Director, Customer Care (Call Center)

People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.

We are Beautifully Different . We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.

About American Water:

American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people across 14 regulated jurisdictions and 18 military installations. American Water’s 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

As one of the fastest growing utilities in the U.S., American Water expects to invest $30 to $34 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, system resiliency and regulated acquisitions over the next 10 years. The company has a long-standing history of executing its core operations, aligned with sustainable best practices, through its commitments to safety, affordability, customer service, protecting the environment, an inclusive workforce and strengthening communities.

American Water has been recognized on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Indexfor the fifth consecutive year, ranked 18th on Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies 2023 List, earned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense® Excellence Award, among additional state, local and national recognitions.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn , Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Primary Role:

Lead customer service operations (call handling, workforce scheduling, technical training, customer relations, quality assurance) and direct cost-effective, high-quality customer service and operational integrity.

Key Accountabilities:

Develop and drive continuous improvement / innovation in operational strategies, systems, and processes in support of American Water strategy and aspirational goals. Drive initiatives in the management team and organizationally that contribute to long-term operational excellence. Define metrics to measure and support customer service and satisfaction. Analyze actual performance and reporting to targets and internal / external benchmarks. Implement improvements, or remediation of deficiencies in order to meet or surpass targets and ensure coordination and communication between all customer service functions.
Lead, motivate and develop staff in assigned operational and customer service areas. Build shared commitment to improving business performance and develop both individual and team capabilities. Drive performance by linking customer service initiatives with overall business objectives, company goals and values. Communicate shared vision, energize and empower staff, and champion diversity. Establish and hold external service providers to service level agreements for a seamless customer experience.
Work with key stakeholders to obtain and analyze data regarding customer service performance, metrics, product development and industry regulations.

Key Accountabilities continued:

Oversee financial management, planning, systems and controls for the customer service team and function. Determine effective internal controls and identify factors causing deficient conditions and recommend an appropriate course of action to improve the conditions. Provide strategic and operational input to annual business plans and control budgets for responsible areas. Reforecast and participate in regular business plan report meetings to ensure financial targets are properly reflected.
Identify, analyze , and resolve a wide range of technical, process, and operational issues providing quick and decisive solutions. Encourage collaboration and support of cross- functional business initiatives to ensure quick resolution of business issues.
Facilitate and lead on- going customer service / customer relations operational meetings (including weekly, monthly, and quarterly business reviews). Improve communications and efficiency through review of current policies and procedures and implementation of needed changes.

Knowledge/Skills:

Expert knowledge of customer service business processes and technologies.
Knowledge of the regulated utility business and its operations.
Excellent grasp of leadership practices and relationship building approaches.
Ability to deal effectively with and maintain productive relationships with employees at all levels in multiple locations including represented employees.
Business acumen, planning and forecasting.
Strong quantitative skills (e.g., analytical , technical, problem solving)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills (e.g., fluency in report writing and presentations)
Effective people management skills (e.g., planning, organizing, recruiting, controlling, and leading individual staff and teams) Ability to work in a matrix organization.
Effective interpersonal skills (e.g., persuasion, negotiation, listening , cooperation, tact, diplomacy, problem solving, internal consulting) Open to direction and collaborative work style.
Leadership presence (e.g., ability to deal effectively and maintain collaborative relationships with Company senior management and other key stakeholders) Manage staff groups and major projects and initiatives. Delegate responsibility effectively.
High comfort level working in a diverse environment. Excels at operating in a fast-paced environment.
Proficiency with and adaptation of technology to enhance customer service and business processes.

Experience/Education:

Bachelor’s degree in operational discipline, management, or related discipline.
Master’s degree preferred.
Expert knowledge of customer service business processes and technologies.
Knowledge of the regulated utility business and its operations.
Excellent grasp of leadership practices and relationship building approaches.
Ability to deal effectively with and maintain productive relationships with employees at all levels in multiple locations including represented employees.
Business acumen, planning and forecasting.

Work Environment:

Primarily remote/work from home.
Preferred: candidate who resides and can work within one of our regulated states. For more information on our regulated operations, please click here .

Scope: