Director, Customer Care

Commensurate with range and candidate’s experience

Number of Openings: 1

Union: No

Open: August 13, 2024

Close: August 27, 2024

Alectra is committed to putting our people first in providing a positive employee experience and a safe work environment. Our Hybrid Workplace policy allows for an effective balance for employees with the opportunity to work in a hybrid environment; a combination of Remote / In-office work based on operational requirements.

Position Purpose:

The Director, Customer Care provides direction and leadership to all aspects of Customer Care including contact centers, digital transactions, customer insights and research, customer outage communication management, New Connections and Key Account Management. This position develops, directs and enhances the customer care activities through the delivery of high performance, quality services to continuously improve the customer experience.

Responsibilities:

1. Plans, manages, and leads the Customer Care functions, including Contact Centers, digital transactions, New Connections, customer insights and research, customer outage communications and Key Account Management.
2. Provides stakeholder and senior leadership support to Alectra’s Key Accounts, regarding rates & regulation, billing and payments, electricity utilization & optimization, power quality & reliability and requests for change in service.
3. Ensures departmental processes are in accordance with relevant Ontario Energy Board (OEB) and Provincial regulation and other legislation (e.g., CASL and MFIPPA).
4. Leads the development of customer communications and key messages for staff in coordination with Corporate Communications related to website and customer portal content and key corporate initiatives, including capital works, outage management, regulatory changes and landscape, and key account programs.
5. Leads Customer satisfaction and loyalty research and benchmarking programs to develop strategic initiatives to deliver on Alectra’s customer strategy.
6. Leads development and execution of strategic actions to increase Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty, and overall Customer Experience across all customer journeys in support of Alectra’s Executive CX Strategy Council and Senior Leadership Team.
7. Manages the continuous improvement in customer experience by maximizing the use of current technology and assessing business requirements to respond to industry pressures and improve digital interactions, improve call flow and response times.
8. Provide direction and leadership to ensure that Customer Care is utilizing technology and innovation to improve customer experience and operational efficiency.
9. Acts as business sponsor and/or project lead on strategic projects (e.g., Customer Experience and technology innovation Projects) to provide senior management oversight and decision making.
10. Develops and manages quality control checks for service levels across all customer transaction engagement channels and takes action to ensure that performance is consistent with service level agreements with affiliates as well as Outside Service Provider contracts within defined budget.
11. Investigates and addresses high-level concerns, disputes or issues from stakeholder groups including distribution customers, Ontario Energy Board, Ministry of Energy, City Councillors, etc.
12. Ensures telephone accessibility, telephone call abandon rate and written response to enquiries meet the Service Quality Indicator requirements of the OEB and are reported accurately.
13. Files SQI reporting of Connection of New Services, Appointment Scheduling, Appointments Met, Rescheduling of a Missed Appointment.
14. Supports the protection of utility interests including property damage claims and associated legal action defence management. Provide oversight to customer liability claims, ensuring reports and related information is documented for Alectra’s insurance provider, and all customer follow-ups are completed in a timely fashion.
15. Ensures operating procedures and documentation are in place to provide key support to the corporate Electrical Emergency Preparedness Plan’s Administration Coordinator and participate on Emergency Operations Centers to ensure effective channels of communications are established to customers, staff, management, stakeholders, media, and outside agencies including the responsibility for establishing an Emergency Call Centre.
16. Oversees the delivery of customer front-end new connection services to ensure all work is performed in a safe, efficient, and reliable manner and meets all OEB compliance service levels. Accountable for enhancing the customer connections customer experience by developing strategic roadmaps and business plans to enhance the Customer Connections Portal and the underlying business processes.
17. Provides overall people leadership and direction through coaching, development, performance management and resource planning.
18. Translates organization strategy into annual business plans and budgets and manages resources accordingly.
19. Oversees department projects and key initiatives to ensure quality and timely completion within budget.
20. Recommends and implements new or enhanced policies, procedures and processes to improve operational effectiveness.
21. Ensures compliance to legislative, regulatory and Health & Safety policies, procedures and standards.
22. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Competencies:

1. Post-secondary degree in business administration or a related discipline.
2. Professional designation (CPA, MBA) is a definite asset.
3. Thorough understanding of the electricity industry, with experience in dealing with the OEB, IESO, Municipal Governments, corporate industry, and retailers.
4. Superior working knowledge of and experience with best practices in customer experience and digital transformation, customer communications and contact management strategies (digital transformation and automation, automation technologies, digital and telephony applications, and systems, including knowledge management and workforce management tools).
5. Excellent understanding and related experience in strategic partner management/outsourcing, customer relationship, issue/dispute resolution, shareholder, stakeholder, and key account management.
6. Extensive knowledge of Customer Care functions, including Billing and Collection processes, Customer Connections and Customer Information Systems.
7. Understanding of the applicable laws, codes, regulations and reporting requirements in a regulated utility.
8. Proficiency with MS Office applications.
9. Knowledge of Oracle CC&B and J.D. Edwards Enterprise One Financials is a definite asset.

Experience:

1. Minimum 10 years of customer service experience at a senior leadership/management level.
2. Experience in a unionized utility environment, and knowledge of Electrical Emergency Preparedness Planning and EOC’s, industry rules and regulations is an asset.
3. Flexibility to work in a changing utility environment.
4. Superior ability to lead change and engage, develop and motivate teams.
5. Superior strategic planning skills, with the ability to critically analyze complex information and evaluate the long-term impact and risks of decisions.
6. Superior written and presentation skills, with the ability to organize and convey complex information in a compelling way.
7. Ability to plan, prioritize and execute multiple projects and initiatives within established timelines.
8. Strong conflict negotiation skills, with the ability to influence and resolve complex and critical issues.

Working Conditions:

1. Work performed in an environment with high exposure to challenging working conditions with a need to manage competing priorities in an often-stressful environment with time-sensitive operational and regulatory challenges.
2. Some travel is expected to provide senior leadership support to Alectra’s office locations.

How to Apply:

If you would like to be considered for this position and meet the qualifications, please submit your resume by clicking on the apply button.

Alectra is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a recruitment process that respects the dignity and independence of all candidates. Alectra will consult with all applicants who request accommodation during the recruitment process to ensure that the accommodation provided takes into account the applicant's individual accessibility needs, to the point of undue hardship.

We thank all applicants for their interest in a career with Alectra. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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