Student Accounts Specialist

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to the Financial Aid Director, this position provides students with exemplary customer service and assistance regarding charges and/or credits to their student accounts. This position also reports revenues and completes accounting functions according to established policies and procedures and as directed by the Financial Aid Director and Dean of Students, with high interface and collaboration with the Finance & Accounting department.

• Provide IAIA students with exemplary customer service and assistance regarding charges and credits to their account.
• Keep students informed of their balances owed or refundable.
• Supervise all billing and collections on delinquent accounts with diplomacy and decisiveness.
• Provide in‑depth guidance and creatively solve problems related to student account billing, statements, and other financial transactions, including payments.
• Process and maintain assigned Financial Aid Office related assignments (routine and non‑routine).
• Respond to all student inquiries related to account billing thoroughly and concisely.
• Develop and maintain constructive and cooperative working relationships with students, staff, and faculty.
• Assist students with making financial arrangements for satisfactory payments.
• Create outstanding balance reports for Financial Aid Director and the Finance Services Department.
• Mail collection letters within designated deadlines/timelines.
• Assist FAO Director and FAO Advisor in contacting students for FAO matters via fax, phone, and e‑mail as assigned/required.

• Ability to maintain pleasant, positive, cooperative, and high customer service manner and approach at all times.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally, particularly in the area of delinquent accounts and/or collections.
• Ability to negotiate payment plans with students, parents or other interested parties within guidelines established by the Director of Finance, monitor payment performance.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with collection agencies to recover delinquent accounts from uncooperative debtors.
• Ability to respond to students and other parties regarding questions on student charges, awards and status of student account.
• Must possess the ability to be flexible and creative in resolve problems for students so as to achieve win‑win solutions for the students and IAIA.
• Demonstrated skill and willingness to “go the extra mile” to provide excellent student‑centric service.
• Ability to resolve differences in a transparent, honest, constructive and ethical manner.
• Ability to organize, prioritize and maintain accurate detailed records.
• Hands‑on knowledge of basic accounting principals to include accounts payable/ receivables, account statements and statement preparation.
• Hands‑on knowledge of basic federal, state, institutional and general financial aid principals.
• Strong knowledge of Excel and other Office software is required and experience with student accounting systems is preferred.

• Ability to sit for extended periods of times, using a computer work station.
• Ability to read and interpret basic to complex data/information/guidelines/procedures related to student billing accounts.
• Possibility of occasional out‑of‑town travel for meetings and conferences using a personal or IAIA vehicle.
• This job description does not list all the duties of the job.
• Incumbent may be asked by supervisors or managers to perform other duties.