Client Relations Specialist

About the Department

The Knowledge and Optimization Organization is a service and process efficiency organization dedicated to continuous improvement for HR, Payroll, and Procure to Pay services. We strive to deliver high quality services and an excellent experience so faculty and staff can focus on teaching and research. We provide Human Resources support for compensation activities, data management, staff recruitment, student employment and time tracking.

We provide Payroll support for employee wage and fellowship payments, independent contractor and other reportable payments, payroll corrections, tax calculation and reporting and compliance for payment to non-citizens and entities. In addition, Knowledge and Optimization Organization provides Procure to Pay support for invoice processing, vendor management, check requests, purchase order compliance and expense reimbursement.

The Client Relations Specialist (CRS) is responsible for resolving inbound calls, chats, emails, and Service Now requests from customers, including third party vendors, applicants, staff, and faculty at the University of Chicago about financial services, human resources, payroll, budgeting and planning, financial management, and grants management, and navigation of administrative systems including Oracle Cloud and Workday. The CRS will assist with the execution of Tier 1 transactions in the areas of financial services, human resources, payroll, and grants management.

This position will provide first-level support for question resolution, researching and resolving issues, and escalating queries as appropriate. The CRS will provide excellent customer service experience by completing work efficiently and accurately while proactively anticipating a customer’s future needs. The CRS reports to the Director of the Finance and Administration Service Desk. The Service Desk is an integral part of the University’s Culture of Service and provides Tier 1 quality service in support of financial and human resources related processes.

The CRS position is a hybrid position, requiring in-person work at the Hyde Park Campus location for training, meetings, and other duties as needed which is subject to change. The CRS must maintain a home office environment that is conducive to a normal office environment and must have access to the internet and the ability to perform all work functions.

• Answers inbound phone calls and chats; processes inquiries received through Service Now related to financial services, human resources, payroll, budgeting and planning, financial management, and grants management in alignment with the Service Desk’s established key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements.
• Proactively analyzes customer inquiries and requests, and presents customized solutions and next steps to the customer.
• Determines if customer requests/inquiries require escalation to the following offices as defined in the Service Desk Manual, Financial Services, Budget, Financial Management, University Research Administration (URA), and Post Go-Live Support organization.
• Efficiently resolves a customer’s primary request and anticipates/addresses common downstream impacts.
• Documents customer interaction in call center technology system.
• Advises customers on how to use self-service tools.
• Advises customers on technology system navigation and basic transactional functionality, including Oracle Cloud and Workday platforms.
• Opens, closes, and manages requests through the Service Now portal.
• Supports routine financial report creation.
• Participates in special project requests to assist with overflow work of other teams as needed.
• Facilitates clerical testing as needed.
• Attends trainings and works with the Training…