Customer Support Advocate I, Part-Time

At ACT, Your Work Makes a Difference

Education has power - a power that changes lives forever. It creates opportunities that lift up individuals, their families, and sparks societal change that echoes through generations to come. From our grassroots we have fought the good fight for equity in education, and we remain devoted to helping anyone who struggles to access that power. This is what matters to us and we must do better - we've never been more sure of our purpose. 

ACT team members are part of an organization dedicated to an important mission:  Helping people achieve education and workplace success.  Advancing the mission internally, by helping team members achieve education and workplace success of their own, is core to our values. ACT values a diverse workplace and is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable environment in which every team member has an opportunity to grow.

We want our team members to have the well-being and confidence they need to do their best work. To support this, our total rewards include company paid life insurance, medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, 403B with company contributions, paid holidays, paid time off, and so much more. You can find a comprehensive list of our benefits here. 

We are seeking to fill multiple Customer Support Advocate I positions to provide quality front-line customer service by handling inbound phone and email contacts through to resolution or, when needed, to escalation. In this role, you will work to resolve customer issues in a way that reduces their effort and values their time. We are looking for people to join our team who are passionate about customer service, want to fix problems, and are excited to take on new challenges. 

The Details

Start Dates: Positions are scheduled to start in 2024 on one of two start dates: Monday, January 8 or Monday, January 22.

Starting Pay is $16/hour and these positions are not incentive eligible.

Work Hours: These are part-time positions for the majority of the year but do require full-time hours to complete a 3 week training period, as well as a 6-10 week period in the Spring.  Please see below for additional details.

Time Zone:  All hours listed are Central Time Zone.

Part-time hours for the majority of the year.  Part-time hours are 9 am to 1 pm or 10 am to 2 pm. 

Full-time hours required for training (see below) and for the 6-10 week period that starts in the mid- February time frame.  The hours for the 6-10 week period are (7.5 or 8.0 hours/day) 8:30 am to 5 pm, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, or on a schedule that will be set between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm.

Work Schedule:  Monday through Friday, with some positions requiring weekend hours based on planned events scheduled in advance.

Location:  Remote. Onsite or hybrid work are also options for individuals within driving distance of the ACT Headquarters Offices in Iowa City, Iowa.

Equipment: ACT provides the technology (laptop, etc.) equipment needed for the position.

Training: Hours are 8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday starting on first day of work for up to three weeks. Training and resources provided to learn the systems needed to be able to respond to our customers. New hires do not start taking live calls until the training is complete.  Additionally, a support team is available to help where needed during and beyond training.

What you will be working on:

• Resolve customer inquiries by clarifying the customer's issue, determining the cause of the problem, selecting and explaining the best solution to solve the problem, expediting correction or adjustment, following up to ensure resolution, and documenting tickets
• Provide solutions for our customers -- educators at the state, district, and local school level - who contact us via phone and email
• Determine when it is necessary to escalate customer concerns to next level for resolution
• Use a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool to maintain records of customer interactions, transaction, comments, and complaints

This could be the job for you if you have (minimum requirements):

• At least 1 year of experience that focuses on positive customer engagement and support, helping others be successful, and building customer relationships
• Basic experience using office productivity software tools (such as Microsoft Office) or other computer technologies
• Familiarity with multiple web browsers (Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Safari), utilizing multiple tabs, window navigation, and Internet messenger tools
• Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with customers and team members, and to proactively manage customer relationships
• Ability to multi-task, anticipate, and act on information; willingness and ability to learn
• Ability to listen, seek understanding, and respond through clear, effective oral and written communication with customers and within the organization
• Ability to handle phone calls, with high frequency during high volume periods, consistently throughout the day while maintaining a customer focus approach with each call
• Ability to be flexible and adapt; manage change and navigate positively in an environment experiencing change at a fast pace
• Ability to effectively resolve issues in a timely manner using sound judgment and logical problem solving and influencing skills
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to effectively prioritize
• Ability to have regular and reliable attendance
• High School Diploma, or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and abilities can be acquired

It's a plus if you have:

• Advanced fluency with Windows Operating Systems (Windows 10 or 11), Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), and/or with Chromebook 
• Customer service experience in a call center environment highly desirable
• Technical help desk experience that includes solving computer error messages in an application
• Experience working in the education industry
• Experience with or knowledge of Customer Relationship Management platforms and tools

When ACT was founded in 1959, it disrupted the assessment industry with a new approach to helping students better understand their readiness so they could take steps to improve it.  By leveraging our expertise and authority in assessment and research, we will again disrupt the industry-helping more people learn, better measure their progress, and improve their navigation through life's transitions. 

More than ever before, ACT is fulfilling its mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. We're doing it by pushing the boundaries of learning innovation through the work of our people, who we call team members because we're all in this together.

We know transformation does not come without challenge. That's why ACT invests in a variety of experiences for team members to strengthen their connections, explore ideas, learn from customers, and celebrate success.

Learn more about working at ACT at act.org!