COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT V (T/P)

The Communications Assistants V provide operational communications and customer service for the Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) Control Center 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Customer Calls, Dispatch, and Tracking

• Answer customer service inquiries on standard questions or emergency requests, such as those involving leaks in the street, broken water mains, open hydrants, and water quality.
• Provide professional and courteous assistance for both emergency and routine calls from customers, contractors, plumbers, and elected officials.
• Dispatch Water Distribution Investigators to assist customers.
• Notify supervision of emergency situations and communicate information relative to job needs and status.
• Record service call requests in the daily operations log.
• Monitor all two-way radio transmissions continuously while on shift; communicate by two-way radio with supervisors and crew members.
• Operate, navigate and utilize the MWW Customer Information System (enQuesta), Geographic Information System (GIS) and other databases to obtain information and to create work orders for activities such as assigned jobs, water turn on/off requests, owner’s leaks, hydrant information and maps.
• Make emergency personnel call-outs for water main repair crews and hose crews according to written procedures and schedules.

Response Coordination

• Provide assistance, coordination and information to all field operations, including support to water main repair crews attempting to restore interrupted water service and to Water Distribution Investigators attempting to bring water main breaks under control. 
• Refer calls to other city departments or outside agencies.
• Complete street permits for the various municipalities MWW serves.
• Conduct Digger’s Hotline requests and supply crews with accurate detailed location information.
• Provide information from maps, plat books, hotline markings, records and computer databases to Distribution field personnel and other departmental groups.
• Coordinate with other City/DPW divisions, departments, Milwaukee County Transit System, and other municipalities for traffic concerns, opening of sewers, street repairs etc., as needed.
• Contact the Fire Department for hydrant out-of-service or back-in-service information.
• Prepare a detailed and accurate time-stamped log of all activities.

We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities who are interested in employment and will make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

• To maintain 24-hour coverage, must be able to work shifts including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, Sunday-Thursday or Tuesday-Saturday, including holidays as scheduled.
• Must be able to work mandatory overtime and/or to cover shift vacancies and work extended hours as needed.

1. Current status as a regularly appointed City of Milwaukee employee, having successfully completed a probationary period for a civil service position.
2. Four years of office support experience including three years of customer service experience in communication environments, including direct telephone or dispatch activities.

NOTE: Equivalent combinations of education and experience may also be considered however, the three years of customer service experience is required and may not be substituted with education.

NOTICE: Please do not attach your academic transcripts to your employment application. The hiring department will verify candidates’ education as part of the background screening process prior to extending any job offers.

• Familiarity with City of Milwaukee streets and service area districts.

Technical

• Ability to learn and apply MWW Rules and Regulations and policies and procedures.
• Ability to read and interpret job-related documents, such as instructions, policies and procedures, and reports.
• Ability to prioritize calls during times of high call volume.
• Ability to actively listen to callers and accurately record information. 
• Ability to read plat books and construction prints.
• Ability to as well as operate the computerized GIS.
• Knowledge of the English language, including proper sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office to produce documents and reports.
• Ability to perform accurate data entry.
• Ability to efficiently utilize office equipment, including telephones, computers, copiers and fax machines.

Customer Service, Interpersonal, and Teamwork

• Ability to answer routine questions and work politely with internal and external customers, such as City employees, contractors, and the general public.
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with managers and coworkers.
• Ability to work cooperatively in a team-oriented environment with people whose backgrounds may differ from one’s own.

Organizational and Professionalism

• Organizational skills to maintain accurate records.
• Ability to use facts and effective judgment in responding to calls.
• Time management skills to complete assignments in a timely manner.
• Ability to solve problems satisfactorily.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to exhibit effective stewardship of City resources.

The current starting salary range (Pay Range 6KN) is $42,980-$48,169 annually, and the current incentive salary range for City of Milwaukee residents is $44,269-$49,614 annually. Appointment will be made in accordance with the provisions of the salary ordinance.

THE SELECTION PROCESS will be job related and will consist of one or more of the following: an evaluation of related education, experience and accomplishments, an evaluation of written communication, interviews, and/or other assessment methods. The Department of Employee Relations and the Milwaukee Water Works reserve the right to call only the most qualified candidates to proceed in the selection process. Information from the selection process will be used to make a hiring decision. Selected candidates will be transferred and/or promoted to the position.

INITIAL FILING DATE – The selection process will be held as soon as practical after the deadline listed above. Receipt of applications may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the needs of the City have been met. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the selection process at the time and place designated by the hiring authority.

NOTE: Transfer/Promotional Opportunities and Promotional Examinations are not open to Milwaukee Public Schools employees or to the public. Only current City of Milwaukee employees and civilian personnel in MFD and MPD hired through a City Service Commission process who have successfully passed a probationary period for a Civil Service position or who have status as a City of Milwaukee employee in a fixed term position will be considered. Individuals with exempt, provisional, temporary, or emergency appointments are not eligible for transfer.

• APPLICATIONS and further information can be accessed by visiting, www.jobapscloud.com/MIL.
• If you would like assistance completing an application, please contact the Department of Employee Relations at (414) 286-3751 or staffinginfo@milwaukee.gov.
• The Department of Employee Relations is located in City Hall, 200 E Wells St, Room 706, Milwaukee, WI 53202.