Training and Education Center Customer Service Specialist

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. 

The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.   

Supplemental Questionnaire:  A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application.  Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted on-line and must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.  Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

THE ALAMEDA COUNTY TRAINING & EDUCATION CENTER

The Alameda County Training & Education Center provides customized training, organizational development, and space/facilities that support meetings and conferences that utilize technology on a fee-for-service business model. The center’s mission is to focus on providing high quality training and development services to the community as well as Alameda County departments and their employees. Over the past several years the center has promoted workforce/succession planning and development, with an emphasis on planning for the future workforce. The training and development of current and future leaders in Alameda County focuses on building competencies needed for leadership and other critical positions in Alameda County now and into the future.

THE POSITION

Under general supervision of the Conference Center Services Manager, initiates and closes sales and provides general support for Training & Education Center services in the areas of space rental; meeting and planning services; training support; and, performs related work as needed.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate for the position of Customer Service Specialist, will share the Center’s core value of providing excellent customer service; will work to build relationships with Center clients; will demonstrate sound judgement, problem solving and people skills in a high-volume civic engagement environment. Additionally, the ideal candidate will be reliable, engaging, and possess the following:

• A demonstrated ability of working successfully with others, displaying friendliness and diplomacy.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including senior leaders, and in a variety of contexts.
• A demonstrable ability with marketing and graphics using computer and web-based software.
• Thrive working both independently and as a vital member of our team.
• Proven ability to independently prioritize tasks and provide status updates on short notice using exceptional organizational skills.
• A background in assisting with account receivables/payables and other data, to gather and analyze relevant information, and exercise good judgment based on available data.
• Ability to maintain effectiveness even when experiencing changes in work responsibilities, priorities and deadlines and to take prompt action to accomplish objectives.

Education:

High School diploma or equivalent.

AND

Experience:

The equivalent of four years full-time experience serving customers within a direct sales environment, working with a diverse customer base and a variety of products/services.

Substitution:

Any college education based on quarterly or semester units in the equivalency of a year may substitute for experience on a year-to-year basis. (A 4-year quarterly unit equivalency is 180, 3-year is 135, 2-year is 90, 1-year is 45; A 4-year semester equivalency is 120, 3-year is 90, 2-year is 60, 1-year is 30).

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the “Examples of Duties” section of this specification. 

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Sales and marketing principles.
• Quality customer service principles.
• Effective business principles and perspective, with emphasis on sales and marketing.
• Understanding of marketing strategies.

Ability to:

• Work within business and sales oriented environment.
• Open/initiate and close sales for services/products.
• Communicate effectively and respond to customer needs and complaints in calm manner.
• Handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment with equanimity and humor.
• Use database, spreadsheet and word processing programs.
• Creatively problem solve in difficult situations.
• Work in a team environment and be flexible with priorities.
• Work within context of large organizations. 

The examination will consist of the following steps:

1. A review of candidates' application to verify possession of minimum requirements.  Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.
2. A review of the supplemental questionnaire to determine the best qualified.
3. An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidates' final examination score.  The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this recruitment.  WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work. To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance.  The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

Last Day to File:                                    Monday, January 14, 2019

Screen for Minimum Qualifications:    Week of January 28, 2019

Screen for Best Qualified:                     Week of February 18, 2019

Panel Interviews:                                    Week of March 4, 2019

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes.  To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing.   Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes. For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

• Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
• Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
• County Allowance (Employer Credit)
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Group Legal
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Anna Montoya, Human Resources Analyst III
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
510-271-6459
www.acgov.org/hrs

ALAMEDA COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER