Customer Service Representative I
Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/houston/jobs/newprint/5122942)
Apply
?
Customer Service Representative I
Salary
$1,501.00 - $1,723.20 Biweekly
Location
Houston, TX 77002
Job Type
Full Time
Job Number
37387
Department
Houston Public Works
Opening Date
10/28/2025
Closing Date
11/3/2025 11:59 PM Central
Description
Benefits
Questions
POSITION OVERVIEW
Applications accepted from: All Persons Interested
Service Line/Section: Houston Permitting Center/ Business Support Services
Reporting Location: 1002 Washington Ave.
Workdays & Hours: Monday - Friday; 8:00 am - 5:00 pm*
Subject to change
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The Houston Permitting Center (HPC) is looking for tech savvy, energetic, and well-organized Customer Service Representative I to support our customer experience platform. This new team will support the operations of the customer service (CX) platform, which provides live chat, service tickets, knowledge base, guided assistance, and other services. The team will liaise with IT for system administration and collaborate with all business groups to ensure excellent customer service is provided.
Will provide back up support to the Information Desk operations on an as needed basis; support may include screening customer concerns, queuing customers to the correct service, answering phone calls, taking live chats, or completing service tickets. May distribute forms, applications, and other documents to customers; and research, analyze and resolve customer problems and inquiries. Performs data entry activities to record information for external and internal customers. Performs other duties as assigned.
Your effectiveness in this position will depend on your ability to:
Work as a team
Communicate clearly and effectively
Stay calm under pressure
Be well organized and capable of handling multiple tasks and deadlines
Build strong professional relationships at all levels of the organization
Embody the department's Five to Thrive values
This position will report to the Customer Service Supervisor within the Customer Experience team. The Business Support Services branch supports the HPC through Workplace Experience, Customer Experience, and Communications.
Who are we?
The Houston Permitting Center's mission is to partner with customers and communities to develop a safer more resilient Houston. We provide services for safe community development through the permitting, plan review, and inspection of public and private construction. The HPC is a diverse organization with over 750 team members. Annually, our team members issue over 400,000 permits, review 77,000 projects, and conducts 800,000 inspections.
Why join us?
The HPC is committed to our department's Five to Thrive values as principles that guide our work with customers and team members - Respect, Ownership, Communication, Integrity, and Teamwork. We intend to "ROC IT" every day!
WORKING CONDITIONS
The position is physically comfortable most of the time with occasional periods of stooping, bending and/or light lifting of materials of up to 10 pounds. In the Houston Permitting Center, the position may require lifting of moderately heavy items, such as plans (up to 40 pounds).
This is a Department of Public Works & Engineering Emergency Management position at the Tier III Level.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Requires a high school diploma or a GED.
EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Six (6) months of administrative or customer service-related experience is required.
Substitution: Associate degree may be substituted for the 6 months' work experience
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS:
None
PREFERENCES
Preference may be given to applicants with experience using Q-Flow, Live Chat and ILMS (Integrated Land Management System); and who are bilingual in Spanish.
Preference shall be given to eligible veteran applicants provided such persons possess the qualifications necessary for competent discharge of the duties involved in the position applied for, such persons are among the most qualified candidates for the position, and all other factors in accordance with Executive Order 1-6.
GENERAL INFORMATION
SELECTION/SKILLS TESTS REQUIRED: None
However, the department may administer a skills assessment test.
SAFETY IMPACT POSITION: No
If yes, this position is subject to random drug testing and if a promotional position, candidate must pass an assignment drug test.
SALARY INFORMATION
Factors used in determining the salary offered include the candidate's qualifications as well as the pay rates of other employees in this classification.
PAY GRADE: 13
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Only online applications will be accepted for this City of Houston job and must be received by the Human Resources Department during active posting period. Applications must be submitted online at: www.houstontx.gov.
To view your detailed application status, please log-in to your online profile by visiting: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/houston/default.cfm or call 832-393-6737.
If you need special services or accommodations 832-393-6737 (TTY 7-1-1)
If you need login assistance or technical support call 855-524-5627.
Due to the high volume of applications received, the Hiring Department will contact you directly, should you be selected to advance in our recruitment process.
All new and rehires must pass a pre-employment drug test and are subject to a physical examination and verification of information provided.
EOE Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Houston is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.
The city offers a competitive benefits program, including competitively priced health coverage and a defined contribution pension plan. Benefits include:
Medical
Dental
Vision
Wellness
Supplemental Insurance
Life insurance
Long-term disability
Retirement pension
457 deferred compensation plan
Employee Assistance Program
10 days of vacation each year
11 city holidays, plus one floating holiday
Compensable Sick Leave
Personal Leave
Flexible schedules
Hybrid-Telework for eligible positions
Professional development opportunities
Transportation/parking plan
Section 125 pretax deductions
Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan
Paid Prenatal, Parental and Infant Wellness Leaves
Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
For plan details, visit http://www.houstontx.gov/hr/benefits.html
01
What is your highest level of completed education?
Less than High School Diploma/GED
High School Diploma/GED
Associate degree
Bachelor's degree or higher
02
How many years of VERIFIABLE administrative or customer service-related experience do you have?
No experience
Less than 6 months
6 months to 1 year
1 year to 2 years
2 years to 3 years
3 years or more
03
How many years of experience do you have working in a contact center or similar environment?
No experience
Less than 1 year
1 year but less than 2 years
2 years but less than 3 years
3 years but less than 4 years
4 years or more
04
Which of the following applications are you proficient? (Check all that apply)
Basic Microsoft Word: open, create, save and modify documents, format the documents for printing, using the printer menu to preview documents before they are printed and print the pages, change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.
Intermediate Microsoft Word: using Mail Merge in Word to personalize business letters for an entire mailing list or creating posters and other graphics-heavy documents in Publisher, create mailing labels, insert footnote and end note, create bookmark, insert across reference to a bookmark, insert a link into a document, design and create a simple form, save form as template, enable revision tracking in a document, accept or reject revision, protect a revision from modification by others, compare two documents side by side, combine two documents into one, insert and delete a comment into a document.
Advance Microsoft Word: use mail merge to create documents, recipient lists, insert fields, prepare and existing list for use in mail merge, delete items that you have performed (copy chart and title and paste), replace check box with symbol, print out checklist and check the appropriate boxes, import subdocument, split document into two documents, create a table.
No experience
05
Please indicate languages, other than English in which you are fluent reading, writing, and or speaking. Check all that apply:
Mandarin
Greek
Spanish
Arabic
N/A
06
How many years of experience do you have utilizing a live chat system?
No experience
Less than 1 year
1 year but less than 2 years
2 years but less than 3 years
07
Describe in detail what three things make a great customer service experience?
08
Are you a veteran who served on active duty in the Armed Forces (United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard) for more than 90 consecutive days and received either an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions?
Yes
No
Required Question
