Statement of Duties

Responsibilities include the management and supervision of the daily customer service operations for the Water and Sewer Department.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations 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 the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

Oversees the day-to-day customer service operations of the Water and Sewer Department, including shift scheduling, volume forecasting, handling call escalations, monitoring employee performance and making recommendations based on departmental goals.

Develop customer service operations and procedures to fulfill customer and internal obligations, meet City objectives, and deliver customer satisfaction under City ACE (Accurate, Courteous, and Easy) standards.

Manages call volume and foot traffic.

Oversees timely response to e-mails.

Handles escalated customer issues.

Supervises and trains front-line staff, and evaluates performance.

Generates timely periodic reports analyzing customer needs and service level response.

Works closely with Director, Department leadership and vendors to recommend, establish and document new policies and procedures to ensure superior customer service for ratepayers and Somerville's residents; serves as resource to front-line team concerning questions related to policies and procedures.

Works closely with department billing staff to resolve customer billing issues, respond to customer inquiries and update account data.

Works with department staff to communicate information to the public regarding water and sewer projects, water service interruptions, street closures, water conservation efforts and WaterScope technology.

Involved in the interviewing and hiring process and trains new front-line administrative staff.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in business administration, communication, or other applicable field, and five to seven (5-7) years' professional customer service experience, with at least three (3) in a supervisory capacity; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Knowledge of standard office software. Working knowledge of public relations, information system methods and technologies. Working knowledge of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, data management and utility billing.

Abilities: Ability to work independently and under pressure; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to handle problems effectively in response to day-to-day crises; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to operate a computer; ability to deal appropriately with all customers, internal and external.

Skill: Communication skills. Excellent organizational skills; excellent skill in the use of web- based applications and all work-related software applications. Strong conceptual, analytical, verbal and written communication skills.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position's essential functions.

Physical Skills

Minimal physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves

sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment or photocopy paper (up to 30lbs.).

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job requires minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours: Full Time

Salary: $90,000

Union: Non-Union

FLSA: Exempt

Date Posted: August 5th, 2025

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance

Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union.

Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City

Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna

Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)

Long term disability through Sun Life

Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual

Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies

Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors

Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health

Annual cancer screening & wellness release

Somerville Retirement Pension System

Tuition reimbursement

MBTA pass program

FREE Blue Bikes membership

Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.

City of Somerville

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