Utility Billing Specialist | Village of Fox Lake

Village of Fox Lake Employment Opportunity

Utility Billing Specialist

Job ID Code #25-06                      

BACKGROUND

The Village of Fox Lake (population 10,978) is located 55 miles northwest of downtown Chicago and 20 miles west of Waukegan, Illinois. Fox Lake is located in Lake and McHenry counties. The Village is located on the South Shore of Pistakee Lake, Nippersink Lake, and Fox Lake, three connected water bodies that form part of the Chain O’Lakes system.  The Village of Fox Lake has a total area of 9.942 square miles of which around 20% is water.

The Village of Fox Lake is growing and looking to add a new Utility Billing Specialist to our team. This professional position is responsible for a wide variety of financial duties including utility and garbage billing functions. This position requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, confidentiality, records keeping and management, and customer service skills. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

1)    Maintains up-to-date house files for future reference;

2)    Prepares and completes service orders for Water Division;

3)    Processes new and final water/sewer/garbage accounts, including entering the information into financial software;

4)    Prepares final water/sewer/garbage bills for mailing and records refunds on final water/sewer/garbage bills that have a credit after the deposit has been applied to any outstanding balances;

5)    Works alongside the Local Water & Sewer Department to obtain water meter reads;

6)    Prepares and mails bi-monthly Water/Sewer/garbage bills to Village residents and maintains monthly water/sewer billing records for Finance Director;

7)    Applies penalties on bimonthly water/sewer/garbage bills, making necessary adjustments with supervisor approval;

8)    Maintains water shut-off list and checks it against water payments received during shut-off period; 

9)    Prepares the direct withdrawal file for the Accounting Manager on a monthly basis and makes all changes to the direct withdrawal files as customers join and withdraw from the program.

10)Notifies customers of ACH rejections;

11)Processes and mails all water/sewer billing Non-Sufficient Fund letters;

12)Makes payment arrangements with customers who have fallen behind due to a financial hardship or extremely high water usage.  Maintains and tracks these arrangements;

13)Prepares delinquent list for water turnoff and issues notices or letters as needed;

14)Prepares documentation for collections of past due Water/Sewer/garbage accounts;

15)Coordinates property liens and tracks such liens with the appropriate County;

16)Provides additional water/sewer/garbage reports on an as-needed basis.

17)Assists customers on the telephone or in person to discuss problems or concerns with various aspects of water/sewer billing, consumption, meter readings, payment, and the collection of outstanding accounts;

18)Performs related job tasks and duties as requested or required.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Experience and Education

Graduation from high school or GED equivalent, supplemented by completion of approved college-level course work in accounting, business, finance or a related field; or graduation from an approved high school or vocational school and at least two years of responsible clerical experience; or any satisfactory equivalent combination of experience and training that ensures the ability to perform the work. 

Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment physical examination and drug/alcohol screen following a conditional offer of employment. A thorough background investigation, including personal and professional references, criminal background and credit check will be conducted following conditional offer of employment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

A candidate for this position should have thorough knowledge of the following:

1)    Water/sewer/garbage billing for municipalities;

2)    Knowledge of municipal government;

3)    Proficiency in Caselle/Civic municipal software or similar platform is preferred.

4)    Customer service, ability to interact with a diverse group of people, and provide guidance regarding water/sewer and garbage bills;

5)    Computer and automated financial management systems, including Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook and other general office software;

6)    Confidentially; ability to work with confidential material and do so with the upmost professionalism;

7)    Business writing; organizational skills; prioritization; attention to detail; and time management.

8)    Work without direct supervision within boundaries of areas of responsibility;

9)    Maintain confidential information, possess a high level of integrity and adopt a professional work ethic;

10)Establish and maintain effective working relationships with Village employees, vendors and other members of the public;

11)Provide outstanding customer service;

12)Ability to recognize and reconcile discrepancies in the Villages water/sewer/garbage records;

13)Ability to communicate ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing, with a diverse group of people;

14)Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures;

15)Ability to work independently with a minimum of supervision, multi-task, and follow through on completion of projects;

16)Ability to apply laws, rules, policies, and procedures.

CONTACTS OUTSIDE OF DEPARTMENT

This position frequently interacts with other Village departments, residents and the general public.  On occasion, this position may interact with elected officials, local business owners, developers, contractors, architects, engineers, appraisers, realtors and craftsmen.

For more information about the Village of Fox Lake, please visit our website at www.foxlake.org

Persons requiring reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act are asked to contact the Human Resources Division at 847-587-3947

THE VILLAGE OF FOX LAKE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER