Customer Service Supervisor

Job Description

ONLY PERMANENT EMPLOYEES IN THE TITLE AND THOSE THAT ARE REACHABLE ON THE PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE CIVIL SERVICE LIST ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.

Division/Program Summary:
The Bureau of Vital Statistics is responsible for registering and certifying all birth, deaths, spontaneous and induced terminations of pregnancy in NYC. The bureau issues, analyzes and reports on 285,000 vital events each year. The bureau is a very large customer service operation, providing death certification services on a 24/7 basis, issuing more than 900,000 certified copies of birth and death records, and fulfilling hundreds of data requests annually.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Supervise and lead a team of staff in the processing and issuance of birth and death certificates.
- Complete supervisory performance management and administrative functions such as hiring, timekeeping, developing staff tasks and standards, performance evaluations, performance improvement plans, and staff leave schedules.
- Ensure that direct reports complete all agency and professional development trainings.
- Train new staff on PSO processes, Health Code and agency/BVS processes and procedures. This includes training direct and non-direct reports.
- Provide high-quality customer support in adherence to agency customer service principles of respect, trust, empathy, and accountability. Ensure that staff provide high-quality customer support in adherence to these principles.
- Work with PSO director and leadership to identify areas for streamlining processes to improve customer experience and identify areas for improvement. Characterize the current work process and propose changes for improving the process, using data to support changes.
- Examine, process and issue vital records that are requested in person, online or by mail, as assigned. This includes birth and death certificates, letters of exemplification, no record found statements, pre-adoption certificates, agency request, subpoenas, and Acknowledgements of Parentage.
- Function as case navigator and provide clear, detailed next step instructions and assistance to customers with their requests. This includes providing written guidance to customers in clear and courteous plain language and responding to customer emails.
- Approve completed customer applications as a designated Deputy City Registrar.
- Review financial reconciliation accounts from intake staff and approve or follow up with staff as needed. Ensure that all financial reconciliation accounts are submitted daily.
- Access secure area where security paper is stored, assign paper to staff who are printing certificates; reconcile security paper usage and ensure that all unused paper is returned to secure area and that all security protocol is followed.
- Test IT system fixes and updates/enhancements. Report outcome of testing to IT and BVS leadership.
- Create tickets and report any IT issues that impact productivity and day to day operations. This includes issues with the eVital database system, Documentum, Qmatic, customer kiosks, MS Office applications, printers, and scanners.
- Use staff trainings, professional judgement and decision making to resolve issues with customer applications, in accordance with Health Code and BVS policies and procedures.
- Provide customer support in customer lobby as assigned, including at a customer window or podium.
- Critically assess customer documents, identify any issues, and follow up with customer for resolution.
- Present complicated cases to peers at monthly case review meetings with the goal of identifying best practices and ensuring ongoing professional development. This includes drafting a summary of the situation, what has been done to resolve the issue and possible next steps.
- Support response activities across all types of possible incidents, including storms, pandemics, and other emergencies.

This position fulfills a key Continuity of Operations role and is critical to the Health Department’s fulfillment of its mission.

Why you should work for us:

- Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:
o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
o a tax-deferred savings program and
o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.
- Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
- Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be