Utility Customer Service Specialist I 2026-03191

Utility Customer Service Specialist I 2026-03191

Salary

$20.08 - $30.11 Hourly

Location

Fayetteville, AR, AR

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

03191

Department

UTILITIES FINANCIAL SVCS (710)

Opening Date

11/05/2026

Closing Date

12/5/2026 5:00 PM Central

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

The City of Fayetteville is committed to attracting, engaging and rewarding a multi-generational workforce. By offering a total rewards package including competitive compensation and benefits plans and a purposeful work life, the City is an employer of choice focused on serving our community.

Essential Job Duties

The City of Fayetteville is committed to attracting, engaging and rewarding a multi-generational workforce. By offering a total rewards package including competitive compensation and benefits plans and a purposeful work life, the City is an employer of choice focused on serving our community.

• Provide good customer service to both internal and external customers, maintain positive and effective working relationships with other city employees (especially members of their own team), and have regular and reliable attendance that is non-disruptive.
• Maintain an up-to-date and comprehensive understanding of the City's Code of Ordinances that apply to the Division's operations.
• Have a thorough understanding of the billing process and communicate this information effectively to customers.
• Effectively present information and respond to questions from internal and external customers and the general public, in person, over the telephone, and by email. Responses may require gathering utility benchmark or historical usage data and cost information; then providing the information in a user-friendly format such as a chart or spreadsheet.
• Maintain a current knowledge of City divisions and the services they provide in order to respond to citizen inquiries.
• Process impact fees and set up new utility accounts. Review residential and commercial permit files to determine construction percentage of completion and workflow status for a property.
• Use utility maps to respond to requests for location of properties, water meters, and utility lines.
• Exhibit excellent customer service while assisting customers to set up new service, transfer service to new addresses, or disconnect service. This process includes researching bad debt accounts, setting sewer averages, setting payment options, and assuring that all processes are completed accurately and in a timely manner.
• Exercise good judgment when utilizing the position's authority and discretion to turn water service on and off.
• Interview water customers who are subject to disconnect for non-payment either by telephone or in person and determine if they qualify for an extension and payment plan. Set up extensions and payment plans for qualifying customers.
• Process mail which includes using a 10-key by touch, assuring the checks match the utility bill coupon, and that all utility bill coupons are scannable. Process any mailing address change requests on the coupons.
• Perform financial transactions which include receipting in monies from various sources, entering and processing cash, checks, and credit cards and balancing a cash drawer on a daily basis.
• Adhere to the Federal Red Flag guidelines and maintain strict confidentiality of customer information.
• Research and resolve difficult customer problems and complaints.
• Work with bad debt collections, including performing skip tracing, obtaining forwarding addresses and contacting prior customers regarding collections.
• Assist with training of new customer service coordinators.
• Run, review, and interpret complex utility account reports to answer customer questions or respond to customer requests.
• Answer call center phone and forward to appropriate department.
• Perform filing function in an accurate manner.
• Other duties as assigned.

Secondary Job Duties

• Secondary duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED and two years of related customer service and/or cashier experience.
• Must successfully pass criminal background check, including but not limited to convictions, guilty pleas, or no contest pleas to violent offenses, theft offenses and any offense under A.C.A. § 21-15-103 or A.C.A. § 21-15-111.
• Have a basic understanding of cash handling principles.
• Effectively communicate with others orally and in writing.
• Ability to understand and explain City services, guidelines, and procedures.
• Requires the use of tact, initiative and independent judgment in dealing with difficult citizen complaints, or requests for assistance, information or services to the public.
• Must be able to work effectively in an environment that has regular interruptions and numerous phone calls from citizens.
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) preferred.
• Must be able to use mathematics involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percents.
• Must be proficient in the use of computer and software programs such as word processing and spreadsheet applications. Must be able to effectively operate standard office equipment.
• Must have the ability to learn to effectively utilize the City's utility billing software. Must have the ability to learn other software programs such as permit tracking and electronic document management systems for indexing and retrieval.
• Must be able to type a minimum of 40 wpm and perform 10-key calculations at a minimum of 6000 keystrokes per hour (KPH).
• Must have the ability to prioritize and multi-task.
• Must be willing to forgo vacation time off for short periods during the university student migrations after the spring semester and before the fall semester.
• While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to move about the office area, sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; occasionally climb or balance; stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Must have specific vision abilities to accomplish computer and office work.

The City of Fayetteville is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Full Time, 40 or more hours per week, non uniformed employee. Eligible for all City benefits offered to full time non uniformed employees and all full time City accruals of paid leave.

Please click this link for more details on City employee benefits:

www.fayetteville-ar.gov/654/Employee-Benefits-Information

01

This position requires the candidate to possess either a High School Diploma or GED and two years of related customer service and/or cashier experience. Do you meet these requirements?

• YES
• NO

02

If you answered yes to the previous question, please give a detailed description of the customer service and/or cashier experience you have as well as the length of time for this experience.

03

The successful candidate must successfully pass criminal background check, including but not limited to convictions, guilty pleas, or no contest pleas to violent offenses, theft offenses and any offense under A.C.A. § 21-15-103 or A.C.A. § 21-15-111. If selected, would you be able to meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

04

The candidate must have a basic understanding of cash handling principles. Do you meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

05

The candidate must have the ability to effectively communicate with others orally and in writing. Do you meet these requirements?

• YES
• NO

06

The successful candidate must have the ability to understand and explain City services, guidelines, and procedures. If selected, would you be able to meet these requirements?

• YES
• NO

07

This position requires the use of tact, initiative and independent judgment in dealing with difficult citizen complaints, or requests for assistance, information or services to the public. Please describe relevant experience you have, work related or other, in which youve utilized the above types of skills.

08

The candidate must be able to work effectively in an environment that has regular interruptions and numerous phone calls from citizens. Please describe your past experience, work related or other that demonstrates your ability to meet these requirements.

09

Bilingual (English and Spanish) preferred, but not required. Are you bilingual?

• Yes
• No

10

The candidate must be able to use mathematics involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percents. Do you meet these requirements?

• YES
• NO

11

The candidate must be proficient in the use of computer and software programs such as word processing and spreadsheet applications. Do you meet these requirements?

• YES
• NO

12

If you answered yes to the previous question, please state what software programs you are familiar with and have experience using.

13

The successful candidate must be able to effectively operate standard office equipment, (i.e. scanner, printer, fax, copier, etc.). If selected would you be able to meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

14

The candidate must have the ability to learn to effectively utilize the Citys utility billing software, as well as the ability to learn other software programs such as permit tracking and electronic document management systems for indexing and retrieval. If selected, would you be able to meet these requirements?

• YES
• NO

15

The successful candidate must be able to type a minimum of 40 wpm and perform 10-key calculations at a minimum of 6000 keystrokes per hour (KPH). Do you meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

16

The candidate must have the ability to prioritize and multi-task. Please describe relevant experience you have, work related or other, in which youve utilized the above types of skills.

17

The candidate must be willing to forgo vacation time off for short periods during the university student migrations after the spring semester and before the fall semester. If selected, would you be able to meet this requirement?

• YES
• NO

18

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to move about the office area, sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; occasionally climb or balance; stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Must have specific vision abilities to accomplish computer and office work. If selected, would you be able to meet these requirements?

• YES
• NO

19

Please feel free to use the space below to describe any additional skills, education, or other traits you possess which you believe qualify you for this position.

Required Question

Employer City of Fayetteville, Arkansas

Address 113 W Mountain St

Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701

Phone 479-575-8278

Website http://www.fayetteville-ar.gov