Vice President, Customer Account Management

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Business, Finance, Economics, Public Administration,
• Public Policy or in a field related to the job plus five (5) years of related utility or related industry experience of which five (5) were in a managerial or executive level position.
• Master’s degree may substitute for two (2) years of the required experience up to a maximum of two (2) years.

Licenses or Certifications:

None.
Notes to Applicants

Working with Austin Energy provides a number of health and welfare benefits such as low-cost medical, dental, vision, paid leave time, a highly competitive retirement plan, training opportunities and more. Please click HERE for more information.

To review a detailed recruitment profile for this role, please click here.

To view the City of Austin recruitment video, please click here.

Regarding Your Application:

• A detailed and complete Employment Application is required. A Résumé and Cover Letter are required and will not be accepted in lieu of a complete online Employment Application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Statements such as “See Résumé” will not be accepted, and a résumé alone will not be accepted in lieu of a complete online application.
• Verification of employment history dates on resume should match online Employment Application.
• Employment history dates must include month and year.
• This position has been approved for a Criminal Background Investigation ( CBI ).
• To ensure consideration, candidates should apply by October 23, 2024. To apply, candidates must complete this online application. Interested candidates should apply early in the process for optimum consideration.
• This position is subject to the Texas Open Records Act.

Pay Range
Commensurate
Hours
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday
*Hours may vary due to business needs.
Job Close Date Type of Posting External Department Austin Energy Regular/Temporary Regular Grant Funded or Pooled Position Not Applicable Category Professional Location 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin TX 78723 Preferred Qualifications
The following core competencies are essential for this role:

• Extensive experience with progressively increasing responsibilities leading a large billing/account payment production group in a municipal utility.
• Strong leadership that will integrate and implement new strategies to improve customer service delivery, exceed customer expectations, and expand the value of our services.
• Effective communicator and politically savvy leader who will effectively work in a politically sensitive environment and present to elected officials, legislators, public interest groups, business, and the community.
• Demonstrated ability to drive organization-wide improvements in service quality, delivery, continuous process improvement, and customer satisfaction.
• A leader who stays updated on emerging trends and technologies in customer account management to proactively adapt strategies and stay competitive.
• Cultivate relationships and collaborate with strategic department partners, other City leaders to understand their needs, address concerns, and maintain strong relationships.
• Proven record for implementing a continually evolving workforce planning process that supports the organization’s strategic business needs.
• Highly engaged leader who can expand connectivity between the customer usage, and customer facing tools.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities
Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
Direct, design and develop the strategies to maximize the revenue cycle operation with the overall goal of improving efficiencies, enhancing operational productivity. Promote Austin Energy’s revenue cycle programs, by setting reliable and verifiable program metrics to enhance both the strategic and financial goals of the utility. Provide leadership and direction to staff regarding revenue cycle operations, which includes but not limited to, meter reading, revenue measurement, remittance processing, payments, billing, collections and back-office functions to recover the cost of service for residential, industrial and commercial customers. Responsible for streamlining customer account management processes by collaborating with staff assigned to finance, information technology, and other organizations across the city to improve revenue cycle operations. Incorporate current and future technological systems to improve customer account management processes, influence consumer payment behavior and optimize the speed and methods of payment collections. Continue to build customer account management workflow efficiencies and improve staff capabilities by standardizing process documentation to measure and track key performance indicators while complying with established ISO standards. Oversee effective contract management and audit practices by developing staff, implementing measures and metrics to enhance cost effectiveness and the overall operational efficiencies for customer care. Develops short- and long-term spending plans and monitors O&M and CIP budgets. Prepare and present annual technical and financial reports.

Responsibilities- Supervision and/or Leadership Exercised:

Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of the electric utility processes, practices, issues and policies.
• Knowledge of local, state and federal law and city ordinances.
• Knowledge of electric utility revenue cycle operations.
• Demonstrated mastery of managing interpersonal skills at multiple levels.
• Knowledge of executive leadership principles to include development of subordinate staff.
• Knowledge of budget methods, contract management and audit practices.
• Knowledge of research and data utilization in decision-making processes.
• Skill in effectively using various communication channels to convey information at all levels within the organization and to key stakeholders.
• Skill in managing relationship between the financial and customer account programs. Skill in handling conflict and uncertain situations, analyze and resolve irregular events.
• Skill in structuring a complex organization to meet changing challenges.
• Skill in managing and optimizing multiple product lines to achieve identified corporate goals.
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
• Ability to integrate technology to improve overall revenue cycle activities.
• Ability to analyze and resolve irregular events.

Criminal Background Investigation This position has been approved for a Criminal Background Investigation. EEO/ADA
The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual’s AIDS , AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
* This position requires: a graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Business, Finance, Economics, Public Administration, Public Policy or in a field related to the job plus five (5) years of related utility or related industry experience of which five (5) were in a managerial or executive level position. A Master's degree may substitute for two (2) years of the required experience up to a maximum of two (2) years. Do you meet these minimum requirements?

• Yes
• No

* This position requires a criminal background investigation (CBI). By selecting the following, you are acknowledging that you understand if you are selected as a top candidate for this position, you will need a successful CBI to be hired.

• I acknowledge and understand this position requires a Criminal Background Investigation.

* Please describe your experience handling customer escalations (to include larger business account through the range of small businesses and individual customers).
(Open Ended Question)
* Which best describes your experience overseeing the operations of a customer account management operation (i.e. Customer Billing, Payments, Account Receivables, Customer Field Services, Customer Service Compliance & Quality Management, etc.)?

• Extensive experience
• Experience in most areas
• Some experience
• No experience

* Briefly describe your role in customer account management operational areas such as Customer Billing, Payments, Account Receivables, Customer Field Services, Customer Service Compliance & Quality Management, etc.
(Open Ended Question)
* What level of experience do you have in managing the revenue cycle, especially utility collections in a utility?

• Extensive experience
• Some experience
• Knowledge of revenue cycle in a utility, but no actual experience
• No experience

* Briefly describe your role and any recent challenges in managing the implementation of new innovations in customer account management business systems to include customer facing application.
(Open Ended Question)
* Briefly describe your Customer Account Management experience in Customer Account Billing, Payments, Collections, Remittance Processing, Field Services, and Compliance & Quality Management.
(Open Ended Question)
* Which statement best describes the largest number of direct and indirect employees you have managed?

• None
• Fewer than 25
• Between 25 and 60
• Between 60 and 100
• Between 100 and 125
• More than 125

* Which regulatory parties at the state, regional, federal levels and local levels have you worked with and in what capacity?
(Open Ended Question)
* What is the largest O&M and Capital budget you have developed and managed? Define your strategic planning role.
(Open Ended Question)
* List the prior experience you have in making presentations to public officials, advisory task forces, environmental groups, commissions, boards, community stakeholders and/or non-utility stakeholders?
(Open Ended Question)
* Briefly describe your experience in building supportive programs for low-income within the operations of Customer Account Management (i.e. Customer Billing, Payments, Account Receivables, Customer Field Services, Customer Service Compliance & Quality Management, etc.)
(Open Ended Question)
* Please describe your experience handling customer escalations (to include larger business account through the range of small businesses and individual customers).
(Open Ended Question)
* Briefly explain why you are interested in this position. Why are you the best candidate for the position?
(Open Ended Question)


Optional & Required Documents

Required Documents Cover Letter Resume Optional Documents

• 

• City of Austin

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