Utility Billing Clerk

About the Opportunity

· Receives, assesses, and responds to inquiries from staff, financial institutions, law offices, government agencies and the public electronically by email, written or by telephone that cannot otherwise be resolved by customer service staff.

· Updates water utility billing database to include meter reads including field activities, meter read scheduling, processing customer reads, resolving customer access issues, updating of account, and billing information for utility billing purposes.

· Ensures accurate and timely updates of billing information.

· Completes various balance adjustments affecting utility accounts. Adjustments include, but are not limited to, adjustments for not sufficient funds (NSF), to correct misapplied payments, penalty and interest adjustments and recalculations, duplicate payments, collections, loans etc.

· Provides written correspondence if required to advise customer of revised account balance.

· Monitors Pre-Authorized Payment Plan accounts and follows-up on discrepancies such as changes in banking information, returned payments, credits and plan changes; ensures adherence to bank transmission timeframes and billing deadlines.

· Researches information, analyzes account and composes correspondence in response to account discrepancies from ratepayers, lawyers and financial institutions.

· Receives, reviews, and approves forms and supporting documents associated with the utility billing programs with respect to the Lead Loan Program, Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC), Water Meter testing, etc.

· Notifies applications if criteria are not satisfied.

· Liaises with external contact centre staff to provide support, guidance, expertise and advise on utility issues.

· Provides information on policies and procedures, pre-authorized payment plans and programs offered.

· Receives, opens, sorts and disburses and processes incoming mail. Responds to inquiries related to bill calculations and/or transfer of arrears to tax accounts.

· Manages call backs from notices to account holders and property owner(s).

· Verifies batch entries and listings and executes bill cancellations and immediate re-billing.

· Performs transfer adjustments and related penalty calculations and any reversal of fees as required.

· Maintains the collection of arrears, calculates and applies penalty and interest charges in accordance with the City’s Arrears Policy.

· Liaises with the tax department to ensure outstanding balances are transferred to the correct roll numbers.

· Researches returned bills to determine correct mailing addresses using various online sources and noting accounts.

· Assists in the mailing and preparations of utility statements and notices where required.

· Monitors the move in/move out process, ensures accurate closing and setting up of new billing accounts.

· Acts as a liaison with internal departments, external customers, vendors and stakeholders.

· Assists in customer service escalations related to Utility billing. Identifies account inconsistencies, prepares work orders regarding meter reads; commence or discontinuance of service; tests meters suspected to be running inadequately.

· Determines and performs necessary maintenance input of relevant information on utility accounts.

· Identifies properties that require a verification or final meter reading.

· Analyzes data to provide recommendations on water billing procedures or processes. Researches and gathers information related to the billing of water, wastewater, and stormwater charges.

· Responsible for reviewing specific billing section variance reports and follows up with the Utility Billing Customer Centre for customer outreach and/or Utility Billing Team Lead for escalations.

· Reviews and reconciles batch files to verify accuracy prior to bill release. Documents all communications and interactions, on the customer account accurately and promptly.

About You

· 3+ years of billing experience

· Have done a contract previously

· Strong technically

Nice to have:

· Utility Billing experience is a very strong asset

· Municipality experience is a strong asset

Pay Range

$30 - $38 per hour

How to Apply

Click the “Apply Now” button and follow the instructions to submit your resume. Please know that we only accept documents in MS Word or Rich Text formats. When referencing this job, quote # 303009

This position for employment is for a current vacancy with Vaco/Highspring’s client. You must currently reside within the Greater Toronto Area and be permitted to work in Canada to be considered for this opportunity. A recruiter will be in touch with you if your profile meets our client’s requirements for this role.

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual’s skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, office location and other geographic considerations, as well as other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law in geographies that require salary range disclosure, Vaco/Highspring notes the salary range for the role is noted in this job posting. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company’s 401(k) retirement plan. Additional disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted in the job description, the position Vaco/Highspring is filing for is occupied. Please note, however, that Vaco/Highspring is regularly asked to provide talent to other organizations. By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. Submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase within Vaco/Highspring will be otherwise assessed by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco/Highspring does not have knowledge of the tools used by its clients in making final hiring decisions and cannot opine on their use of AI products.

EEO Notice

Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.

Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com.

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

For residents of Ontario, Canada: Based on Highspring’s discussions with its Client, Highspring’s understanding is that this position for employment is a current vacancy (either through Highspring as a contractor or with the client directly).

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco by Highspring”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here.

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring’s use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client’s use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
• licensure and certification requirements;
• office location and other geographic considerations;
• other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.