Description

About WSDOT
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is the steward of an integrated, multimodal transportation system that helps to ensure people and goods move safely and efficiently throughout the state. In addition to building, maintaining, and operating the state highway system, WSDOT operates the largest ferry system in the nation, manages the world's longest floating bridge, and recently completed the world's widest tunneling project.

The Opportunity
WSDOT Toll Division is currently seeking a Customer Service Operations Manager in Renton, WA. The Toll Division is a unique revenue generating division within WSDOT that funds, develops, installs, and operates an integrated network of toll roadways and bridges that improve safety and reliability for our customers. Within the Toll Division, the Customer Service Operations Team manages and operates a customer base of 1.6 million drivers. This includes three staffed contact center locations in Renton, WA, Ocala, FL and Eagle Pass, TX that employ up to 200 staff. The work at these locations serves more than 1 million Good To Go! account holders and the 600,000 post pay customers who in total generate 53 million toll transactions annually raising almost $200 million in revenue each year.

The Customer Service Operations Manager oversees all the above work, thus leading all customer-facing aspects of the statewide toll program. As a key member of the Toll Division leadership team, the person in this role advises on policy, legislative and governmental relations, and business and technology direction as it relates to customer service operations program. The Customer Service Operations Manager is responsible for supporting and briefing WSDOT Executives, state legislative bodies, and other groups. To achieve this effort, this person filling this role is responsible for the customer center operator vendor and its $100 million, six-year contract. The Customer Service Operations Manager maintains the relationship, and any interagency agreements that apply, between the Toll Division Customer Service Operations and partner state agencies such as the Office of Administrative Hearings, Department of Enterprise services and the Department of Licensing as well as other WSDOT divisions.

What to Expect
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Customer Service Operations Manager will:

• 
  Direct a combined WSDOT, consultant and vendor staff of 200 employees.
• Manage a $100 million, six-year contract for customer service operations vendor
• Manage interagency agreements with DES, OAH and DOL totaling more than $20 million
• Ensure a high-quality customer service experience for the 1.6 million drivers using the state’s Good To Go! toll system while meeting assigned budget
• Advise on statewide toll policy, legislative and governmental relations, and business and technology direction
• Serve as a Toll Division spokesperson regarding customer service topics via TV, radio, and print interviews
• Work with toll systems to develop tools and solutions for continuous improvement of contact center efficiencies and the customer experience
• Work with the business team to develop budgets and update long-range budget forecasts funded by toll funds, collaborate on biennium budget development
• Assist in the development and implementation of WSDOT's toll program to ensure sound strategies are incorporated throughout toll project planning, development, and implementation
• Oversee all aspects of Good To Go! customer service including customer account management, customer interaction, customer communication, toll enforcement, and collections.
• Communicate complex toll system concepts and impactful customer issues and approaches in ways understandable by legislators, the general public, and technical experts in an array of disciplines

Qualifications
To be considered for this opportunity, the following are required:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or other closely aligned field. Other professional experience in management of professional staff with comparable decision making and policy impact responsibilities may substitute for the required educational requirements. This includes engineering, transportation planning or other technical education/experience combined with the required management experience.
• Five (5) years working in customer service and experience tracking key performance indicators and other call center data.
• Proficiency of program management practices.
• Excellent analytical, organizational and comprehension skills.
• Experience with large contracts
• Thorough understanding of the political process and its impacts on policies and the public experience.
• Leadership and negotiation skills, including a demonstrated capability for consensus building and information sharing with elected and appointed officials at all levels of government.
• Ability to facilitate team development through coaching, mentoring, motivating, leading and training.
• Advanced written and verbal communications skills.
• Strong ethical standards of conduct, integrity and honesty, and the ability to apply judgment when making decisions.
• Ability to manage simultaneous development of multiple projects and manage competing claims for executive attention, staff, and budget.
• Ability to make decisions with few prescribed or established approaches.
• Ability to use a variety of software such as EXCEL, Word, and Power Point

It is preferred that qualified candidates also have:

• Experience in toll industry, leading customer service and/or government policy, supporting legislative deliberations, agency implementation and measurement/variance reporting.
• Knowledge in collections process, adjudication processes
• Understanding of the history and current status of plans for state and regional transportation planning, programming and funding.
• Thorough knowledge of state, regional and federal political priorities and funding cycles, requirements, and practices.
• Understanding of toll facilities and a working knowledge of toll collection and enforcement programs.
• Knowledge or experience with lean/six sigma
• Familiarity with the state legislature and their processes.
• Familiarity with WSDOT’s mission, goals and objectives.
• Understanding/familiarity of successful business management practices.

Important Notes

• This recruitment may also be used to fill additional positions per business needs.
• This position offers flexible/hybrid remote work options.
• The salary listed includes the legislative approved 5% salary premium for positions in King County.
• Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 357-16-197 mandates that all employees who work for executive cabinet agencies (which includes the Department of Transportation) must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Compliance with this mandate is a condition of employment with WSDOT. Exemption may be granted for religious or medical purposes; however, accommodations will be subject to approval based on the essential functions required of the position.
• WSDOT does not use the E-Verify system. For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov

Why WSDOT

• Work-Life Balance – We offer flexible work schedules that allow you time for your life outside of this excellent opportunity.
• Paid Leave – In addition to 12 paid holidays, full-time employees earn up to 25 paid vacation days per year!
• Tuition Assistance – Permanent employees have several options for assistance with education expenses, including tuition reimbursement programs, government discounts at participating colleges throughout the state, and eligibility for federal student loan forgiveness.
• Plan For Your Future – WSDOT offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes a variety of healthcare options. Employees also have their choice of state retirement programs, and much more. Go to State Benefits for more information.

Check out this video to learn more: Why WSDOT?

How to Apply
Applications for this recruitment will be accepted electronically. Your relevant experience may be evaluated to determine salary. Therefore, it is very important that the “Work Experience” portion of the application be completed in as much detail as possible.
In order to be considered for this opportunity, please include the following with your online application:

• An attached Resume outlining (in reverse chronological order) your experience to date.
• An attached Cover Letter that further explains your qualifications and indicates why you believe you are a viable candidate for this role.
• Contact details for a minimum three (3) individuals who can attest to your work performance, technical skills, and job-related competencies. This information can be entered in the “References” section of the online application; does not require an additional attachment.

Please click the "APPLY" button to proceed. Note that you will be prompted to either sign in or create an account. This step is required in order to submit an application to this opportunity.

WSDOT is an equal opportunity employer. We value the importance of creating an environment in which all employees can feel respected, included and empowered to bring unique ideas to the agency. Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, as well as people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons with disabilities needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the listed Recruiter.

Contact us
For inquiries about this posting, you may contact the assigned Recruiter, Amanda Strebeck, at strebal@wsdot.wa.gov . Please be sure to reference Customer Service Operations Manager #0W353 in the subject line.