Utility Billing Analyst

The City of Billings is seeking a Utility Billing Analyst to perform advanced technical, analytical, and administrative duties related to utility billing, revenue assurance, payment processing, financial reconciliation, and customer account management for water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, and related utility services. This position serves as a functional expert for utility billing operations and supports the accuracy, integrity, and efficiency of the City's utility billing systems.

The Utility Billing Analyst analyzes billing and payment data, investigates discrepancies, performs financial reconciliations, supports audits and rate implementation, develops reports, and recommend process improvements. Will serve as a liaison between customers, operational staff, Finance, Information Technology, and software vendors to ensure accurate billing, revenue collection, and customer service.

Salary Range: $25.4657 - $30.9945 per hour. Salary reflects Step 1 and Step 5 of a 7-step pay scale. The salary will be dependent on the applicant's education, experience, and training.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Prepare, review, and process utility billing for water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, and related services.
• Monitor and verify the accuracy of monthly billing cycles, account adjustments, corrections, credits, and back-billing activities.
• Process and reconcile customer payments received through various payment channels, including online, in-person, lockbox, and third-party processors.
• Monitor accounts receivable activity and assist with collections, payment arrangements, delinquent accounts, and revenue recovery efforts.
• Conduct daily reconciliation of bank reports, merchant processing reports, and billing system transactions to verify accuracy and completeness.
• Process and track returned payments, chargebacks, and non-sufficient funds (NSF) transactions and ensure proper account resolution.
• Analyze billing, consumption, payment, and customer account data to identify discrepancies, trends, anomalies, and potential revenue impacts.
• Investigate and resolve complex customer account issues, billing disputes, credits, adjustments, and account corrections.
• Perform audits and quality assurance reviews of billing system data, customer accounts, meter readings, service orders, and billing transactions.
• Identify root causes of billing discrepancies and recommend corrective actions to improve billing accuracy and efficiency.
• Monitor billing system controls and revenue assurance processes to ensure compliance with City policies and procedures.
• Assist with utility rate implementation and financial evaluations.
• Analyze utility revenues, consumption trends, customer growth, and payment patterns to support forecasting, budgeting, and management decision-making.
• Reconcile billing, payment, accounts receivable, and general ledger information.
• Prepare supporting documentation and schedules for internal and external audits.
• Develop, prepare, and maintain recurring and ad hoc reports related to utility billing, revenues, collections, customer accounts, and operational performance.
• Compile and analyze statistical and financial information for management, budget development, and strategic planning purposes.
• Maintain data integrity within utility billing and payment processing systems.
• Assist with data validation, system testing, and implementation of new processes, software upgrades, and system enhancements.
• Serve as a functional subject matter expert for utility billing, payment processing, and customer account systems.
• Assist in troubleshooting system issues and coordinate resolution efforts with Information Technology staff and software vendors.
• Develop and maintain billing procedures, process documentation, and training materials.
• Evaluate business processes and recommend improvements to increase o erational efficiency, billing accuracy, internal controls, and customer service.
• Participate in implementation and testing of new technologies, software upgrades, and process enhancements.
• Respond to customer inquiries regarding utility billing, payments, account status, policies, and procedures.
• Provide clear and professional explanations of billing calculations, rates, fees, and account activity.
• Provide technical guidance and training to staff regarding billing processes and system functionality.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

Required Qualifications And Skills

• Associate's degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Information Systems, or a related field.
• A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in utility billing, accounting, finance, revenue administration, business analysis, or a related field.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in spreadsheet and financial software applications; OR
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in utility billing, accounting, finance, revenue administration, business analysis, or a related field.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in spreadsheet and financial software applications.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications And Skills

• Experience in municipal government or utility industry.
• Experience with high-volume customer accounts and payment processing.
  
  

Equal Opportunity Employer.