CUSTOMER RELATIONS OFFICER bei City of Long Beach, CA

About the Department

The City of Long Beach is seeking a highly qualified and experienced professional to oversee the Customer Relations Division's day-to-day customer service, education, and outreach operations in the Department of Public Works.

Appointment to this position is expected to be at or below the midpoint $128,776.72 of the salary range, however, the final amount will be carefully determined based on the candidate's knowledge, skills, qualifications, and an evaluation of internal equity within the organization.

THE COMMUNITY

The City Council appoints the City Manager, City Clerk, and Director of Police Oversight. The City Manager is responsible for the efficient administration of all City departments, excluding those under direction of a separately elected official, Board, or Commission. Long Beach is one of only three cities in California with its own Health Department and one of the very few municipalities with its own Utilities (Water and Gas) and Energy Resources Departments. The City is supported by a FY 2025 total budget of $3.6 billion with a General Fund budget of $752 million. More than 6,000 full- and part-time employees support municipal operations with the majority being represented by eleven recognized employee associations. To learn more about the City of Long Beach, go to: www.longbeach.gov.

The Customer Relations Officer is an at-will management position that is responsible for coordinating and partnering with local and regional stakeholders to lead the customer service operations for services provided by the Public Works department focusing on inquiries related to solid waste management, street sweeping, parking enforcement, micro-mobility programs, traffic safety and infrastructure projects. This leadership position is at the intersection of public service, operations, and technology. The role's primary nature is to serve as the unifying force for all customer service interactions across multiple, vital city programs. The manager is expected to be an empathetic leader who guides a team to deliver consistent, high-quality support. They must also be able to anticipate and solve for challenges, using data to identify operational inefficiencies and plan for actionable enhancements of customer communication. This is not just a management role; it is a change-agent role focused on continuous improvement and modernization of public service. The position leads a dedicated team of 17 staff members and one supervisor, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, efficient, and consistent service across all communication channels. This position will support the update to the department’s website by providing data regarding resident challenges and inquiries. The position is responsible for timely and accurate communications and working with the Public Works communications team to ensure consistent messaging and branding across all campaigns and outreach efforts.

The position is responsible for overseeing and strengthening the bureau’s day-to-day customer service, education, and outreach operations while leading a team that currently consists of: 1 Customer Service Supervisor, 1 Clerk Typist and 16 Customer Service Representatives. The position collaborates regularly with the Public Works communications division ensuring consistent brand and messaging. The position may collaborate with Financial Management and Utilities for billing matters, bill inserts, and other efforts. The manager is accountable for the full-cycle operation of the call center and its future expansion into a multi-channel contact center. The role's breadth extends across a diverse range of municipal services, including solid waste management, street sweeping, parking enforcement, and micro-mobility programs. The scope is forward-looking, requiring the manager to lead the integration of new digital communication channels (chat, email, and online forms), fundamentally transforming how the city interacts with its residents. To succeed the individual will need to demonstrate decision making, prioritizing resources, and developing recommendations based on analysis of data.

Position Duties

• Operational Excellence: The manager will be responsible for optimizing call center operations to handle high-volume inquiries efficiently. This includes reducing average wait times, improving first-call resolution rates, and ensuring staff are well-trained on policies and procedures for all programs.
• Omni-Channel Integration: The role will be critical in the future expansion of customer support beyond phone calls to include chat, email, and online forms. A key focus will be to seamlessly integrate these new channels, ensuring a unified and consistent customer experience regardless of how residents choose to communicate.
• Team Leadership & Development: The manager will directly supervise a supervisor and a diverse team of full-time and part-time staff. This involves fostering a positive and professional work environment, implementing clear performance metrics, and providing ongoing training to enhance customer service skills and program knowledge.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: A core responsibility will be to use customer interaction data, such as call volume, inquiry types, and service requests, to identify trends and opportunities for improvement. This information will be used to proactively address common issues and inform strategic decisions for program enhancements.
• Operational Management: Overseeing all aspects of the call center, including the supervision of a supervisor and team of 17 staff members. This involves managing schedules, workflows, and resource allocation to ensure continuous service availability.
• Performance Optimization: Developing, implementing, and monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of the team. This includes analyzing metrics on call volume, wait times, first-call resolution, and customer satisfaction.
• Strategic Planning: Leading the expansion of the call center's capabilities to new communication channels, such as chat, email, and online forms. This requires developing a roadmap for smooth transition and integration.
• Staff Development: Fostering a positive work environment, providing continuous training and coaching for staff, and conducting performance reviews to ensure professional growth and high-quality service.
• Inter-Departmental Collaboration: Serving as the primary point of contact for the solid waste, street sweeping, parking enforcement, and micro-mobility programs. This ensures that the customer service team has the most current information to address public inquiries accurately.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Communications or closely related field. (Proof required at time of application) 
• Candidates may substitute experience offering specific and substantial preparation for the duties of the position for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in a customer service or call center management role is crucial. This experience should include direct supervision of staff, budget management, and a track record of implementing process improvements. 
• One (1) year of the required experience must have been at a lead or supervisory level.

• Technical Proficiency: The manager must be proficient in customer relationship management (CRM) software, call center technology, and data analytics tools. Familiarity with systems for tracking service requests and generating reports is also essential;
• Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills are non-negotiable. The role requires the ability to communicate clearly with staff, other city departments, and the public, often in high-pressure situations;
• Problem-Solving and Strategic Thinking: The candidate needs to be a skilled problem-solver who can analyze complex data and develop strategic solutions to improve customer service. This includes the ability to anticipate future needs, such as the integration of new communication channels, and plan for them;
• Leadership and Empathy: Strong leadership skills are vital for motivating and guiding the team. The manager should also demonstrate empathy, both for the staff they lead and the customers they serve, ensuring a supportive and professional environment;
• Data Visualization and Reporting Skills: Proficiency in creating clear and compelling dashboards or reports that translate complex call center data into actionable insights for leadership.

• A valid driver’s license, or the ability to arrange necessary and timely transportation for field travel, may be required for some assignments.

• Experience within a government or public-sector environment, particularly one dealing with municipal services, is highly desirable;
• Experience managing supervisors is highly desirable;
• Experience in quality control principles and practices;
• Knowledge of measurable key performance indicators, which leads to optimal customer experience;
• Knowledge of computer software and call center technology;
• Demonstrated success in change management and integration of new tools and technologies;
• Proficiency in creating clear and compelling dashboards or reports; 
• Proven experience building and leading teams; 
• Demonstrated success in cross functional collaboration across a large organization; 
• Knowledge of or experience with public speaking or presentation skills.

Other Qualifications