Job Information
The City of Rochester, MN Billing Specialist in Rochester, Minnesota
Billing Specialist
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Billing Specialist
Salary
$28.27 Hourly
Location
Rochester MN 55906, MN
Job Type
Regular FT
Job Number
20240073
Department
Rochester Public Utilities
Opening Date
04/24/2024
Closing Date
Continuous
Description
Benefits
Questions
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The City of Rochester invites applications for:
Billing Specialist
Rochester Public Utilities
www.rpu.org
RPU, a division of the City of Rochester, MN, is the largest municipal utility in the State of Minnesota. RPU serves over 57,000 electric customers and 41,000 water customers in a 60 square mile service area, and has revenues nearing $161 million annually.
Vision- "We Will Set the Standard for Service"
Our vision is based on six core values which are Safety, Integrity, Service, Stewardship, Accountability, and Skill.
The City of Rochester is committed to a community where all members feel a sense of belonging. We commit to recognizing the diversity of our community members, listening to ALL voices and providing equitable services to create an inclusive place to live, play and work.
We believe EQUITY should be at the center of all our work. We strive to represent our community in our teammates, as we know that diverse and inclusive teams are more innovative, and have an empowering impact on the work, progress and culture of our community.
It takes us all working together
Nature of Work
With provided direction, the Billing Specialist processes the billing functions associated with customer accounts from the point that meter readings are received through to the printing of the final invoice or presentment of an electronic invoice. Work involves independent judgment and accountability for the billing of multiple utility services (Electric, Water, Waste Water and Storm Water) provided to the residents, businesses, non-profit agencies, and government entities within the City of Rochester and includes the appropriate application of state/local option sales taxes.
Application review will begin on May 8, 2024.
2024 Starting Rate of Pay
$28.27 per hour with advancement to $35.51 after 5 years
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The work below is representative of the scope of work performed within this job classification.
*Process routine billings.
Reconcile and balance daily batch jobs.
Obtain the data necessary to compute billings from meter readings, information from Rochester Public Works-Water Reclamation, and customer-provided information.
Monitor daily error logs and correct issues as needed.
Oversee daily validation/reasonableness checks, investigate, and correct issues as needed.
Monitor and verify that all billings are completed each month and made available to the customer, either in printed or electronic form.
Ensure proper revenue period postings.
*Process manual billings and perform billing adjustments.
Prepare complex billings for large commercial customers with specialized requirements which require supporting spreadsheet calculations.
Calculate necessary billing adjustments due to special circumstances such as a misassigned meter.
Post credit and debit adjustments to account, ensuring general ledger accuracy.
*Other.
Assist with billing software testing as needed.
Assist the Customer Service area with questions they have regarding billing results.
Complete all monthly billings on or before the month-end closing date specified for billing.
Perform other related duties as assigned or necessary.
*Essential functions
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience
A high school diploma or equivalent GED with at least two (2) years of experience processing customer billing while providing excellent customer service
Desirable Qualifications
Post-secondary education in accounting, business, finance, communications or related field.
Experience with a diverse customer population
Experience with customer account management and billing software.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of: State of Minnesota sales tax laws and regulations, including the local option and county transit taxes, as they apply to utility services and related tax exemptions; general accounting principles; RPU rate tariffs for electric and water service; City of Rochester ordinances related to waste water service and storm water fee factors.
Skill in: using analytical and critical thinking; being well organized; exercising independent judgement; accurately entering data or information using a complex spreadsheet; demonstrating the proficient use of all Microsoft applications; providing a high degree of attention to detail; multitasking and prioritizing duties.
Ability to: apply and adapt established guidelines, methods, and terms of specialized agreements to varied utility billing transactions; perform arithmetic computations accurately and quickly; communicate effectively verbally and in writing; be self-motivated; work under pressure and/or with frequent interruptions; analyze and evaluate billing problems; work cooperatively with other staff to achieve goals of department; analyze irregular consumption patterns and take appropriate action to mitigate problems; listen and respond in a courteous manner to customers even in stressful or difficult conversations.
PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the following represents the physical and environmental demands for this position. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions with or without accommodation.
In consideration of the overall amount of physical effort required to perform this position, the work is best described as Sedentary to Light Work: Primarily Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Occasionally, work performed will require exerting up to 20 pounds of force, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
Physical demands that may be required continuously (2/3 or more of the time), frequently (1/3 to 2/3 of the time), and occasionally (up to 1/3 of the time) are noted below:
Continuous demands: sitting, fine dexterity
Occasional demands: standing, walking, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching, handling, kneeling, crouching, crawling, bending, twisting, climbing, and balancing.
Sensory requirements necessary in the performance of the essential functions of this position include: sight, hearing, and touch.
