Director, Customer Billing & Collections

OUC – The Reliable One, an industry leader as the second largest municipal utility in Florida, is looking for qualified individuals to be part of our growing team. We are looking for self-motivated, creative professionals who can assist with achieving our vision of being recognized as the best utility in the nation. 

We are seeking an individual for a position as a Director, Customer Billing & Collections in the Customer Experience & Sales Division. 

Job Purpose:

Responsible for leading, prioritizing, and directing the Customer Billing & Collections division within the Customer Experience & Sales Business Unit. Ensure timely, accurate bills are created and sent to residential and commercial customers. Establish standards for rate design and accuracy for all the billing components. Leverage best practices and technology to provide bills in the format best suited for the customer use and payment remittance. Establish effective and efficient collection methods of customer funds within the utility’s revenue cycle to minimize accounts receivable exposure. 

Primary Functions:

• Develop and execute against the billing strategy to ensure accurate, reliable, and timely billing of customers; core billing services include electric, water, street lights, and chilled water; third party billing occurs for wastewater, solid waste, oil/grease, warranty services, etc. in paper and e-bill format; envision, develop and communicate strategies, plans, and goals for the business unit;
• Oversee operations of Customer Billing & Collections; develop and revise policies and procedures to meet changing needs and maintain effective operations; provide consistent and measurable reports to executive leadership; establish and maintain quality standards, key performance indicators, operational metrics, performance expectations, budget targets and make certain there is accountability to each;
• Provide direction related to new rate design and creation, change in billing practices, and use of technology related to billing;
• Implement best practices and methods to make sure there are quality and efficiency throughout the operations;
• Consider changes in customer demands and emerging billing methods;
• Provide daily oversight and support to area managers related to day to day operations, processing billing exceptions, providing adjustment approvals, etc.;
• Understand meter to cash process to provide guidance and direction on related matters and systems (i.e. Meter Data Management (MDM) and Customer Information System (CIS);
• Lead or participate in projects supporting meter to cash activities such as technology upgrades and business process improvement initiatives within the division, department or organization;
• Develop strategies to ensure accurate, reliable, and timely collection of customer revenues, processing write-offs, and recoveries, and monitor bad debt expense trends that are assertive and preserve goodwill with the customer;
• Improve the collection, severance, and write-off processes and enhance the customer information system to accomplish this considering the associated impacts to the financial records, ratios, and metrics;
• Establish OUC’s policies and practices related to customer deposits, collections activities, severance, and write-off by understanding changes in economic cycles, customer payment prioritization, utility industry trends, and technology impacts on credit and collections;
• Lead efforts across the meter to cash utility revenue cycle, collaborating with billing, revenue assurance, residential, commercial and major account staff, payment administration, accounting staff to expand staff’s business, technical and system expertise on credit and collection-related matters;
• Manage and lead a staff of direct and indirect reports to provide direction of day-to-day activities towards accomplishing the department’s strategic plan including, but not limited to, employee coaching, development, and performance evaluation;
• Evaluate and align talent to current and future business needs; mitigate talent risks;
• Support and maintain effective business unit workgroups and leadership team; foster a culture of respect and continuous learning;
• Develop, measure, and take action on performance metrics for teams and individuals within the business unit; communicate performance expectations, support staff professional goals, and brief all related issues, initiatives, and actions, risks or concerns with Leadership;
• Manage selection and promotion procedures including reviewing applicants and interviewing potential new employees to select candidates for open positions within the business unit;
• Develop the annual operating and/or capital budgets for the area; ensure that operations are managed within authorized budgets; advise, develop, review and approve budgets, plans, and business goals;
• Perform other duties as assigned.