Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

1111 Israel Road SW, P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650 / www.parks.wa.gov

Job Opportunity

Customer Service Specialist 1

Location: Tumwater, Washington

Salary: Range 32 ($2,212 - $2,855 monthly)
Posting Date: December 29, 2009
Closing Date: January 12, 2010
Recruitment Announcement #: R-504-OC

AGENCY PROFILE:

• Agency goals and policies are established by the seven-member Washington State Parks and Recreation
Commission.

• Agency mission: The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission fosters outdoor recreation and
education statewide to provide enjoyment and enrichment for all and a valued legacy to future
generations. The Commission acquires, operates, enhances, and protects a diverse system of
recreational, cultural, historical, and natural sites.

• Centennial 2013 vision: In 2013, Washington's state parks will be premier destinations of
uncommon quality, including state and regionally significant natural, cultural, historical and recreational
resources that are outstanding for the experience, health, enjoyment and learning of all people.

• Washington s State Parks employs more than 500 permanent staff and more than 500 seasonal
and temporary staff throughout the state. The headquarters office is located in Tumwater and region
offices are located in Burlington, Tumwater, and Wenatchee.

PRIMARY DUTIES:
This position works under close to general supervision and provides customer service for the agency’s front
desk and reception desk.

• Provide agency interpretation, decisions, and responses to inquiries from public, employees, and other
state/federal/local agencies.
• Provide information on State Parks programs, passes, permits, reservation information, agency
policies/procedures, and related RCWs and WACs.
• Greet, direct/refer, and interact with public, customers, and staff.
• Respond to inquiries via email, phone, postal service, and in person.
• Review, screen, and verify eligibility for issuance of Off Season Passes.
• Enter and maintain information into databases.
• Sell seasonal Sno-Park permits.
• Collect and process cash, credit cards, checks, and conduct daily reconciliation.
• Receive mail deliveries and notify recipients.
• Maintain files and other accountable documents (passes, permits, etc).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

GED or High School graduation AND one year of experience providing assistance to customers regarding
inquiries, complaints or problems.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Independently responding to customers by answering questions, providing information and/or explaining

decisions made regarding eligibility for the specific program requirements in compliance with rules and
laws.
• Providing support to customers using specialized programs and internet applications.
• Reconciling and handling cash.
• One year of experience answering multi-line telephones

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES:

• Ability to read, understand, and communicate agency’s policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and
related RCWs and WACS.
• Ability to multi-task (phone, customer service, data entry) and work in busy and potentially stressful,
environment with the presence of distractions.
• Skilled at MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and Internet Explorer.
• Ability to use multi-line telephone and transfer calls to appropriate people.
• Ability to maintain professional work etiquette in all communications and interactions.
• Ability to perform basic math skills.
• Ability to maintain high degree of accuracy in data entry and issuance/control of passes, permits, etc.
• Ability to maintain dependability with attendance

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Accountability - Accepts personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of his/her work. Can
be relied upon to achieve excellent results.
• Communication Effectiveness - Conveys clear, timely and persuasive messages that positively
influence the thoughts and actions of others.
• Customer Focus - Builds and maintains internal and external customer satisfaction with the services
offered by the organization.
• Ethics and Integrity - Earns the trust, respect and confidence of coworkers and customers through
consistent honesty, forthrightness and professionalism in all interactions.
• Inclusiveness - Actively contributes to a work environment that embraces building relationships and
partnerships with key stakeholders, recognizing the value of cultural, ethnic, gender and other individual
differences, to enhance the attainment of organizational goals.

SPECIAL NOTES:

•The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has a union shop requirement. Any
employee hired into this position must meet union shop requirements within 30 days of employment.

•The Essential Functions of the position will be discussed with candidates at the oral interview.
Essential functions include the minimum qualifications and primary duties on this announcement.
Candidates are hired on a conditional basis; contingent upon candidates showing the ability to perform
the essential functions, with or without accommodation.

•Overnight travel may be required to attend training.

