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 time frames 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.

• 3+ years of billing experience
• Have done a contract previously
• Strong technically
• You must currently reside within the Greater Toronto Area and be permitted to work in Canada to be considered for this opportunity.

• Utility Billing experience is a very strong asset
• Municipality experience is a strong asset

$30 - $38 per hour

• medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company’s 401(k) retirement plan.