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HomeMy WebLinkAboutE-07 Staff Report - Specification Revision - Utility Application Specialist CONSENT ITEM E-7 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL VIA: SERGIO GONZALEZ, CITY MANAGER FROM: TANYA BRAGG, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES & RISK MANAGEMENT DATE: OCTOBER 1, 2018 SUBJECT: CLASS SPECIFICATION REVISION AND TITLE CHANGE FROM UTILITY APPLICATION SPECIALIST TO UTILITY BUSINESS INFORMATION SPECIALIST BACKGROUND: On September 25, 2018, the Personnel Board met and approved the revisions and title change to the classification specification of Utility Application Specialist. The proposed action will be council’s approval of this classification. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the City Council take the following actions: 1)Approve the revised classification specification and title change for the position of Utility Application Specialist to Utility Business Improvement Specialist. ANALYSIS: In January 2018, the position of Customer Care Contracts Specialist was revised to Utility Application Specialist in order to have a competitive recruitment process and attract the best candidates for the position. A recruitment was conducted and unfortunately, the Department did not find a successful candidate. A majority of the candidates that have been attracted to this position do not have the sufficient direct experience in the areas that the department is looking for. The department took another look at the position taking into consideration the challenges in finding the type of candidate they need and the attached class specification revisions and title change from Utility Application Specialist to Utility Business Information Specialist is more of a true representation of the work being performed and the title is a closer match to the industry standard for this position. This position has been reviewed and approved by the IBEW Bargaining Unit. APPROVED CITY COUNCIL 10/1/2018 CLASS SPECIFICATION REVISION AND TITLE CHANGE – UTILITY APPLICATION SPECIALIST October 1, 2018 Page 2 There is no change recommended to the salary range FISCAL IMPACT: This position is included in the 2018 - 2019 Adopted Budget. Prepared by: Reviewed and Approved: Tanya Bragg Sergio Gonzalez Director of Human Resources & City Manager Risk Management Attachment: 1) Utility Business Improvement Specialist - Classification Specification Approved: 10/01/2018 Range: 5203 CITY OF AZUSA UTILITY BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS SPECIALIST DEFINITION Reporting to the Assistant Director of Utilities - Customer Care & Solutions, this is a professional position in the City's Utilities Department responsible for managing a variety of Utility business information systems, including but not limited to the Utility’s customer information system (CIS), meter data management system (MDMS), traditional and advanced meter reading data collection and communication systems (AMI), work order dispatch and tracking systems, bill printing and mailing systems, payment processing and banking interface systems, call center automated call distribution (ACD) systems, call recording and interactive voice response (IVR) systems. Duties also include the development and implementation of new business information solutions, including but not limited to specification preparation, contract negotiation, project management, and contract administration. CLASS CHARACTERISTICS This single position class receives general supervision from the Assistant Director of Utilities - Customer Care and Solutions and is responsible for exercising functional supervision of customer service staff with regard to utility business related systems. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS The following functions are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed functions and/or may be required to perform additional or different functions from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. Provide technical and administrative support for a variety of Utilities Department related business information system applications, including application enhancements and version updates. Work collaboratively with the City's Information Technology Department (IT) which maintains the City's wide area network (WAN), server software and hardware, and other applications that serve all departments of the City. Document and technically analyze trouble issues in areas of responsibility, and report issues to outside vendors through helpdesks or bug tracking portals. Serve as liaison with outside vendors and end users on trouble issues and resolutions. Perform acceptance testing of fixes, and approve of code changes from test to production environments. Track open and closed issues on all Utilities Department managed information systems and report status periodically. Review proposed utility customer service software applications to determine feasibility and compatibility with existing systems; prepare data flow diagrams and process flow analysis as needed. Develop detailed specification documentation and business requirements documents (BRDs) for system modifications, interfaces and integration work; write business process test cases to ensure that system changes meet requirements and process data accurately and reliably, and help coordinate implementation of updates or enhancements to meet system and business requirements by preparing and administering system configuration settings, coordinating deployments with multiple vendors and executing test cases. ATTACHMENT 1 Utility Business Information Specialist Classification Specification Coordinate the development of system documentation; conduct end user training on new or existing procedures; file and store written procedures and training materials and make accessible to internal technical staff, management, and system users. Coordinate and work cooperatively with the City's Information Technology Department with server and software issues related to the Utilities Department. Write and edit queries using SQL and Cognos to access databases to generate and run a variety