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested candidates must submit the following:

• A completed Washington State Job Application

• Responses to the supplemental questionnaire
• A letter of interest that describes how you meet the desired qualifications and competencies
• A resume with a minimum of three professional references

Please submit materials to: Jose Vidales, Human Resource Consultant

 Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Rd SW
P.O. Box 42650
Olympia, WA 98504-2650
Fax (360) 664-2106 / hr@parks.wa.gov

SELECTION PROCESS:
Only complete application packets received by 5:00 p.m. on January 12, 2010 will be considered. Qualified
candidates will be forwarded to the hiring supervisor for consideration for an oral interview.

Due to budgetary constraints, qualified internal candidates may receive first consideration.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE PROCEDURE:

In a separate document, please respond to the following questions. Number your responses to correspond to
the questions below. For question numbers 1 through 7, include the name of the employer, the dates you
worked, and the number of hours per week you worked. Only applicants who follow the directions and
complete the Questionnaire in-full will have their responses reviewed for consideration.

1. Please describe your experience providing customer service to include listening attentively, identifying
issues, providing options, fulfilling services and/or exercising knowledge of laws and regulations to
assist other and/or resolve complaints or conflicts.

2. Please describe your experience using computer programs such as Access, Excel, Word, and Outlook.

3. Please describe your experience independently responding to customers by answering questions,

providing information and/or explaining decisions made regarding eligibility for the specific program
requirements in compliance with rules and laws.

4. Please describe your experience reconciling and handling cash.

5. Please describe your experience answering multi-line telephones.

6. Please describe your experience multi-tasking.

7. Please describe your experience dealing with conflict.

8. Please describe your knowledge of State Parks camping pass programs and their rules, policies and
procedures. Explain how you obtained the knowledge and any practical uses of it.

VETERAN’S PREFERENCE:
Eligibility for veteran’s preference is defined in RCW 73.16.010 as honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and
marines who are veterans of any war of the United States, or of any military campaign for which a campaign
ribbon shall have been awarded, and their widows or widowers, shall be preferred for appointment and
employment. Age, loss of limb, or other physical impairment, which does not in fact incapacitate, shall not be
deemed to disqualify them, provided they possess the capacity necessary to discharge the duties of the position
involved: PROVIDED, that spouses of honorably discharged veterans who have a service connected permanent
and total disability shall also be preferred for appointment and employment.

Applicants claiming veteran’s preference will be required to verify eligibility by attaching a copy of the DD 214
form or NGB 22 form to the state application.

DIVERSITY POLICY STATEMENT:

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is committed to creating an equitable, hospitable,
appreciative, safe, and inclusive park environment – one that embraces the full spectrum of all community
members’ contributions. The Commission makes this commitment because:

• Diversity strengthens the workforce in competence and ability;

 • Celebrating diversity appreciates and values individual differences;
• Diversity serves an increasingly heterogeneous society;
• Diversity helps ensure the relevance of a state park system, its mission, properties, and programs to the
people of this state today and in the future; and
• Diversity is crucial to our ability to serve all citizens.

The Commission encourages and supports staff efforts to reach out to people of all races, national origins,
abilities, religions, sexual orientations, veteran status, ages, and genders who use the parks and who live in
communities nearby parks. This outreach is to focus on engaging in partnerships that expand programs and
services in a way that is meaningful and of value to all people. The Commission is dedicated to offering quality
experiences to all visitors through a workforce and volunteer corps that reflects the diversity of Washington
State.
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. WE STRIVE TO CREATE A WORKING ENVIRONMENT
THAT INCLUDES AND RESPECTS CULTURAL, RACIAL, ETHNIC, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY DIVERSITY.
WOMEN, RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, PERSONS OVER 40 YEARS OF AGE, DISABLED AND
VIETNAM ERA VETERANS AND PEOPLE OF ALL SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS AND GENDER IDENTITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO
APPLY. PERSONS NEEDING ACCOMMODATION IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS OR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IN AN
ALTERNATIVE FORMAT MAY CONTACT THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE AT (360) 902-8565 OR THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS
DEVICE FOR THE DEAF AT 1-800-833-6388.