Customer Service Department Specialist

تعلن سلطة المياه الفلسطينية وحدة إدارة المشاريع/ غزه عن حاجتها للوظيفة المذكورة ادناه وذلك للعمل ضمن طاقم وحدة إدارة المشاريع وذلك حسب الشروط المبين ادناه:

VACANCY ANNONCEMENT

The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) ــ Project Management Unit in Gaza invites experienced & qualified Palestinians to apply for the following position in the Project Management Unit (PMU).

Customer Service Department Specialist

Gaza Bulk Water Supply Unit

 Project Background:

Gaza Central Desalination Program: Associated Works Phase I Project is a part of a coordinated international effort to address chronic poor water quality in Gaza and the significant increase in domestic demand expected in the medium term, which is projected to reach around 145 MCM a year by 2030. PWA, in partnership with the European Commission (EC), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the Islamic Development Bank (ISDB) and the World Bank, formulated the Gaza Central Desalination Program (GCDP). The GCDP covers all Gaza and comprises two main components: (i) construction of a desalination plant with initial capacity to produce 55 MCM a year of desalinated water that can be doubled in the future; and (ii) construction of a north-south water carrier, including storage reservoirs to convey and properly blend the desalinated water with groundwater sources to achieve water supply meeting WHO standards for potable water. Securing the required funding for implementing the GCDP will take several years, leaving the water situation in Gaza, and particularly in the southern and middle governorates, in urgent need of improvement. In this context, the international community supported the construction of two Short-Term Low-Volume (STLV) desalination plants which produce 4.7 MCM per year as interim measures to alleviate the needs for fresh water. In addition, PWA has negotiated the purchase of an additional fresh water for the middle and southern governorates of Gaza from Israel National Water Company Mekorot. The proposed project, through blending these new high-quality water sources with 15.3 MCM per year from existing saline groundwater, will supply bulk water to all 16 municipalities in the project area (with an estimated 870,000 people) with at least 90 liters per capita per day (lcd) meeting WHO standards for potable water. The project will also contribute towards enhancing soundness of the sector institutional set up. The proposed operation includes institutional strengthening activities aimed at the establishment of a small unit to manage bulk water supply operations in Gaza laying a sound foundation for the future establishment of the National Water Company (NWC), which is mandated by the Water Law to manage and operate bulk water throughout the West Bank and Gaza.

The Gaza Bulk Water Supply Unit (BWSU) will be part of the National Water Company, the bulk water provider for West Bank and Gaza as defined by law. The Unit will be responsible for: (i) the operation and maintenance of the STLVs; (ii) the monitoring and management of bulk water purchased from Israel; (iii) the management and operation of groundwater wells in middle and south Gaza;  (iv) the blending of these bulk water sources for distribution and onward sale to municipalities (the water service providers); and (v) the recovery and reuse scheme. The World Bank will support PWA with the establishment of the Bulk Water Supply Unit initially hiring its core staff which will gradually be expanded with funds from bulk water sales proceeds.

Essential Functions:

The Customer Service Department Specialist will report to the Financial and Administrative Department Manager and will be in charge of planning and executing a system to bill, collect and monitor the customer services responsibilities with all 25 municipalities in Gaza. The Specialist will coordinate with the rest of the departments; Technical, Operations and Maintenance and Finance and Administration departments to obtain detailed information of water distributed to all municipalities and will prepare corresponding bills to each customer with the detailed readings. Whenever needed, the Specialist in coordination with the Unit Departments will communicate with the corresponding departments in Municipalities to collect the bills for bulk water distributed.

 Responsibilities & Main Functional Tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. In coordination with the Unit Director and Finance and Administrative Department Manager, design a workflow for the billing and collection function for the Unit detailing the responsibilities for each of the Unit areas to produce the accurate and timely information to produce the bills.
2. Develop methods and procedures to deliver the bills and collect the revenues for water sold to municipalities.
3. Participate in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for billing and collection and recommend and implement resulting policies and procedures.
4. Evaluate opportunities for improving billing and collections services, identify resource needs, review appropriate management practices and staff requirements.
5. Explore alternative ways for billing distribution, communication systems, ways for collecting revenues and other process tools.
6. Propose communication initiatives with customers as well as design preferential treatments or incentive designs with municipalities that pay on time.
7. Provide information for the budget development including staffing, equipment, materials and supplies; monitor and approve expenditures; recommend adjustments as necessary.
8. Participate in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies and priorities for the billing and collection operations.
9. Apply the Unit’s billing and collections system and propose changes to the configuration as necessary for rate and or billing updates. Test and verify all changes before implementing and distributing bills.
10. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

Qualification Requirements:

1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Business Administration, Public Administration, Information Systems or a related field, plus seven (7) years in billing or utility customer service including at least three (3) years with direct supervisory experience in a management and/or administrative capacity.
2. Experience such as described in the job description may substitute for education on a year for year basis.
3. Preferably with experience in operational characteristics, services and activities of a customer service program including modern principles and practices of customer service billing practices.
4. Preferably with experience using software related to customer service and billing activities with basic principles and practices of software end-user, operational characteristics of personal computers and related operating systems.
5. Preferably demonstrated experience maintaining and updating a variety of records and logs related to customer service, billing and collection activities.
6. Capable of preparing clear and concise reports and establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
7. Demonstrable experience in methods and techniques of evaluating system performance and recommending modifications, principles and practices of budget preparation and administration and accountability, principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation.
8. Demonstrable experience in developing and administering Department goals, objectives and procedures, preparing administrative and financial reports.
9. Demonstrable experience in research and analysis evaluating services, problems, identifying alternative solutions, estimating project consequences of proposed actions and implementing recommendations in support of goals.
10. Good command of English speaking and writing.
11. Knowledge of dealing with computers and proficiency in MS Office programs at an advanced level.

Time Frame and Contract

The duration of the assignment is one year. The contract can be renewed based on performance. The assignment will be on a full-time basis.

We encourage diversity in our workplace and support an inclusive work environment.

 Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates are kindly requested to fill in the Form below before 01/09/2022 at 15:00.

https://forms.gle/ByVP7Q26eoEo4qvw5

 Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted