Review Vacancy
AgencyPublic Service, Department of
TitleUtility Consumer Program Specialist Trainee* or Utility Consumer Program Specialist 1
Occupational CategoryOther Professional Careers
Bargaining UnitASU - Administrative Services Unit (CSEA)
Salary RangeFrom $44979 to $63397 Annually
Minimum Qualifications Current New York State Employees
Current New York State employee with one year or more of permanent, competitive service or 55b/c service as a Utility Consumer Program Specialist 1, Grade 14; OR current New York State employee with one year or more of permanent, competitive service or 55b/c service in a qualifying title and eligible for transfer** under section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law.
General Public
55b/c:
Candidates who are currently 55b/c eligible and who possess two years of experience*** in one or more of the following:
• Investigating customer inquiries and complaints as a customer service representative or responding to customer inquiries in a call center environment.
• Developing public awareness or consumer education programs relating to utility matters including, but not limited to, presentations to consumers, consumer advocates, regulatory agency personnel, or utility industry representatives.
• Conducting investigations involving energy, telecommunications, water, or cable service.
• Analyzing and/or researching information or data related to energy, telecommunications, water, or cable service.
• Designing survey instruments to measure and track customer satisfaction in utility industries; or analyzing and/or preparing reports on results of such surveys.
• Conducting inspections or tests of energy or water meters or telecommunications devices.
• Analyzing utility customer education programs and/or customer service performance.
***Substitutions for experience: Thirty (30) college semester credit hours in electrical technology, telecommunications technology, engineering technology, engineering, or communications may be substituted for one year of the required two years of experience. An associate’s degree or sixty (60) college semester credit hours in any of these areas may be substituted for the required two years of experience.
Non-Qualifying Experience: HVAC installation and repair; face to face sales; banking; telephone/telemarketing; cable TV installers; energy service company sales; or solar panel sales.
Civil Service Eligible List:
Candidates on the Utility Consumer Assistance Specialist Trainee/Utility Consumer Program Specialist Trainee list have been canvassed and do not need to apply to this posting.
*Successful completion of the one-year traineeship leads to appointment as a Utility Consumer Program Specialist 1, Grade 14.
**Candidates are encouraged to access GOT-IT on the Civil Service website (www.cs.ny.gov) to determine transfer eligibility.
Duties Description The Utility Consumer Program Specialist 1 will work in the Long Island Office (LIO) and under general supervision, perform outreach and education duties, primarily with respect to oversight of Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)/ Public Service Enterprise Group Long Island (PSEG LI), and with respect to other Statewide consumer education programs relative to energy, telecommunications, cable, and water service providers in New York State. Specific duties include, but are not limited to:
• Participating in the design and implementation of the Department’s outreach and education program, and
monitoring utility consumer education, customer service, and low-income programs.
• Coordinating and participating in public outreach events including exhibiting at large events, public statement hearings, public presentations, and public forums.
• Assisting in coordinating virtual and in-person public statement hearings and workshops.
• Assisting in logging and maintaining the Department’s event tracking log. Providing troubleshooting support for any event tracking platform issues.
• Maintaining the Department’s outreach contact database including preparing lists for email campaigns to raise awareness about the Department’s events and initiatives.
• Creating email campaigns to announce Department sponsored events, public comment initiatives, or essential consumer information such as winter preparedness.
• Participating in training sessions to improve the outreach team’s digital communications and work management skills. Assisting in developing a variety of outreach materials such as brochures and factsheets regarding utility-related information.
• Updating and maintaining the Department’s outreach inventory including publications and promotional gadgets. Providing troubleshooting support for any inventory-related issues.
• Assisting in content development for the AskPSC and LIO websites.
• Assisting in customer assistance tasks as needed, including, but not limited to, tasks associated with receiving, analyzing, resolving, and responding to complaints and inquiries about regulated and competitive energy, telecommunications, cable, and water service providers.
• Assisting in policy tasks as needed, including, but not limited to, tasks associated with reviewing utility metrics; Utility 2.0 filing; rate case proceedings; reviewing utility outreach plans; reviewing Article VII and Article X filings as it relates to its Consumer Outreach and Education Outreach plan; etc.
Additional Comments About the Department:
The primary mission of the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) is to ensure affordable, safe, secure, and reliable access to electric, gas, steam, telecommunications, and water services for New York State’s residential and business consumers, while protecting the natural environment. The Department also seeks to stimulate effective competitive markets for clean, renewable, and distributed energy resources that benefit New York consumers, as well as product and service innovations.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
The Department of Public Service is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by contacting the Designee for Reasonable Accommodations (DRA) and Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator which can be found under the Accessibility Link on this page, on the Department’s webpage at www.dps.ny.gov
The above salary range reflects the Downstate Adjustment of $3,026.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Name Human Resources Management - LB
Email Address recruiting@dps.ny.gov
Address
Notes on ApplyingPlease send a resume and cover letter to recruiting@dps.ny.gov or fax them to Human Resources Management at (518)473-9990. Please reference “Utility Consumer Program Specialist 1, posting 00633” when applying.