Utility Billing Specialist

Salary: $32.00 - $41.61 Hourly

Location : Blaine, MN

Job Type: Full Time

Job Number: 179

Department: Finance

Division: Finance

Opening Date: 05/16/2025

Closing Date: 5/31/2025 4:30 PM Central

Description

About the Role

Join a mission-driven finance team in one of Minnesota's fastest-growing and most dynamic communities. As a Utility Billing Specialist with the City of Blaine, you'll be at the forefront of delivering accurate, efficient, and responsive utility billing services that directly support the city's water, sewer, stormwater, and solid waste operations. With over 23,000 commercial and residential accounts, this role is central to maintaining financial accountability and service excellence across departments and with the public.

This position offers more than transactional work, it provides the opportunity to influence operational improvements, enhance resident satisfaction, and ensure compliance with evolving industry practices. From preparing complex billing runs and monitoring AMI meter systems to helping residents resolve high water usage related issues, you'll apply your technical and interpersonal skills in a fast-paced, customer-centric environment.

Under the direction of the Utility Billing Supervisor, you'll contribute to high-impact work that combines customer service, data integrity, billing accuracy, and cross-functional coordination within a supportive team environment.

This is an ideal opportunity for a detail-oriented professional who thrives in independent and collaborative environments and values public service with real community impact.

Examples of Duties

Customer Service and Account Support

Serve as a primary point of contact for residents and businesses, resolving utility billing inquiries via phone, email, and in person with professionalism and efficiency

Coordinate and process service requests, including new account setup, disconnections, meter changes, and billing corrections, while ensuring accuracy in system updates

Administer senior discount and assistance programs, verify eligibility, and comply with program requirements

Billing and Financial Operations

Generate weekly and monthly utility bills for residential and commercial accounts, ensuring accuracy and timeliness

Reconcile garbage and recycling data and update customer accounts accordingly

Calculate and apply penalties, adjustments, and fees in line with city policies and rate structures

Monitor and certify delinquent utility accounts for special assessment collections

Coordinate with internal teams to ensure financial integrity in billing and collections

System and Data Integrity

Maintain customer records and perform accurate data entry

Monitor Sensus AMI alarms and verify accurate meter and system functionality

Analyze usage data to detect billing anomalies or potential leaks

Reporting, Compliance, and Audit

Prepare reports for internal use, audits, and external compliance

Assist with the records required for annual financial statements and external audits

Team Support and Leadership

Provide mentoring to new or rotating finance team members

Serve as backup for payroll, accounts payable, and front desk operations as needed

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Utility Billing Expertise: Familiarity with utility billing processes, including rate structures, adjustments, and delinquency handling

Accounting and Bookkeeping: Understanding financial procedures, including reconciliations, invoice generation, and payment application

Customer Communication: Ability to professionally handle sensitive or escalated customer service issues both verbally and in writing

Data Analysis: Skill in reviewing usage trends and identifying billing or metering data anomalies

Technical Proficiency: High-level competency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel (PivotTables, VLOOKUP), and experience with financial or billing software

Organizational Ability: Capable of managing multiple tasks with competing deadlines while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail

Regulatory Awareness: Understanding state and local regulations on utility billing, collections, and public service delivery

Supplemental Information

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

1. Associate's degree in accounting, Business Administration, or a related field OR a high school diploma/GED with six years of progressively responsible customer service experience

2. At least 3 years of customer service experience involving problem resolution

3. At least 2 years of experience in data entry and database management

4. Proficiency in Office 365, especially Excel (e.g., PivotTables, VLOOKUP), Word, and Mail Merge

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

1. Experience with government or utility billing systems (e.g., Sensus AMI, New World, Incode, or similar)

2, Experience training or mentoring staff in billing or finance-related functions

3. Ability to analyze trends and prepare detailed utility usage reports

Hiring range for this position is $32 to $34.07 per hour.

NOTE

The above position description is intended to represent only the key areas of responsibilities; specific position assignments will vary depending on the business needs of the department.

The position description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and the requirements of the job change.

The City of Blaine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

Why Blaine?

• Impact: Directly support critical public services for thousands of residents and businesses.

• Stability: Join a financially strong city with long-term infrastructure investments.

• Growth: Ongoing opportunities for professional development and cross-training.

• Culture: Be part of a collaborative, respectful team that values accuracy, service, and innovation.

Application Process

To be considered, applicants must complete an online application and respond to the supplemental questionnaire. Qualified candidates will demonstrate attention to detail, strong communication skills, and a commitment to excellent service.

We offer an excellent comprehensive benefit package for full time employees. Including paid vacation, sick leave, medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability, retirement benefits, educational assistance, employer paid employee assistance program, Flex Spending, Post Retirement Health Care, optional deferred compensation and short term disability.

