What are the responsibilities and job description for the Collections Tech II position at Montana State University?
University Business Services (UBS) provides accounting and business services for the instructional, research, and administrative components of Montana State University. As part of the UBS team, the Student Accounts Office assists students in meeting their financial obligation to the University.
This position performs accounts receivable and collections work and is responsible for managing student payment plans and referrals to collection agencies.
Duties and Responsibilities
Collections:
- Contact students with past due balances, NSF check and returned payments issuers on QuikPay to explain collection and enforcement policies, and credit history impacts.
- Negotiate late or extended payments arrangements to collect delinquent debts, NSF checks, returned payments on QuikPay and make exceptions when warranted.
- Compose past due notices and final demand letters, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.
- Analyze past due accounts and determine the most effective debt collection methods.
- Review and monitor bankruptcy filings.
- Determine the ability of accounts, NSF checks and returned payments on QuikPay to be collected.
- Notify the MT Department of Revenue to withhold refunds and other state payments to defaulted debtors through the State Offset System.
- Monitor the progress of collection agencies.
- Provide direction and authorization to collection agencies to pursue litigation when appropriate.
- Provide technical assistance and expertise to other university personnel on the proper collection of delinquent accounts.
- Initiate monthly NSF reports on Banner
Fee Assessment:
- Independently review student accounts.
- Assess or delete specific fees following BOR and MSU policies.
- Verify and authorize refunds.
- Post payments using several detail codes.
- Place and release holds.
- Assist other on campus departments with their billing.
Manage the collection and monitoring of student receivables:
- Bill for and collect outstanding/overdue student balances from prior terms.
- Counsel students regarding their payment options.
- Prepare reports of overdue student account balances, including querying from Banner, summarizing in Excel.
- Analyze summarized information for problem accounts and trends.
- Approve or deny, establish and monitor payment agreement contracts for past due Student Accounts Receivable.
- Maintain documentation of compliance and due diligence with respect to managing and collecting Accounts Receivable.
- Reconciliation of student accounts detail to ledger balances.
Establish and maintain contracts with various local and national collection agencies:
- Serve an integral role in contract negotiations and writing RPFs.
- Monitor and manage collection agency performance.
Monitor and oversee payment plan applications:
- Explain and provide appropriate counseling to students and parents regarding QuikPay payment plans.
- Contact past due accounts, establish and follow due diligence procedures.
Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
- Two years of post-secondary education in Business, Accounting or related field plus three years of progressively responsible work experience in collecting past-due accounts and accounts receivable, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
- Demonstrated competence using word processing, database, email and spreadsheet software. Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, electronic document management and Access preferred.
- Demonstrated competence maintaining, processing, and verifying detailed records with a high degree of accuracy, and identifying and correcting errors.
- Demonstrated competence organizing and prioritizing workloads, meeting deadlines, and adapting to changing priorities in a busy office setting.
- Demonstrated competence composing, formatting, and proving business correspondence accurately and professionally.
Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
- Knowledge of state and university business procedures.
- Knowledge of the Banner Finance system including EDM.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of borrowers and check issuers in the collection of past due accounts and bad debt.
- Demonstrated competence reconciling accounts.
The Successful Candidate Will
- Consistently exercise initiative and good judgement.
- Communicate effectively with employees and the public both in person and over the phone. · Establish and maintain effective working relations with co-workers and the public in a team-oriented environment.
- Appropriately handle confidential records and information.
- Follow State or Federal guidelines, make consistent decisions, interpret and apply guidelines, and remain current on changing regulations.
- Represent the Student Accounts Office, its programs and Montana State University to others in a professional and courteous manner.
Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
This position has supervisory duties?
No
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies
1
Desired Start Date
Upon successful completion of search
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Applications will be:
Screening of applications will begin on October 15, 2024 ; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.
Special Instructions
EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
Admissions Evaluator II - Graduate School
Montana Tech -
Butte, MT
Tower Tech I / II
Capstone Solutions -
Missoula, MT
Lab Animal Tech I or II
Montana State University -
Bozeman, MT
