Term: 1 year

The Customer Service Representative reports to the Manager, Sustainable Transportation, and provides exceptional front-line service to our diverse University of Waterloo population along with extensive operations support such as financial processing, parking coordination, special event support, managing departmental social media platforms, and resolving problems/disagreements related to contravention of the University of Waterloo Parking Regulations.

University of Waterloo (UW) comprises of over 8.3M gsf of space supporting over forty thousand students in undergraduate and graduate programs, prestigious cutting-edge research, residences, and wide range of support services. All these activities are supported by a complex transportation infrastructure including over six thousand parking spaces.

Responsibilities will align with the Plant Operations goal of contributing towards providing a safe and accessible, invitingly clean and comfortable, functionally enriched and well-maintained campus environment through service excellence.

There are 2 vacancies available and they are contingent on funding. 

Front-line Service Delivery

• Represents Sustainable Transportation as the first in-person point of contact for parking inquires
• Supports UW by addressing inquiries and answering questions from employees, retirees, student and office walk-ins
• Answers multiple incoming calls from employees, departments and off campus visitors regarding a variety of inquires (i.e. tickets, account updates, vehicle information, permit types etc.)
• Assesses eligibility of requested services, verifies submitted supporting documentation, and responds in timely, accurate, & professional manner
• Communicates clearly and with high level of diplomacy both favorable & unfavorable decisions while adhering to UW Parking regulations and processes
• Uses effective communication and active listening skills to manage and deescalate tense situations, ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all parties involved
• Resolves problems independently or escalates to Sr. CSR or management, issues that are unique/potentially serious/or aggravated in nature

Enforcement of Parking Regulations

• Communicates (verbally and in writing) with employees, students, retirees, and contractors in all matters of parking infraction resolution: reviews process for ticket payments, explains next steps for vehicle retrieval, etc
• Reviews permit records and places holds on student accounts (QUEST) that exceed UW threshold amount
• Arranges towing services for vehicles on campus as required (e.g. fire routes, accessible spaces, escalated permit infractions, etc.)
• Coordinates release of towed vehicles
• Coordinates all aspects of monthly meetings with the Property Infractions Committee
• Attends meetings, takes minutes, and promptly follows up on decisions made by the Property Infractions Committee
• Uses and maintains confidential information related to all areas of parking operation

Operational support

• Responsible for opening and/or closing the office ensuring the operation is clean, organized and remains secure
• Ensures the log of overnight parking/special requests and tow log are collected, delivered, and up to date each day from the Special Constables Services office
• Processes all new parking applications for all employees, retirees, students, and visitors through dedicated software in a timely manner and high degree accuracy
• Issues and provides permits to employees, retirees, students, visitors, and contractors on a daily, monthly, termly, and yearly basis
• Runs reports through specialized parking software to gather data to verify permit related information to support issuance of tickets or permits
• Responds to radio calls from parking enforcement, UW special constable services, and Plant Operations management regarding parking infractions, gate issues, unexpected events, blocked access
• Prints and distributes parking vouchers for gated locations for either reserved parking or large event parking
• Manages daily use of departmental/faculty parking spaces: issues vouchers, provides detailed instructions on location, assigns code access, etc
• Supports and coordinates employee requests for permit holds and cancellation for leaves of absence, mat-leave, summer suspension
• Supports employees with requests for accessible parking and works closely with HR, Accessibility Services, and Occupational Health
• Answers frequent gate calls to assist with entry, exit, or prepares for processing payments through dedicated software
• Prepares, obtains approvals, and sends out correspondence to employees and students regarding parking lot updates, construction, closures, convocation relocations and waitlist releases
• Maintains parking and financial documentation as required by UW policy and CRA regulations
• Assists with scheduling and coordination of UW wide events
• Liaises with campus clients to support booking of parking lots, providing permits, collecting fees, and processing payments
• Supports Parking Enforcement Officers and Special Constable Services during special events, parking lot closures, or permit changes
• Provides feedback to management regarding parking service improvements
• Provides assistance to Parking Enforcement & campus community with troubleshooting various parking systems: transponder operation, credit card billing, and gates operation, etc
• Coordinates creation and installation of parking related signage for general operation as well as special events
• Creates, maintains, and updates new employee training manual. day-to-day workflows for all front-staff
• Manages waitlist for employee lots and bike lockers
• Maintains accurate bike locker lists & programming new fobs/access
• Undertakes research and specialized projects as determined by the Manager, Sustainable Transportation

Coordination of Department Events

• Assists with the coordination of departmental meetings, organization of team building & training events, and providing support for external visits
• Manages implementation of campus-wide sustainability initiatives, including waste diversion and e-waste programs in close collaboration with the Sustainability Office
• Manages department email and calendar (responding to inquiries, forwarding to the appropriate departments and staff, and making sure the shared calendar is up to date)
• Ensures all incoming and outgoing mail is handled in a confidential manner and notifies staff of packages received
• Responsible for ordering and maintenance of adequate inventory of a wide variety of departmental supplies (business card, payroll forms, campus maps, signage, permits, ticket rolls, etc.)
• Provides administrative support to the Manager as required

Financial Support

• Provides front-line counter services and wide range of parking related payments/refunds
• Balances supervisor’s float and front-line registers on daily basis
• Processes parking payroll deductions and student billing promptly, professionally, and with courtesy
• Responsible for counting cash payments collected weekly from pay machines
• Ensures that parking requests (billable services) are clearly documented and submitted to the financial coordinator for processing
• Creates and maintains user-friendly process documentation for cash office duties
• Responsible for balancing, reporting, and uploading cash/credit reports accurately and in a timely manner
• Reconciles front office cash and credit card transactions, internet sales and prepares bank deposits
• Conducts regular audits of ‘on hold’ employee permits
• Runs daily, weekly, and monthly reports through ZMS, Moneris, and Aims software to collect and maintain spreadsheets to monitor financial data
• Works closely with departmental finance coordinator to ensure that all processes are followed
• Collects and sends all required documents to finance for year end

Other

• Performs other duties as assigned

• Post-secondary education (business, finance, communication) or equivalent education and experience
• Minimum of 2 years of experience providing administrative and front facing service preferably in a large and complex organization
• A proven ability to multi-task and provide exceptional front-line service in a fast-paced environment
• Previous experience with data entry and cash handling
• Demonstrated ability to deal with people experiencing anger, frustration, and stress
• Excellent customer service skills including strong sense of diplomacy and confidentiality
• Strong communication skills both verbally and written
• Strong problem-solving skills and independent self-starter approach to assignments & issue resolution
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Ability to manage information/situation quickly to accurately with diplomacy respond in high stress customer service environment
• Strong attention to detail and high level of accuracy performing financial related tasks
• Understanding of basic accounting principles
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to remain calm and organized during busy, changing, or challenging times
• The ability to work closely within a team environment, as well as independently with minimum supervision
• Proficient in MS Office
• Familiarity with parking management software such as [e.g., AIMS, AMP Mobile, or any other relevant software

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca  or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.