Metro Transit is looking to fill one immediate Access Certification Customer Services Coordinator to assist with providing exceptional customer service for our Access Paratransit van customers who apply for transportation services.  Access Paratransit service provides shared-ride public transit van services to persons whose disabilities prevent them from using the accessible fixed-route transit system.
 
The ideal candidate for this position will have excellent customer service skills, experience working directly with and providing instruction/services for individuals with disabilities, strong interpersonal communication experience with special needs populations, and a familiarity and working knowledge of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Responsibilities in this position will include making paratransit eligibility determinations in compliance with federal regulations and King County policies, providing amazing customer service by answering a public phone line, occasionally meeting with in-person customers, and replying to email inquiries. Also, this candidate would perform community outreach to explain paratransit and accessible public transit services.

Who may apply and position information: 
We are accepting applications from current King County employees. This recruitment process will be used to fill one immediate career service vacancy. This recruitment will also be used to establish an eligibility pool to fill future career service, TLT or SDA vacancies that may occur within the next 6 months from the establishment of the pool (at the discretion of the hiring manager), in this classification within the Access Paratransit workgroup.

Please note regarding the work location:  The primary location of these positions is King Street Center - 201 S Jackson St, Seattle. During the 2021 calendar year and after completion of any needed training, successful applicants will have a Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, hybrid schedule working in office at King Street Center for 1-2 days per month and telecommuting the remaining days. Any required training timeframes for this position would necessitate reporting to King Street Center. In 2022, there may be a requirement to report to King Street Center each workday dependent on the outcome of telework options currently under assessment.

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work. As the Customer Services Coordinator, you will also:

• Evaluate applications and documents for persons with disabilities who apply for Metro's Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit van services – Access Transportation; make eligibility determinations in compliance with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations and King County policies.
• Provide exceptional customer service by promptly responding to customers seeking program information by phone, in person or by email.
• Investigate and respond to customer complaints and inquiries and provide prompt responses.
• Utilize good judgment and discretion in the application of established guidelines, policies and procedures.
• Provide clear and concise program specific information to program participants who may have various types of disabilities.
• Provide office support and coordination that is specialized in nature including documenting data from completed Access Paratransit evaluations, tracking and entering information into internal documentation software systems, registering visitors and regional riders, and assisting with maintaining an inventory of program materials, among other daily assigned tasks.
• Provide information and registration services for Metro’s Taxi Scrip and Adult Day Health Transportation programs. 
• Coordinate daily with coworkers to assure all customers are being served quickly and efficiently. 
• Coordinate and conduct public outreach activities regarding Metro programs that may include evening and weekend work.
• Participate on internal teams and identify appropriate changes needed for continuous process improvement.
• Perform individual special projects related to paratransit certification and provision of paratransit services.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Two or more years of experience working interactively and directly with and providing instruction or services for individuals with disabilities as a primary function of the job.
• Technical computer skills and strong working, productive knowledge of MS Outlook, Word, and Excel (testing will be administered for potential candidates).
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including exceptional customer service skills and experience (discretion, patience, etiquette, professionalism).
• Demonstrated experience working and successfully communicating with special needs populations in-person and over the phone.
• Experience performing accurate data entry tasks.
• Experience maintaining and tracking customer data and accurately maintaining data sources.
• Experience providing a high level of attention to detail and quality control while still providing efficient delivery of services.
• Experience utilizing good judgment regarding complex and politically sensitive matters; must be sensitive to the needs of others and have experience demonstrating interpersonal traits such as kindness and empathy.
• Proven capabilities to efficiently and effectively solve a variety of problems related to customer service. 

• Bachelor’s degree in social services or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Working knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Familiarity with Trapeze Paratransit software application, specifically the Trapeze Certification module.
• Recent (within last five years) of interactive, in-person experience providing instruction or services for individuals with disabilities.

• Ability to travel throughout King County and participate in outreach activities as needed, including schedule flexibility to attend some evening and weekend outreaches (approximately once per month).

Ready to Apply?
Complete an online application and answer the supplemental questionnaire at www.kingcounty.gov/jobs. 
 
NOTE: Please answer ALL questions in the online employment application itself, with each of your jobs during the last 10 years listed (listing each position for each employer separately), duties explained, reasons for leaving etc.
 
Applications that are not complete may be rejected as incomplete, and not advanced in the process. Applicants who are unable to apply online should follow the instructions under Application Tips and FAQs at www.kingcounty.gov/jobs.  
 
Selection Process
Applications, including the supplemental questionnaire, will be screened for qualifications, communication skills and attention to detail, including spelling, grammar and punctuation usage. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in testing. The selection process will also include a panel interview. Reference checks will be conducted.
 
Work Schedule
This position is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and is eligible for overtime pay. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., but work outside of the normal workday may be required for meetings, events, and public outreach.
 
Temporary Telecommuting Requirement
The work associated with this position will be performed through a combination of teleworking complemented with onsite work. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities.)  Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
 
Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required, including the wearing of masks in some situations. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.
 
 King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.  
 
Union Membership: This position is represented by PROTEC17: Professional and Technical Employees, Local 17
Class Code: 2230200 – Customer Services Coordinator
Questions about this recruitment? Contact Angela Alcaraz, HR Analyst, 206-263-2466, aalcaraz@kingcounty.gov 

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement

As of October 18, 2021, most* King County employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If hired, you will be required to submit proof of vaccination by October 18th. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine. Employees may make requests for a reasonable accommodation based on a medical disability or for sincerely held religious beliefs. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation.

This directive applies to employees in the Executive branch*, the Assessor's Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff's Office, and the Executive Office.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.