of reports. Develop custom reports based on user needs and specifications; perform file extracts and prepare final report formats to meet specifications; and export and convert data into formats required for electronic compliance reporting and analysis. Review and periodically audit daily, monthly and annual CIS related reports to verify accuracy and integrity of data included in such reports. Edit report queries as necessary to correct for any errors. Provide assistance with the development and preparation of Requests for Proposals (RFP) and contracts associated with Utilities Department computerized system acquisitions or software-as-a- service (SaaS); thoroughly document existing procedures and identify best practices (GAP analysis); develop RFP specifications for new systems; coordinate the review and approval of RFP; assist to solicit proposals and to evaluate proposals; assist with vendor selection and preparation and approval of contracts; assist to monitor and administer contract compliance as assigned. Provide assistance with project management for modifications to existing utility systems or to deploy new systems, including modifications to interfaces, system applications, databases, or cloud based systems; develop project plans, including parallel testing plans, timelines, and test scripts; prepare test data, lead and conduct testing; help to schedule, track and coordinate work of multiple vendors and Utilities Department staff in multiple divisions; evaluate functional performance of new applications and approve for Go Live or for implementation into production environment. Assist with the administration of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) contract documents; ensure that service level agreements (SLAs) for AMI network uptime, software availability and vendor response times are met; assist or work with field services staff to troubleshoot and resolve AMI network connectivity issues, meter configuration issues, and integration issues with other systems, e.g. Meter Data Management System (MDMS) and CIS; verify meter data from AMI system is accurately uploaded to CIS for billing purposes; write scripts and queries to generate reports and execute work orders. Attend professional meetings and conferences to keep abreast of software development and new service offerings, and to represent the department's needs and interests associated with system modifications and the future direction of current systems. Participate in the research, development, and preparation of technical planning documents for future projects including capital budgeting; monitor assigned budgets for information systems and recommend approval of vendor payments for assigned projects and ongoing information service contracts. Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing and establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. Perform related duties as required. Utility Business Information Specialist Classification Specification QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES Education and/or Experience Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in business systems management, computer science or related field, plus experience that has provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for acceptable job performance as determined by the City. 4 years of extensive and directly relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of a Bachelor’s degree. Knowledge and Skills Knowledge of utility information systems, such as customer information systems (CIS), IP based automated call distribution (ACD) system, interactive voice response (IVR) system, meter data management systems (MDMS), and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems; geographic information systems (GIS); outage management systems (OMS); knowledge of functions/processes executed by utility information systems, including utility billing process, notifications and collection process, cash updates, electronic payments processing, cashiering, accounting, reconciliations, reporting, and month end processes; call flow script recording and set up, call routing and reporting, and outbound dialer programming; knowledge of application software deployment and administration; mobile app integration/deployment; quality assurance (QA) testing procedures; process to diagnose, troubleshoot and resolve issues; software tools including SQL programming and Cognos to query and generate reports from CIS and MDMS; general data processing and record keeping techniques; system modification procedures including specifications development, wireless systems, printers/copiers, Microsoft W indows platforms, Microsoft Office suite; software licensing agreement development and administration; analytical research techniques; technical writing; ability to develop training material and train end users; skill at preparing documents for complex system modifications; best practices for tracking and evaluating system performance; principles, practices and techniques of project management and ability to develop project plans and timelines; skill at managing multiple process upgrades as part of a system upgrade or installation project; principles of business letter writing and basic report preparation; office procedures, methods, and equipment including skill in using desktop software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and overhead presentations; provide assistance and support of end users of managed systems; ability to communicate effectively with end users and recommend system modifications to meet their needs. MARGINAL FUNCTIONS These are position functions which may be changed, deleted or reassigned to accommodate an individual with a disability. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Possession of and ability to maintain a valid Class C California Driver’s License and a satisfactory driving record. Environmental Conditions Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting; incumbents may be required to work extended hours including evenings and weekends from time-to-time. Physical Conditions Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.