Manager, Customer and Community Relations

$107,407 - $144,999/Yr

Long Beach Transit - Long Beach, CA

Full-time

Long Beach, CA

Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation

About the position

The Customer and Community Relations Manager is a pivotal role within Long Beach Transit (LBT), tasked with enhancing the customer experience and fostering a strong community and industry focus. This position involves the planning and implementation of community engagement and customer service programs that are essential for the organization. The Manager will oversee both the Customer Care team and the Community Relations team, ensuring effective management and coordination of these critical functions. As a member of a cross-departmental team, the Manager will work closely with the Communications and Marketing Manager under the direction of the Executive Director/VP of Customer Relations and Communications. In this role, the Manager will develop targeted programs and strategies aimed at engaging and educating diverse communities within LBT's service area regarding public transportation. This includes building community and industry partnerships to strengthen relationships with LBT's diverse communities, ultimately enhancing ridership and community perception. The Manager will lead LBT's customer service initiatives, implementing processes that improve the overall customer experience and ensuring that special services and programs are executed effectively to provide a positive customer experience with low barriers to access. Additionally, the Manager will be responsible for managing LBT's charter services, ensuring efficient processes across all departments involved. The role requires innovative thinking to increase ridership and revenue opportunities in collaboration with other departments. The Manager will also work with educational institutions, city departments, and other public agencies to promote projects and programs, supporting the development of customer and public materials that ensure accuracy, accessibility, and clarity of complex transit information. Event planning, managing the Customer Care Call Center, and overseeing customer and community feedback processes are also key responsibilities of this position. The Manager will develop processes and procedures for customer service and community engagement that optimize daily operations while maintaining effective working relationships across all levels and departments of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Develop targeted programs and strategies to engage and educate diverse communities within LBT's service area on public transportation.
• Develop community and industry partnerships to strengthen relationships with LBT's diverse communities to enhance ridership and community perception.
• Lead LBT's customer service initiatives and implement processes that improve the overall customer experience.
• Lead LBT's special services and programs, ensuring a positive customer experience and low barriers to access.
• Manage LBT's charter services, ensuring efficient processes across all departments involved.
• Develop innovative approaches to increase ridership and revenue opportunities in partnership with other departments.
• Work with educational institutions, city departments, and other public agencies in conjunction with LBT's Government Relations Manager to promote projects and programs.
• Support the development of customer and public materials, ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and clarity of complex transit information.
• Plan events, meetings, and public forums.
• Manage the Customer Care Call Center and LBT's Downtown Long Beach Transit & Visitor Information Center.
• Manage customer and community feedback and response process, including customer and community surveys.
• Work across LBT's departments on joint projects and programs.
• Develop processes and procedures for customer service and community engagement that optimize daily operations.
• Keep well informed on the agency's service area, its demographics, diversity, development, challenges, and community events.
• Comply with all safety regulations as stated in LBT's safety program, and report safety-related accidents, incidents, and unsafe work conditions; attend safety training programs as required.
• Ensure that each level of supervision and all employees are made aware of the elements of the safety program, and that those elements are implemented.
• Maintain effective working relationships with all levels and departments of the organization.
• Load and unload large heavy items from a vehicle and display at community events.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, Marketing, Public Administration, Communications or a related field.
• At least five years of relevant experience in customer service or community relations.
• Demonstrated experience in supervising personnel and preparing community relations plans.
• Experience overseeing customer evaluation surveys and understanding customer care programs.
• Public speaking and presentation experience is required.
• Valid Class C California driver's license.

Nice-to-haves

• Proven track record of implementing successful customer and community relations programs and initiatives with diverse populations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including public speaking, writing, and diplomacy.
• Excellent administrative skills to effectively manage customer programs and a large team.
• Ability to translate complete information into clear, concise statements.
• A self-starter with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines, working independently with minimal direction at times.
• A visionary leader with demonstrated abilities to promote LBT's community and industry focus and enhance the customer experience.
• Flexible, adaptable, and agile with the ability to shift work or focus based on changing situations.
• Proficiency with computer applications including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams etc.).

Benefits

• Salary range: $107,407 - $144,999 per year (DOQ) with excellent fringe benefits.
• Equal Opportunity Employer.
• Successful candidate must pass agency physical, drug, and alcohol examinations.