Are you a customer service expert with the ability to effectively and seamlessly move from one task to another? Do you enjoy the satisfaction that comes from providing service and support to others? Are you ready to learn about parking? If this sounds like you, then apply to be a Customer Service Representative in the Public Works Department with the City of Champaign.

Responsibilities of Position

The Customer Service Representative is part of the team dedicated to providing superior front-line customer service for the Public Works Department. They are the first point of contact for a variety of questions and inquiries, so they are subject matter experts on the breadth of the Department’s services and programs, people, and resources. Customer contacts may be routine or complex, positive or complaint-driven, so the ability to effectively communicate and interact in all types of situations is a must. The Customer Service Representative uses multiple software programs to accept and reconcile a variety of payments; receive, route, and resolve parking citation appeals; maintain accurate and current data; issue parking permits; and run reports/queries. The successful candidate will possess a strong attention to detail and excellent writing and time management skills. The Customer Service Representative performs an integral role as a dispatcher during snow and ice and other Public Works emergency responses that may require working up to 16-hour shifts.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent. Completed coursework without a diploma or certificate will be considered.
• Professional customer service experience requiring frequent interactions with customers or the public.
• Excellent customer service skills: courtesy, patience, active listening, ability to solve problems and respond promptly to citizen requests in person, via telephone, and online.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite, including Word and Excel, or similar programs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two-year degree in Business Administration or related field.
• Experience with cash handling and financial reconciliation.
• Experience with web-based business software applications and other computer applications, complex database programs, or information systems, for reporting, parking permit management, or asset management.

Drug screening and criminal background check will be required. The starting salary is $26.41 per hour, depending on current rate of pay. Applications must be submitted online no later than Sunday, August 3, 2025.

The City of Champaign is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, minorities and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The City of Champaign is committed to promoting a work environment and a community that values and supports diversity and inclusion. Contact the Human Resources Department at (217) 403-8770 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. if you require an accommodation to complete this application or during any phase of the application, interview, or employment process.

The following locations offer free Internet access and assistance: The following locations offer free Internet access and assistance: Champaign Public Library, Champaign Public Library Douglass Branch, and the Illinois WorkNet Center.

Our mission is to provide responsive, caring, cost-effective service in partnership with our community.

These values guide our work:

Personal Integrity

We act in the best interests of the City

We behave in an ethical and legal manner

We are open and honest

We follow through on commitments

We are loyal to the City

Responsibility

We anticipate issues, problems, and opportunities

We take initiative

We act to prevent and solve problems

We take responsibility for the outcome of our actions and decisions

We hold ourselves and others accountable

Respect

We treat others in a fair, courteous, and equitable manner

We actively listen and seek understanding

We provide a direct response

We embrace ethnic and cultural diversity in the community and our workplace

We are positive and cooperative

We are willing to apologize

Teamwork

We know and respect our roles and responsibilities

We ask who needs to be involved and we involve others appropriately

We define and agree upon the goals

We collaborate to achieve organizational goals

We help others accomplish their goals

We share authority, responsibility, and credit

Results

We take pride in our work

We complete assignments and projects on time and within budget

We evaluate outcomes and seek feedback on our performance

We learn from our mistakes

We innovate