Lead, Client Relations Specialist

Department
 

F&A Help Desk

About the Department
 

Finance and Administration represents a committed group of people who serve the University in a variety of areas including Financial Services, Information Technology Services, Risk Management, Internal Audit, Compliance, Human Resources, and Shared Services.
The goal of our division is to provide the services and support needed to foster an environment of academic and research excellence at the University of Chicago. Our team is dedicated to collaborative partnerships with our colleagues and customers that lay the foundation for an exemplary service delivery process. Finance and Administration is fully aligned with the strategic and academic priorities of the University, and each of the units within our division is tasked with implementing the processes necessary to achieve lasting excellence.

Job Summary
 

The Lead Client Relations Specialist is responsible for managing inbound inquiries from employees and faculty at the University of Chicago about procure-to-pay, human resources, payroll, budgeting and planning, financial management, grants management, and navigation of administrative systems including Oracle Cloud ERP and Workday HCM. The Lead Client Relations Specialist is also responsible for assisting with the execution of tier 1 transactions in the same functional areas.
The Lead position will act as an intermediate support role between all Client Relations Specialists and the Support Center organizational leadership, and will support leadership in evaluating service quality and executing unit strategy. This position will also provide first-level support for question resolution, researching and resolving issues, and escalating queries as appropriate. The Lead Client Relations Specialist will provide excellent client service experience by completing work efficiently and accurately while proactively anticipating a client’s future needs, as well as supporting other Client Relations Specialists’ work.
The Lead Client Relations Specialist reports to the Director of the Finance and Administration Support Center. The Knowledge and Support Center is an integral part of the University’s Culture of Service and provides Tier 1 quality service in support of financial and human resources related processes.
The Lead Client Relations Specialist position is a remote position that may be required to be present at the Hyde Park Campus location for occasional in-person training, meetings, the weeks following the July 1 launch or Oracle Financials, and other duties as needed. The Lead Client Relations Specialist must maintain a home office environment that is conducive to a normal office environment and must have access to the internet and the ability to perform all work functions.

Responsibilities

• Assists with managing the Service Now ticket queue and providing daily team guidance when a Client Relations Specialist needs assistance, including performing backup duties for team members out of office, as needed.
• Performs service call quality audits and calibrations of service responses.
• Supports leadership by acting as an intermediary between leadership and Client Relations Specialists for troubleshooting, guidance, and issue resolution support.
• Answers requests from clients if they would like an internal redirect (e.g., Can I speak to a manager?).
• Executes more complex or sensitive operations and provides guidance to Client Relations Specialists for complex Tier-1 issues (e.g., role assignments).
• Develops materials and resources to educate the team on appropriate escalations of inquiries based on understanding of central functional teams and knowledge needed to resolve the issue.
• Answers inbound phone calls and chats; processes inquiries received through ServiceNow related to Oracle Cloud functionality, reporting, procure-to-pay, human resources, payroll, budgeting and planning, financial management, and grants management in alignment with the Support Center’s established Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements.
• Diagnoses root cause of issue relevant to employee and faculty inquiries and requests via attentive listening, and presents customized solutions and next steps to the stakeholder.
• Finds innovative solutions to more complex or difficult issues with appropriate escalation to higher level staff or vendor as defined in the operational procedures and knowledge base.
• Determines if stakeholder requests/inquiries require escalation to the following offices as defined in the Shared Services Manual - Procure-to-Pay, Budgeting, Financial Management, University Research Administration (URA), and IT Services.
• Efficiently resolves a stakeholder’s primary issue and anticipates/addresses common downstream issues.
• Documents stakeholder interaction in contact or call center technology system.
• Advises stakeholders on how to use self-service tools.
• Advises stakeholders on Oracle Cloud system.
• Opens, closes, and manages requests through the ServiceNow portal.
• Utilizes call center telephone technology to manage and monitor volume of incoming calls.
• Participates in special project requests to assist with overflow work of other teams as needed.
• Facilitates clerical testing as needed.
• Attends trainings and works with the Training and Change Center to provide feedback on which trainings would be useful for the campus community
• Acts as a lead to proactively diagnose customer requests/inquiries; customize and present proposed solutions, as well as next steps to the customer. Find innovative solutions to more complex or difficult issues with appropriate escalation to higher level staff, lead, Business Partner or vendor as defined in the operational procedures and knowledge base.
• Efficiently resolves customer’s primary issue and also anticipate/address common downstream issues. Documents customer interaction in Contact or Call Center technology system.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree).

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree.

 

Experience:

• 7 -10 years of work experience of proven success in a client-facing role.
• Background in various contact or call center computer related technologies.
• Familiarity with administrative processes, procedures, and systems within a university setting.
• At least one year of experience working within the F&A Support Center, supporting campus with HR, payroll and procure to pay inquiries.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Oracle Cloud, procure-to-pay, human resources, payroll, budgeting and planning, financial management, or grants management experience.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication (written and verbal) skills.
• Participate as a team player and positively influence a group.
• Demonstrated client service focus and willingness to assist with all inquiries or requests.
• Astute listening skills and build rapport, even with the most difficult client.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve successful outcomes in handling difficult situations and clients/clients.

 

Preferred Competencies

• Self-starter who is comfortable taking initiative and working in a remote environment.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Teams and Zoom to stay connected to team members and manager in a remote work environment.
• Basic computer skills, including email functionality.
• Technical troubleshooting, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to learn and actively seek out information and skills to improve service to the University’s clients.
• Ability to multi-task and work within timed deadlines.
• Positive attitude and demonstrated ability to adapt when business situations arise that require change or redirection.
• Attention to detail in documentation and transaction accuracy.

Working Conditions

• Adhere to a daily schedule of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Customer Service & Sales

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Non-Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Biweekly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

40

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.