Professional Service Specialist

Based in Shreveport, Louisiana, we began in 1996 by offering payroll processing and tax compliance services. In 2000, we made the strategic decision to develop our own technology. APS has a mission: to make payroll and HR easier. We design our unified solution to simplify workforce management tasks for mid-market organizations. We provide our clients and partners with personalized service and support to accomplish their goals. Streamline payroll processing, automate HR workflows, and elevate the employee lifecycle with a single-system platform. We are APS, and we are a workforce partner for our clients.

We are on the grow again and searching for a Professional Service Specialist. The Professional Services Specialist collaborates with both internal teams and the client, as needed, to understand their specific requirements, business processes, and goals; and in turn, will conduct needs assessments, gather relevant information, and provide guidance on how our product and services can best meet the client’s needs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Request Evaluation and Review:
• Receive request for Professional Development Services through the designated channels.
• Review all pertinent information escalated into Jira from Zendesk.
• Identify any areas that require clarification or further discussion and communicate with the Implementation/Support team accordingly.
• Specification Development:
• Collaborate with clients and internal teams to gather requirements and formulate specifications for custom reporting projects.
• Write detailed specifications and prepare Statements of Work (SOWs) to be provided to clients for approval.
• Documentation and Tracking:
• Ensure that all specifications and SOWs are accurately documented and stored in Jira as part of the standard operation procedures (SOC).
• Maintain accurate project status in Jira throughout the project’s life cycle, from initial engagement to project release.
• Development and Quality Assurance:
• Liaise with the Development team to ensure accurate implementation of specifications and adherence to project timelines.
• Test reporting output to validate the functionality and accuracy of custom reporting solutions.
• For automated exports, oversee the generation and delivery for test files and manage communication with vendors for acceptance testing.
• Production Release and Billing:
• Coordinate the release of completed work into production, ensuring smooth transition and minimal disruption.
• Collaborate with the Billing Specialist to ensure accurate billing for completed projects at appropriate milestones.
• Issue Resolution and Documentation:
• Address any issues or change requests promptly by initiating new Jira tickets and coordinating resolution efforts.
• Additional Responsibilities:
• Perform any other duties or tasks as needed or assigned to support the overall objectives of the Professional Development Services team

Supervisory Responsibilities: NA

Education, Qualifications, Skills and Abilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The list below is representative of the qualifications, skills, and abilities required and preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or higher preferred.
• Previous experience in a similar role involving project management, client interaction, and technical understanding.
• Experience working alongside developers to create custom reporting solutions.
• Experience in reading and interpreting technical documents from vendors and/or clients into development-ready specification documents.
• Experience in managing client relationships and understanding client needs as it pertains to Professional Development Services.
• Familiarity with project management methodologies.
• Experience with JIRA, Zendesk, and Google Suites preferred.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to understand and articulate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Proficiency in creating mock-up specification documents.
• Attention to detail, particularly in ensuring the accuracy of custom reports.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Proficiency in relevant software tools for report creation and data analysis (e.g., SQL, Excel, BI tools).
• Adaptability to learn new technologies and tools quickly.
• Negotiation skills for managing expectations between clients and developers.
• Time management skills to meet deadlines effectively.
• Strong interpersonal skills for managing client and vendor relationships.
• Technical troubleshooting skills to identify and resolve issues with custom reports.
• Ability to provide clear and concise feedback to developers based on client requirements.
• Ability to understand and translate client needs into technical specifications.
• Ability to assess the feasibility and impact of proposed solutions.
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Ability to maintain a customer-centric approach in all interactions.
• Ability to adapt communication style to various stakeholders, including clients and developers.
• Ability to facilitate productive discussions between clients and vendors.
• Ability to think critically and offer innovative solutions to meet client needs.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information appropriately.
• Must be able to work the hours necessary to successfully perform in this position.
• Must understand all company guidelines, procedures, and workflow.
• Must be willing to embrace the APS culture which includes respect, communication, team work, client focus, continuous change, training and other learning opportunities.

BENEFITS: APS offers a competitive compensation and benefits package which includes:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance (employee only tier of coverage for medical and vision paid at 100% by APS)
• Short Term Disability (short term disability paid at 100% by APS for employee)
• Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• 401(k) for Retirement (eligible after 30 days of employment; employer match/no vesting schedule)
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Holiday paid time off

At APS, we strive every day to...

• Do the Right Thing
• Serve Others
• Be Our Best
• Find the Fun

Check APS out and see what we are about!