Collections Specialist

Position Summary

It is the responsibility of the Collection Specialist to provide customer service regarding collection issues, to process and review account adjustments, and to resolve invoice discrepancies. In this role, they are responsible for reducing delinquency for assigned accounts. It is essential that they communicate effectively with AR management regarding customer accounts promptly.

Essential Functions

• Administer Agency records management policies and procedures to maintain complete, orderly, accurate, and accessible working files and archives.
• Evaluate records for retention in compliance.
• Provide customer service regarding collection issues, process and review account adjustments, resolve invoice discrepancies.
• Requests and pursues payment on delinquent accounts via communication with account holder.
• Follow established guidelines to review and update account status.
• Maintains log of payment promises and pertinent account details; schedules follow-up communication with account holder.
• Enlist the efforts of AR managers and Director of Finance when necessary to accelerate the collection process.
• Locate the parties who have been identified as being late with bill payments using the internet and institutional resources.
• Make the first contact with the debtor and explain why payment is due for the product or service.
• Attempt to negotiate a repayment plan after listening to the debtor’s reasons why payment is late and make referrals to consumer debt resources if appropriate.
• Adhere to federal and state debt collection laws in order to preserve the legality and binding nature of the transactions undertaken, providing full transparency of operations
• Strive to maintain excellent customer relations through professional conduct
• May perform light office duties including but not limited to filing, making copies, and scanning
  
  

Education / Experience

• Associate degree or 3+ years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must be a team player, independent, proactive, and possess excellent problem solving, oral and written communication, and organizational skills.
• Experience in dealing with sensitive information.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Robust background in accounting preferred.
  
  

Skills & Attributes

• Highly organized, responsive, and independent, with proven ability to juggle many important projects promptly with minimal supervision.
• Must be able to deal effectively with competing priorities and deadlines.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Proven ability to learn the needs of the business, to ensure contracts meet both the legal and business needs of the organization.
• Strategic thinking, high ethical standards, collaborative.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Ability to work with personnel of varying levels of leadership across organizations and geographies.
• Works with integrity and ethically; supports organization’s culture, goals, and values.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• May occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds
• Regularly required to sit, talk, or listen.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  
  

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.