For 2025, the City contributes $1,540.00 per month for each full-time employee to apply towards the benefits offered through the cafeteria plan if electing medical coverage. For 2025, the City contributes $714.44 per month for each full-time employee if medical coverage is waived. The City's contribution is pro-rated for part-time employees.

MEDICAL INSURANCE

The City of Blaine offers a full cafeteria plan. All full-time probationary and regular City employees are eligible to participate. Single coverage is part of the core, but if the employee so elects, he/she may include his/her dependents on a family policy. Employees may choose from five options under HealthPartners. Coverage becomes effective the first of the month following date of hire for both employee and employee+ policies. The following are the monthly premiums for each plan:

HealthPartners (1/1/2025)

Group #5602

$30 Co-Pay 100%

$3300 HDHP/HSA

$3300 RX HDHP/HSA

$5000 RX HDHP/HSA

$2500 HSA Aggregate

Employee

$1,244.56

$934.56

$959.06

$875.56

$955.06

Employee + Child(ren)

$2,489.06

$1,868.56

$1,918.06

$1750.56

$1,910.06

Employee + Spouse

$2,613.56

$1,962.06

$2,014.06

$1,838.06

$2,005.56

Family

$3,235.56

$2,429.06

$2,493.06

$2,275.56

$2,482.56

DENTAL INSURANCE

Single dental insurance is part of the core, but family dental insurance is available. All full-time probationary and regular employees are eligible. This dental insurance becomes effective on the first of the month following date of hire. The monthly premiums for single and family coverage is:

PLAN SINGLE DEPENDENT/FAMILY

HealthPartners $57.75 $113.07

LIFE INSURANCE

Basic life in the amount of $50,000 is part of the core. All full-time probationary and regular City employees are provided with a term life, accidental death and dismemberment insurance policy.

PLAN RATE

Lincoln Financial $8.50

ADDITIONAL LIFE INSURANCE

Available for family members of all full-time probationary and regular employees at low group rates from Lincoln Financial and/or PERA Life. Specific regulations apply.

LONG-TERM DISABILITY

All active full-time employees who work 40 hours a week are eligible to participate in the long-term disability (LTD) plan.

RETIREMENT

Retirement benefits are those of a coordinated plan which combines the benefits of the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) with regular Social Security benefits. The employee contributes 6.50% of total annual earnings to PERA. The city contributes 7.50% of the employee's annual earnings to PERA. The employee also contributes the mandatory social security contribution which is matched by the City.

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE

All regular full-time employees are eligible for tuition reimbursement upon satisfactory completion of approved work-related educational courses offered by accredited institutions.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE

All regular full-time employees may participate in an Employee Assistance Program through HealthPartners at the City's expense. In certain instances, this benefit extends to the employee's immediate family as well.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION

All full-time probationary and regular employees are eligible to participate in a pre-tax savings program through payroll deduction.

HEALTH SAVING ACCOUNTS and/or FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS

All full-time probationary and regular employees are eligible to participate in the City's pre-tax health savings account and/or flexible spending accounts for medical/dental/vision expenses and/or dependent care costs. Specific rules and regulations govern use and eligibility.

POST EMPLOYMENT HEALTH CARE SAVINGS PLAN (HCSP)

The city has implemented the Minnesota State Retirement System HCSP, which requires employees to save money on a pre-tax basis to pay medical expenses and/or health insurance premiums after termination of public service.

HOLIDAYS

The following eleven paid holidays will be observed by the city, New Year's Day, ML King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day After Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Floating Holiday.

VACATION

Vacation leave is accrued by all regular full-time employees.

SICK LEAVE

Sick leave is accrued by all full-time employees at the rate of four hours per pay period with a maximum accumulation of 960 hours. A minimum of one hour must be used per occurrence.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE

All probationary and regular employees are eligible for bereavement leave upon the death of an immediate family member. Employees may convert up to four days of sick leave per occurrence.

01

Do you have an Associate's degree in accounting, Business Administration, or a related field OR a high school diploma/GED with six years of progressively responsible customer service experience?

Yes

No

02

Do you have at least 3 years of customer service experience involving problem resolution?

Yes

No

03

Do you have at least 2 years of experience in data entry and database management?

Yes

No

04

Are you proficient in Office 365, especially Excel (e.g., PivotTables, VLOOKUP), Word, and Mail Merge?

Yes

No

05

Do you have experience with government or utility billing systems (e.g., Sensus AMI, New World, Incode, or similar)?

Yes

No

06

Do you have experience training or mentoring staff in billing or finance-related functions?

Yes

No

07

Are you able to analyze trends and prepare detailed utility usage reports?

Yes

No

08

Are you claiming Veteran's Preference?

Yes - Disabled

Yes - Not Disabled

No

09

How did you hear about this position?

Website

I am a current employee.

Referral

Required Question