large fleet of vehicles used by field forces; prepares daily report of activities.

         

 

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

 

KNOWLEDGE OF:

 

·       codes, regulations and ordinances pertaining to water and sewer services

·       techniques, procedures, and regulations used in water billing and repair

·       the organization and operation of the City government as it affects water operations

·       the principles and techniques of planning and organization for field operations

·       rules and regulations regarding water shut-offs and customer notifications

·       equipment and procedures used to perform dye tests for sewer connections and soundings for water connections for the Customer Service assignment

·       equipment and procedures used to perform sounding to determine the located of service lines for the Delinquency & Restoration assignment

·       supervisory methods and techniques

·       the techniques and procedures utilized to answer questions pertinent to the installation and repair of industrial, commercial, and residential water services connections

·       practices and techniques of resolving customer service problems

·       approval procedures for the Emergency Abatement Repair Program for the Customer Service assignment

·       departmental regulations as they pertain to the water repair programs for the Customer Service assignment

·       applicability of plumbing permits, codes, and regulations for the Customer Service assignment

·       the hazards and safety precautions involved in handling water meters for positions in the Metering assignment only

·       the American Water Works Association (AWWA) standards and regulations for positions in the Metering assignment only

 

 

SKILL IN:

 

·       assessing and resolving routine customer complaints

·       the use and care of tools and shop equipment commonly used in repairing water meters for positions in the Metering assignment only

 

ABILITY TO:

 

·       supervise utility field work

·       train employees on the use of hand held computers and other field equipment

·       communicate clearly, both orally and in writing, with associates, employees, union representatives and the general public

·       utilize computer hardware and software relating to work

·       prepare and maintain time, activity and material usage reports

·       present detailed technical information both orally and in writing

·       establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and the public

·       maintain customer satisfaction by exercising tact, judgment and patience in dealing with the public

 

 

 

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 6/15):

 

EDUCATION

 

          Education equivalent to the completion of the twelfth school grade

 

AND

EXPERIENCE

 

          Two years of experience performing utility field customer service work at the full performance level in the Water Department’s Operations Administration section, in one of three areas of assignment: Customer Service, Delinquency & Restoration or Metering.

 

OR

 

          Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Office of Human Resources that has included the specific experience as listed above.

 

NOTE: Selective Factor Certification may be utilized, as needed, to fill specific positions.  In accordance with Civil Service Regulation 11.032 - Selective Factor Certification – the appointing authority may request certification of eligible candidates with the specific experience to fill specific positions in this class. Certification to fill such position will be made from the two highest-ranking eligible candidates on the eligible list who possess the specified experience.

 

City of Philadelphia classes which typically meet the specific experience:

 

Water Field Customer Service Representative (7B15)

 

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

 

          Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

 

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATES

 

          Possession of a valid proper class motor vehicle operator's license as issued by the Common­wealth of Pennsylvania prior to appointment and during tenure of employment.

 

Class Established:

CSC: 3/14;

Ad. Board: 3/14

Latest Spec Revision:

CSC: 6/15

Ad Board: 6/15

Latest spec. revision and Consolidation with 7J64 and change in pay rate:

CSC: 3/24

Ad Board: 4/24

 

CP