Environmental conditions that may exist in the performance of the essential functions of this job include: NONE (not substantially exposed to environmental conditions)
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT AND RETIREMENT SUMMARY (https://www.rochestermn.gov/home/showdocument?id=36357&t=637988577978795327)
01
The following supplemental information may be used as a scored evaluation of your knowledge, skills and experience. Be certain that the choices you make correspond to the information you have provided in your application and resume. You must be honest and accurate in answering the supplemental questions and do not type "see resume". You may also be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in a work sample or during an interview for this position. By completing this supplemental questionnaire you are attesting that the information you have provided is true and accurate. Any information provided may be reviewed by the hiring manager. Any misstatements or falsification of information will eliminate you from consideration or may result in dismissal. Do you understand and agree with this statement?
Yes
No
02
What is your preferred name?
03
Which of the following best describes your level of education?
High school diploma or equivalent G.E.D.
Less than 2 years post-secondary training
Completion of a 2 year program or degree
Completion of a 4 year program or degree
Completion of a Master's degree or higher
None of the above
04
Other than your High School diploma/GED, which of the following best describes the field of study for your degree?
Accounting
Business
Finance
My program/degree is in an area NOT related to accounting, business, or finance
N/A - I have not completed a program or degree
05
Which of the following best describes your years of full-time equivalent employment experience providing professional level customer service?
No experience
Less than 6 months
More than 6 months, but less than 1 year
More than 1 year, but less than 3
More than 3 years, but less than 5
More than 5 years, but less than 10
10 or more years
06
Does your billing-related employment experience include any of the following? (Select all that apply)
Obtaining data from meter readings in order to compute billings
Monitoring daily error logs and correct issues as needed
Verifying that all billings are completed each month
Preparing manual billings for large customers with complex or specialized requirements
Assisting other customer support areas within the company with questions they have regarding billing results
N/A - None of the above
07
Describe your experience performing billing related tasks, providing professional level customer service, responding to customer inquiries or needs, performing basic accounting duties, processing payments, and/or resolving billing and credit issues. Do not type "See Resume". If no experience, type "N/A". NOTE: In order to receive credit for the previous responses, this question must be fully answered and supported by the employment experience also listed in your application materials.
08
Which of the following best describes your employment experience working for a utility company as an employee, subcontractor, independent contractor or consultant?
N/A - I have not worked for a utility
I have worked for a communications utility company
I have worked for a natural gas utility company
I have worked for a water utility company
I have worked for an electric utility company
09
Which of the following best describes your familiarity/experience providing information to water and/or electric utility customers? (Select all that apply)
Electric usage – I understand and have explained electric consumption/usage payments
Water usage – I understand and have explained water consumption/usage
I understand and have explained the Minnesota cold weather rules
N/A - none of the above
10
Which of the following best describes your experience working with utility rates?
Limited – I am somewhat familiar with utility rates
Moderate – I have directly applied utility rates to one type of utility charge
Extensive – I have directly applied utility rates to multiple types of utility charges (Electric, Water, Waste Water, Storm Water, Communication, Natural gas)
N/A – I have no experience in this area
11
Describe your utility rate experience. Please include employer name, size of the utility, position title, duration of employment and description of actual duties performed. Do not type "See Resume". If no experience, type "N/A".
12
Which of the following best describes your experience working with Minnesota Sales Tax rules as they apply to utility charges?
Limited – I am familiar with Minnesota Sales Tax rules as they apply to utility charges
Moderate – I have directly applied Minnesota Sales Tax rules to one type of utility charge (Electric, Water, Waste Water, Storm Water, Communication, Natural gas)
Extensive – I have directly applied Minnesota Sales Tax rules to multiple types of utility charges (Electric, Water, Waste Water, Storm Water, Communication, Natural gas)
N/A - I have no experience in this area
13
Please indicate the current software in which you are PROFICIENT. If asked to interview, you will be required to demonstrate your competency in these programs. (Select all that apply)
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
PowerBI
SQL
PowerApps
SAP
Cayenta
None of the above
14
Which of the following best describes your level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel?
No experience
Limited – I am somewhat familiar with its functionality
Moderate – I have used it to organize data (formulas) and/or create graphs and charts
Extensive – I use Excel as a regular part of my job and can create pivot tables and scripting
15
Which of the following best describes your experience working with customer account management and billing software?
N/A – I have no experience with customer account management and billing software
Limited - I have some degree of experience with customer account management and billing software
Moderate - I have broad experience with customer account management and billing software
Extensive - I have extensive experience with customer account management and billing software
16
Please describe your experience specific to using customer account management and billing software. Please include duration, name of employer, name of the database software and describe actual duties performed. If no experience, type "n/a".
17
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS: Describe any other special training you've completed or skills and experience you currently possess that you feel would make you the best-qualified person for this position.
18
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: If selected as a finalist, are you willing to undergo a background investigation which may include, but not limited to: verification of employment and educational records, identification verification, driver's license record and a criminal history?
Yes
No
Required Question
Agency
City of Rochester
Address
201 4th Street SE Rochester, Minnesota, 55904
Phone
(507) 328-2555
Website
https://www.rochestermn.gov/employment
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