Job Title: Customer Service Representative- BPS Jobs Helpline
Terms: Temporary Position
Reports to: Office of Recruitment, Cultivation and Diversity Programs

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Founded in 1647, Boston Public Schools (BPS) is the oldest public school district in the country. With approximately 54,000 students from over 114 different countries, nearly 10,000 employees (including 4,700 teachers), and an annual budget of $1.2 billion, BPS is the largest school district in Massachusetts and is one of the most diverse as well. BPS has been recognized as one of the top urban school districts in the United Students and was recently awarded the Broad Prize for Urban Education as the most improved urban school district in the nation.

Customer Service is one of our District priorities and we want to ensure that parents, students, staff and community members are receiving timely and accurate information. Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are the primary point of contact and initial interaction with the School District (outside of the classroom). Their impression of the Central Office of Boston Public Schools is determined by the responsiveness, knowledge, demeanor, and quality of our CSRs.

SUMMARY

The Office of Recruitment, Cultivation, and Diversity Programs and Engagement have collaborated to launch the BPS recruitment and hiring campaign - a targeted community focused recruitment and engagement effort that provides members of the community "one-stop" hiring support available to candidates at all phases of our hiring process with support in and information about and support to begin and complete the BPS hiring process. These sessions will be offered on evenings and weekends and available to support multilingual individuals.

The Jobs Helpline was created to support City of Boston community members and others seeking employment in BPS during Covid with questions they have mainly around securing a part-time, full-time, hourly, or salaried position. We recognize that having one central point of contact for BPS has demonstrated support for a more efficient, coherent, and equitable system and it continues to serve as a hub of information, communication, and system access for those who have questions, concerns, or issues.

BPS Jobs Helpline staff will assist BPS in providing superior customer service to the many individuals that contact us by phone with inquiries, issues, or complaints regarding securing a job in BPS.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Manage large amounts of inbound and outbound calls in a timely manner.
2. Identify caller's needs, clarify information, research every issue, and provide solutions.
3. Maintain proper etiquette, when taking inbound and outbound calls.
4. Be positive, supportive, and helpful to individuals from a variety of diverse backgrounds.
5. Document all calls and interactions with future candidates accurately.
6. Meet call metrics and other service level agreements on a daily basis.
7. Multi-task using various systems while assisting customer concerns in a fast-paced environment.
8. Actively engage with all stakeholders to understand and address concerns within BPS.
9. Attend mandatory staff meetings, training, and professional development.
10. Attend a weekly performance review with Team Leads.
11. Maintain attendance expectations.
12. Other duties assigned to support the implementation of the BPS Community Recruitment and Hiring Campaign.

QUALIFICATIONS-REQUIRED:

• High school diploma/GED (prior customer service experience may be substituted) or a member of the BPS Teacher Cadet Program, or the BPS High School Senior Education Interhip Program (HSSEIP)
• Strong phone and verbal communication skills along with active listening skills
• Ability to multi-task, set priorities, and manage time effectively
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to stay calm in high-pressure situations
• A love of problem-solving - you will often need to resort to creative and innovative solutions
• Ability to analyze and communicate complex issues effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to interact with diverse populations
• Professional self-starter, able to work independently
• Current authorization to work in the United States - Candidates must have such authorization by their first day of employment

QUALIFICATIONS-PREFERRED:

• Multilingual (Highly Preferred including Spanish, Cape Verdean, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Chinese, Somali, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole)
• Experience working in a call center
• Experience working in customer service
• Computer Science background
• Associate's degree

TERMS : Starting at $21.52/hour, City of Boston Residency is Required.

The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record (inquiries only), disability, homelessness, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals' dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.